DUBLIN -- Thanks to UFC 93, a new crop of fighter will get to learn from Dan Henderson. And the 38-year-old veteran showed in Dublin that he remains a force to be reckoned with.
Henderson used a big right hand, wrestling skills and a smart game plan to keep Rich Franklin off balance in winning a split decision in their light heavyweight main event. A bloodied Franklin came on in the third round, but other than a second-round kick that hurt his opponent's ribs, overall Franklin was unable to dent the durable Henderson.
The win (scored 29-28, 29-28 for Henderson and somewhat bizarrely 30-27 for Franklin) earned Henderson a gig as coach of the U.S. team on Season 9 of "The Ultimate Fighter," which starts filming later in January, and a fight with middleweight contender/UK coach Michael Bisping at middleweight after the series.
At 38, Henderson is nine years older than Bisping. But the former Pride champ says age is not a factor for him.
"My rib would be hurting if I was 28," Henderson said dryly after the win. "I feel fine. I just need to keep at it in the gym. Now I get a little break; I get to coach for a while."
Henderson's TUF American lightweight and welterweight pupils won't learn attitude from the veteran, who summed up his victory over Franklin by simply explaining he "had a good day today."
Asked how he planned to celebrate, he said: "I'm going to have a few pints for sure. As soon as you guys quit asking questions."
The TUF crew will learn high standards. Despite the win, Henderson was not completely satisfied. He kept coming back to his performance in the third round, which he lost on all three judges' scorecards.
"I'm very happy that I won, don't get me wrong, but I think it would have sat a lot better with me if I had a better third round," Henderson said. "That's probably me being my own worst critic. I always like to try and finish strong in fights and keep going and I kind of slowed down that third round. There's no reason why I should have."
The TUF U.S. team also will get the benefit of a pro career that has stretched almost a dozen years.
"I just try to teach what works for me, technically, and then mentally also is one of my strong points," Henderson said. "Just mentally being ready and going out there and fighting the whole fight. Which I probably could have done a little better tonight, that third round.
"But just try to lead by example a little bit is what I've done over the years. And hopefully I've put out a good example."
Henderson (24-7) had a fine record in Pride and is now 2-2 in his return to the UFC. A tough five-round decision loss to then light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson at UFC 75 was followed by a submission loss to middleweight titleholder Anderson Silva at UFC 82.
Henderson was choked out in the second round by Silva but not before becoming the first UFC fighter to take a round off the champion.
After the two defeats, Henderson rebounded with a unanimous decision at UFC 88 over tough jiu-jitsu fighter Rousimar Palhares (who may have broken his hand pounding Jeremy Horn's head in a unanimous decision on an undercard fight Saturday).
The self-criticism was evident when Henderson noted, "I'm 50 percent now in my last four." But he always had a good feeling about fighting Franklin.
"Ultimately I thought that, style-wise, that's a good fight for me," Henderson said. "Rich does real well on the outside and has some nice kicks. And I felt if I needed to, I could take him down. The fight was what it was. I felt I should have done a little more that third round."
Henderson says he tries not to sweat the small stuff. And he didn't seem too fazed when the subject of the all-too-common misbehavior in the TUF house was raised.
"You've got to understand these guys are cooped up with no TV, no magazines, no books, no nothing but each other to pick on," Henderson said. "And that's what makes for good TV. So whatever keeps them happy in the house and keeps them sane, I guess. As long as they work hard at the gym, that's their deal what goes on at home."
Contrast that with Bisping's view toward possible bad boys.
"I won't be condoning any behavior like that," said the Brit. "Obviously what goes on in the house, I'll have no influence over I will be telling them we're representing the sport of mixed martial arts and we're also representing the UK, and try and behave with a little class and represent the sport well and represent yourself as a martial artists. And just try and be a decent person."
Henderson is California cool rather than Bisping hyper.
"You want to p--- me off? Try and take my money from me out in the cage," Henderson said with a smile. "No, I'm laid-back, easy-going. Getting ready for fights, to go out there, I'm nice and relaxed; [I] want to make sure I stick to my game plan.
"That's just how I am, I don't know any other way to be. So I don't want to change when I go out there to fight. I don't want to change when I got out there to fight, kind of go crazy out there, I want to make sure that my head's with me."
Simple stuff and all good advice. There will be more of the same for Henderson's young Americans.
Neil Davidson is general sports editor of The Canadian Press.