The Beatdown: Why Henderson-Shogun made the all-time best list

Immediately following UFC 139, many were calling Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua one of the best fights of all time. UFC President Dana White called it the organization’s “Ali–Frazier III.” The main event was certainly a classic. Where it ranks with each person will vary, but it will be high on everyone’s list.

What was it that made this one of the best ever? Both Henderson and Rua looked battered by the time the 25 minutes were up, and were sent to the hospital. They didn’t have much strength to proclaim victory when the final bell sounded either. And when the narrow decision went to Henderson, his expression didn’t much show it. The punishment taken by both fighters in this match was incredible.

The fight was back and forth, with one man gaining an advantageous position, then the other. One would look to finish, and the other would survive and land his own hard shots.

To see the attack launched by Henderson in the first three rounds was impressive, but it was Shogun’s comeback in the fourth and fifth rounds that made this fight legendary. And therein lies the answer. The most important part of this fight becoming as great as it was, was the UFC’s decision to extend main events to five rounds.

Without that change, we get a great but mostly one-sided fight. That decision rewarded fans with two additional rounds that put a stamp and signature on this fight. Shogun looked like he was close to being finished in the third round when he was dropped with a right hand again and Henderson’s hammer fists came swinging down. To survive was impressive enough. To steal the fourth round after that beating was outstanding. To dominate the fifth round was almost unheard of.

Henderson–Shogun is exactly why five-round, non-title main events were created. This was only the second time this new rule was in effect (the first didn’t even go three). It was so new that when referee Josh Rosenthal said “one more round” as they headed into the third, Henderson created another memorable moment in the fight when he threw up three fingers as a correction. There were frustrations along the way; fights that had former champs and title implications that seemed as though they ended early after three rounds. It was the right call to extend all the main events, and it’s the biggest reason we witnessed a classic fight Saturday night.

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Previously in The Beatdown …

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Tim Gilmour is a sports reporter and author of the humor blog LetMeThinkForYou.com. For more NBCSports.com MMA coverage, click here.