Kempo Chris
11-26-2003, 08:45 PM
http://www.insidefighting.com/images/ROUNDS/hendo.jpg
http://www.insidefighting.com/images/photos/mma/pridegp/hendo_busta2.jpg
from www.insidefighting.com
InsideFighting: How have things been going for you since Final Conflict?
Dan Henderson: Uh, well it kind of blows like…I got home and then had to go out to the UFC for a week – or to Connecticut for the UFC – to help a couple teammates out.
IF: Okay. Well, actually our fans have asked us to thank you this time for not jumping-up on the ropes to celebrate your victory.
DH: [laugh] Yeah, I got up there nice and slowly – back down slowly.
(Bustamante was unhappy about the headbutt at the Pride FC Final Conflict post fight press conference)
IF: I’m sure you’re aware of what Murilo Bustamante has been saying about your fight with him. What do you think about his complaints?
DH: Uh, what exactly are his complaints?
IF: He had mentioned that he wanted to review the fight because he said the headbutt wasn’t valid, and he said that he knew you didn’t mean to do it.
DH: Well, I don’t know, I just think that…it was a little bit of a head bang there, but I don’t think it affected anything in the outcome of the fight.
(Henderson, left, knocked out Bustamante at Pride FC Final Conflict)
IF: So you don’t think that his headbutt complaint is legitimate?
DH: No, I mean, people bang heads all the time in fights and I’ve been wrestling for so long that I’ve seen so many people bang heads and, you know, nobody ever gets knocked-out from that. And you know, even if two people are shooting-in and bang heads the only thing that ever happens is that you might get split-open a little bit, but nobody ever gets knocked-out. And if that’s what he’s saying how he got knocked out, he’s…you know, he’s a little bit off on that.
IF: Do you have any desire then for a rematch with Murilo in the future?
DH: Uh, well I would like to get a title fight for PRIDE’s belt against Wanderlei Silva and that’s kind of what I’d be focusing on.
IF: What would you do differently in a rematch with Wanderlei?
DH: Uh, I’d come in in-shape instead of out of shape. That’d be my biggest step [laugh].
(Henderson’s first priority is a rematch with Pride FC Middleweight Champ Wanderlei Silva)
IF: So you felt that the last time you were out of shape against him?
DH: Yeah, I was real out of shape. It wasn’t that I felt that – I knew I was and that I…it’s just one of those things that…it was the worst condition that I’ve ever come into a fight, you know? Or, that is was against him, who is a tough opponent which wasn’t very smart, but you know. It’s just the way the circumstance was at that time.
IF: I know that the last time we talked you said wanted to maybe fight Sakuraba next. Do you still feel the same?
DH: Uh, yeah, Sakuraba or Wanderlei. I think I’d rather fight Wanderlei ‘cause he has the belt.
IF: In your opinion, who are the top four middleweight fighters in the world right now?
DH: Middleweight meaning 205 or middleweight being 185?
(Hendo ranks UFC Light Heavyweight Champ and teammate Randy Couture as king of the 205 pounders)
IF: Maybe with the 205.
DH: Uh, top four…I would say Randy Couture has gotta be on top. Then Wanderlei probably, and then…I don’t know, I’d like to put myself in there in the top four.
IF: So where would you rank yourself in that list?
DH: Uh, I don’t know – third or fourth. I haven’t fought Quinton, I haven’t fought Chuck Liddell or Tito you know, but, the only guy I’ve fought is Wanderlei out of those and I’ve lost to him. So I don’t know. I think that…I’d probably put myself in the top four or five, until I fight Wanderlei again. Then I’d be top two. Me and Randy being on top.
IF: Do you think there’s a chance that you may someday return to the UFC in the future?
DH: Ah, not in the near future. I don’t know. They haven’t expressed…you know…they’ve never made me an offer. So I’ve never…I don’t know what they’re thinking or what’s going on with them, but all I know is they haven’t made me an offer so, doesn’t look like it’ll happen in the near future.
