Rich Franklin vs. Dan Henderson
In the main event, “Hollywood” Dan Henderson returns to the Light Heavyweight division to take on former Middleweight champion Rich “Ace” Franklin. Henderson, a legend in the sport, has had limited success so far in UFC, having dropped his PRIDE Light Heavyweight Title to Quentin Jackson and then his Middleweight crown to Anderson Silva. A win over Franklin would go a long way toward restoring Henderson to the top tier of Light Heavyweights where he is accustomed to being. For his part, Franklin moved up to Light Heavyweight after being demolished by Anderson Silva twice. After an impressive dismantling of Matt Hammill, a win over Henderson could potentially put Franklin in place for a shot at his second UFC title. Franklin +110 / Henderson -140
Dan Henderson, the former two division PRIDE champion, is the definition of well rounded. A world class Greco Roman wrestler with a devastating right hand, Henderson also has decent submissions and great submission defense. While he has held titles in two divisions, it is undeniable that Henderson is more effective at Light Heavyweight, so his return to that division bodes well for his success. The most important thing for Henderson is to avoid any huge mental blowups, as he clearly has the upper hand in this bout on paper.
Franklin, the former UFC Middleweight Champion, is primarily a striker. His biggest advantages in this fight are his footwork and his superior handspeed. His best gameplan would be to try to hold the center of the Octagon and circle Henderson, punishing him with quick strikes and making it difficult for him to load up a potentially fight ending right hook. It is also imperative for Franklin to keep Henderson at bay, as Henderson’s takedowns from the clinch are extremely effective, and on the ground Franklin is completely overmatched.
Ultimately, Henderson’s versatility will be the deciding factor in this fight. Henderson’s knockout power will prevent Franklin from really opening up on the feet, and Franklin will have an extremely difficult time keeping Henderson at a distance.
I see Henderson controlling the majority of this fight from the top on on the ground and earning a lopsided Unanimous Decision.
