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Courtesy MMALifestyles.com
In a battle of former Pride champions, Dan Henderson and Mauricio Rua will finally meet in a much anticipated battle which takes place this Saturday.
The duo will meet at the HP Pavilion in San Jose where they will serve as the main event for UFC 139, which houses a bevy of matches that will impact their respective divisions for the foreseeable future.
Henderson vs. Rua is no exception, as it is rumored to determine the next rightful No. 1contender to the light heavyweight crown, to which champion Jon Jones currently has resting upon his head.
Henderson recently vacated his Strikeforce 205-pound title in an effort to compete amongst the elite in the UFC. Before leaving the San Jose based promotion, Henderson went 3-0 in his last three outings.
He proved once again that his world class wrestling skills come second to his devastating power punches, which he used to knock out Renato Sobral, Rafael Cavalcante and the legendary Fedor Emelianenko, all in succession respectively.
Against Rua, Henderson meets a man who is equally heavy handed though hails from a traditional Muay Thai background, utilizing close quartered knees and kicks effectively. “Shogun” is as wily and dangerous as they come, though his style fits right into that of Henderson.
A former NCAA Division I All-American, Henderson would later transition his wrestling skills to the cage where he has been able to take down almost all opponents at will while staving several takedowns of his own. If Rua decides to clinch with Henderson, expect the Brazilian to be slammed to the ground with authority.
Rua stands a better chance on the feet, though Henderson has shown that his punching prowess extends through all divisions, as he has proven to be successful as a middleweight, light heavyweight and now heavyweight fighter.
No matter where the fight goes, Rua is in danger, which signals an early defeat for the Brazilian, who will relinquish the defeat to Henderson who will vie for either the 185 or 205-pound title, whichever he prefers.