IF: Is there any bitterness between the UFC and you?
DH: No not at all. I get along real well with them.
IF: I knew that you mentioned before that you felt that they weren’t offering you enough money in the past.
DH: Ah, no, I just think that that’s what it comes down to. They haven’t made me an offer. It’s not that they haven’t offered me enough, it’s just that they haven’t made me an offer. And I think it’s due to the fact that…you know, they need to kind of get their ball rolling and start making a little money before they can start making bigger offers.
IF: How about a return to wrestling? Do you have any aspirations to ever begin training again for the Olympics?
DH: No, none whatsoever. You know, I’ve already put my time in there and gave it my best shot. Came-up a little bit short on winning an Olympic medal, but…you know I have different goals now, and I’d like to be the best in the world at fighting.
(Hendo, top, only wants to fight for a few more years)
IF: When I talked to you last time, you said that you might only be good for a year or two more in competition. Why such a short time?
DH: Ah, a couple years. Just gonna take it year by year and see how my body feels. You know, I’ve been training for a long time now. I’ve been wrestling since I was five, and…I don’t know, just gonna take it year by year and see how it goes with my body and with my training and keep motivated to stay in-shape and keep training hard, and then I’d be more inclined to fight for longer. But I don’t want to go into fights out of shape if I’m not motivated to train then its…there’s no point in fighting that way.
IF: Well what plans do you have in mind for after retirement?
DH: Uh, we’re managing some up and coming fighters. You know, and open a gym. I’d like to stay in the…involved in the sport. So, that’s pretty much where we’re at.
IF: Are there any up and coming fighters that we should watch out for from where you’re at?
DH: Yeah, we have two or three guys that could possibly make a good breakthrough in this next year. So…I don’t know. We’ve got two or three good ones.
IF: Any names?
DH: Uh, we got a guy named Jeff Newton, a guy named Chale Sonnen (sp?), and a guy named Nathan Corey.
IF: Next we’re going to do a little name association, and what we’ll do is I’ll give you the name of a fighter and you tell me the first thing that comes to mind.
DH: Okay.
IF: Tito Ortiz.
DH: Tito Ortiz…Uh, the first thing that comes to mind. I don’t know, I guess overrated.
IF: Heath Herring.
DH: Needs to get out of Holland. Probably the lifestyle hasn’t done him well.
IF: Murilo Bustamante
DH: Uh, just a fighter – that’s the first thing that comes to my mind is just a good, tough, well-rounded fighter.
(Kazushi Sakuraba loves to entertain the fans)
IF: Kazushi Sakuraba
DH: Uh…Sakuraba, I guess he’s just more like a…I don’t know, a joker or a funny guy quite a bit. Likes to entertain.
IF: Ricardo Arona
DH: Uh…[laughs] I think…I don’t know, he likes to stall and not try to finish any fights. Kind of a boring fighter.
IF: Bob Sapp
DH: Big dude.
IF: And finally, Quinton Jackson
DH: Quinton Jackson. Ah, I don’t know. I guess he’s a funny guy. He’s a…he never shuts-up, he talks all the time. But I like him. He’s a nice guy.
IF: Okay, thank you very much. Let’s change gears a little bit. What do you think about the popularity of MMA in America?
DH: I think it needs a little boost, it needs to get on the mainstream TV.
IF: What else do you think needs to happen for its popularity to grow?
DH: Well, they need to market at least two or three American fighters that do this to help market the sport. I think there’s some things that are probably going to happen in this next year or two on TV that they could do that. It just needs to be mainstream. I think the sport will get popular all by itself. I mean, it’s exciting – there’s a lot of aspects to it rather than…you know, something like boxing. They just box on their feet. Instead of…you know, learning submissions or kickboxing or anything like that they’re just striking on their feet. I think it’s just more dynamic than a lot of sports, and so it’ll sell itself, but it’s a matter of getting the advertisement…the free advertisement on regular TV.
IF: Well, you’re a Californian, and your nickname happens to be ‘Hollywood’. How do you feel about having Arnie as your governor?
DH: Uh, I haven’t been around that much this last month to see how things are. I think it’s pretty cool that he is the governor, but I don’t know what he’s been doing as far as now that he’s governor. So I’d like to…you know, follow that a little bit. But I think it’s pretty cool that he’s governor now.
IF: Arnold is apparently a fan of MMA. Do you think that he could be good for the future of the sport in your state?
DH: Yeah, I mean that’s one thing that he’s been really working on is setting-up an athletic commission for MMA in California. I think if he is behind it that could definitely help. I mean, it’s pretty much who you know in politics – not anything else. Just who you know, and who can get things done for you.
IF: Awhile back I seem to recall that one of your sponsors in PRIDE was a California-based sake company [Gekkeikan].
DH: Ah, yeah. Well, it’s actually based in Japan – in Kyoto – but they also have a big plant in California.
(Henderson, shown talking to J. Merrill after Pride FC Final Conflict, is a Horin man)
IF: Well my next question is of the utmost importance to those of us living out here in Japan. In your expert opinion, what is the mark of a good Sake?
DH: The mark of good Sake? Uh, the amount of…I guess how clean the rice is that they use? The amount of polish, I guess. Or how polished the rice is makes it a better Sake. The Horin is my favorite.
IF: Okay! Finally, have you heard anything solid about who and when you will fight next?
DH: Haven’t heard anything at all. Have you heard anything? [both laugh]
IF: No, I can’t say that I have [laugh]. I was hoping that maybe you’d heard something there.
DH: No, I haven’t heard a word.
IF: Well, any final words that you’d like to throw-out to all of your fans?
DH: Uh, no, pretty much everything that I usually say. I just love to fight in Japan – I love the Japanese fans. They’re very respectful, and…you know, win or lose they treat you well. And they’re very supportive. So, I definitely appreciate fighting in Japan in front of the Japanese fans.
IF: Dan, on behalf of InsideFighting.com I’d like to thank you very much for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with us. Best of luck to you in the future!
DH: Thank you! Thank you, I appreciate it.
http://www.insidefighting.com/images/photos/mma/pridegp/hendo_busta2.jpg
from www.insidefighting.com
InsideFighting: How have things been going for you since Final Conflict?
Dan Henderson: Uh, well it kind of blows like…I got home and then had to go out to the UFC for a week – or to Connecticut for the UFC – to help a couple teammates out.
IF: Okay. Well, actually our fans have asked us to thank you this time for not jumping-up on the ropes to celebrate your victory.
DH: [laugh] Yeah, I got up there nice and slowly – back down slowly.
(Bustamante was unhappy about the headbutt at the Pride FC Final Conflict post fight press conference)
IF: I’m sure you’re aware of what Murilo Bustamante has been saying about your fight with him. What do you think about his complaints?
DH: Uh, what exactly are his complaints?
IF: He had mentioned that he wanted to review the fight because he said the headbutt wasn’t valid, and he said that he knew you didn’t mean to do it.
DH: Well, I don’t know, I just think that…it was a little bit of a head bang there, but I don’t think it affected anything in the outcome of the fight.
(Henderson, left, knocked out Bustamante at Pride FC Final Conflict)
IF: So you don’t think that his headbutt complaint is legitimate?
DH: No, I mean, people bang heads all the time in fights and I’ve been wrestling for so long that I’ve seen so many people bang heads and, you know, nobody ever gets knocked-out from that. And you know, even if two people are shooting-in and bang heads the only thing that ever happens is that you might get split-open a little bit, but nobody ever gets knocked-out. And if that’s what he’s saying how he got knocked out, he’s…you know, he’s a little bit off on that.
IF: Do you have any desire then for a rematch with Murilo in the future?
DH: Uh, well I would like to get a title fight for PRIDE’s belt against Wanderlei Silva and that’s kind of what I’d be focusing on.
IF: What would you do differently in a rematch with Wanderlei?
DH: Uh, I’d come in in-shape instead of out of shape. That’d be my biggest step [laugh].
(Henderson’s first priority is a rematch with Pride FC Middleweight Champ Wanderlei Silva)
IF: So you felt that the last time you were out of shape against him?
DH: Yeah, I was real out of shape. It wasn’t that I felt that – I knew I was and that I…it’s just one of those things that…it was the worst condition that I’ve ever come into a fight, you know? Or, that is was against him, who is a tough opponent which wasn’t very smart, but you know. It’s just the way the circumstance was at that time.
IF: I know that the last time we talked you said wanted to maybe fight Sakuraba next. Do you still feel the same?
DH: Uh, yeah, Sakuraba or Wanderlei. I think I’d rather fight Wanderlei ‘cause he has the belt.
IF: In your opinion, who are the top four middleweight fighters in the world right now?
DH: Middleweight meaning 205 or middleweight being 185?
(Hendo ranks UFC Light Heavyweight Champ and teammate Randy Couture as king of the 205 pounders)
IF: Maybe with the 205.
DH: Uh, top four…I would say Randy Couture has gotta be on top. Then Wanderlei probably, and then…I don’t know, I’d like to put myself in there in the top four.
IF: So where would you rank yourself in that list?
DH: Uh, I don’t know – third or fourth. I haven’t fought Quinton, I haven’t fought Chuck Liddell or Tito you know, but, the only guy I’ve fought is Wanderlei out of those and I’ve lost to him. So I don’t know. I think that…I’d probably put myself in the top four or five, until I fight Wanderlei again. Then I’d be top two. Me and Randy being on top.
IF: Do you think there’s a chance that you may someday return to the UFC in the future?
DH: Ah, not in the near future. I don’t know. They haven’t expressed…you know…they’ve never made me an offer. So I’ve never…I don’t know what they’re thinking or what’s going on with them, but all I know is they haven’t made me an offer so, doesn’t look like it’ll happen in the near future.
IF: Is there any bitterness between the UFC and you?
DH: No not at all. I get along real well with them.
IF: I knew that you mentioned before that you felt that they weren’t offering you enough money in the past.
DH: Ah, no, I just think that that’s what it comes down to. They haven’t made me an offer. It’s not that they haven’t offered me enough, it’s just that they haven’t made me an offer. And I think it’s due to the fact that…you know, they need to kind of get their ball rolling and start making a little money before they can start making bigger offers.
IF: How about a return to wrestling? Do you have any aspirations to ever begin training again for the Olympics?
DH: No, none whatsoever. You know, I’ve already put my time in there and gave it my best shot. Came-up a little bit short on winning an Olympic medal, but…you know I have different goals now, and I’d like to be the best in the world at fighting.
(Hendo, top, only wants to fight for a few more years)
IF: When I talked to you last time, you said that you might only be good for a year or two more in competition. Why such a short time?
DH: Ah, a couple years. Just gonna take it year by year and see how my body feels. You know, I’ve been training for a long time now. I’ve been wrestling since I was five, and…I don’t know, just gonna take it year by year and see how it goes with my body and with my training and keep motivated to stay in-shape and keep training hard, and then I’d be more inclined to fight for longer. But I don’t want to go into fights out of shape if I’m not motivated to train then its…there’s no point in fighting that way.
IF: Well what plans do you have in mind for after retirement?
DH: Uh, we’re managing some up and coming fighters. You know, and open a gym. I’d like to stay in the…involved in the sport. So, that’s pretty much where we’re at.
IF: Are there any up and coming fighters that we should watch out for from where you’re at?
DH: Yeah, we have two or three guys that could possibly make a good breakthrough in this next year. So…I don’t know. We’ve got two or three good ones.
IF: Any names?
DH: Uh, we got a guy named Jeff Newton, a guy named Chale Sonnen (sp?), and a guy named Nathan Corey.
IF: Next we’re going to do a little name association, and what we’ll do is I’ll give you the name of a fighter and you tell me the first thing that comes to mind.
DH: Okay.
IF: Tito Ortiz.
DH: Tito Ortiz…Uh, the first thing that comes to mind. I don’t know, I guess overrated.
IF: Heath Herring.
DH: Needs to get out of Holland. Probably the lifestyle hasn’t done him well.
IF: Murilo Bustamante
DH: Uh, just a fighter – that’s the first thing that comes to my mind is just a good, tough, well-rounded fighter.
(Kazushi Sakuraba loves to entertain the fans)
IF: Kazushi Sakuraba
DH: Uh…Sakuraba, I guess he’s just more like a…I don’t know, a joker or a funny guy quite a bit. Likes to entertain.
IF: Ricardo Arona
DH: Uh…[laughs] I think…I don’t know, he likes to stall and not try to finish any fights. Kind of a boring fighter.
IF: Bob Sapp
DH: Big dude.
IF: And finally, Quinton Jackson
DH: Quinton Jackson. Ah, I don’t know. I guess he’s a funny guy. He’s a…he never shuts-up, he talks all the time. But I like him. He’s a nice guy.
IF: Okay, thank you very much. Let’s change gears a little bit. What do you think about the popularity of MMA in America?
DH: I think it needs a little boost, it needs to get on the mainstream TV.
IF: What else do you think needs to happen for its popularity to grow?
DH: Well, they need to market at least two or three American fighters that do this to help market the sport. I think there’s some things that are probably going to happen in this next year or two on TV that they could do that. It just needs to be mainstream. I think the sport will get popular all by itself. I mean, it’s exciting – there’s a lot of aspects to it rather than…you know, something like boxing. They just box on their feet. Instead of…you know, learning submissions or kickboxing or anything like that they’re just striking on their feet. I think it’s just more dynamic than a lot of sports, and so it’ll sell itself, but it’s a matter of getting the advertisement…the free advertisement on regular TV.
IF: Well, you’re a Californian, and your nickname happens to be ‘Hollywood’. How do you feel about having Arnie as your governor?
DH: Uh, I haven’t been around that much this last month to see how things are. I think it’s pretty cool that he is the governor, but I don’t know what he’s been doing as far as now that he’s governor. So I’d like to…you know, follow that a little bit. But I think it’s pretty cool that he’s governor now.
IF: Arnold is apparently a fan of MMA. Do you think that he could be good for the future of the sport in your state?
DH: Yeah, I mean that’s one thing that he’s been really working on is setting-up an athletic commission for MMA in California. I think if he is behind it that could definitely help. I mean, it’s pretty much who you know in politics – not anything else. Just who you know, and who can get things done for you.
IF: Awhile back I seem to recall that one of your sponsors in PRIDE was a California-based sake company [Gekkeikan].
DH: Ah, yeah. Well, it’s actually based in Japan – in Kyoto – but they also have a big plant in California.
(Henderson, shown talking to J. Merrill after Pride FC Final Conflict, is a Horin man)
IF: Well my next question is of the utmost importance to those of us living out here in Japan. In your expert opinion, what is the mark of a good Sake?
DH: The mark of good Sake? Uh, the amount of…I guess how clean the rice is that they use? The amount of polish, I guess. Or how polished the rice is makes it a better Sake. The Horin is my favorite.
IF: Okay! Finally, have you heard anything solid about who and when you will fight next?
DH: Haven’t heard anything at all. Have you heard anything? [both laugh]
IF: No, I can’t say that I have [laugh]. I was hoping that maybe you’d heard something there.
DH: No, I haven’t heard a word.
IF: Well, any final words that you’d like to throw-out to all of your fans?
DH: Uh, no, pretty much everything that I usually say. I just love to fight in Japan – I love the Japanese fans. They’re very respectful, and…you know, win or lose they treat you well. And they’re very supportive. So, I definitely appreciate fighting in Japan in front of the Japanese fans.
IF: Dan, on behalf of InsideFighting.com I’d like to thank you very much for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with us. Best of luck to you in the future!
DH: Thank you! Thank you, I appreciate it.