Dan Henderson expecting to face a much tougher Babalu
Over 10 years ago, in 1999, future two-division titlist and mixed martial artist Dan Henderson beat Renato 'Babalu' Sobral in a split decision victory, before either one of them became MMA superstars. But
as the men get set to clash on 4 December as the namesake match of the 'Strikeforce: Henderson vs Sobral' event, Henderson says he’s hardly expecting the same opponent.
"There are just so many more tools we both have now that weren't there before," Henderson told MMAjunkie.com. "So it's almost like it's not a rematch."
In the years afterwards, Sobral would challenge unsuccessfully for the Ultimate Fighting Championships light heavyweight (205lb) belt, before winning it and then losing it in the Strikeforce organisation.
Henderson, on the other hand, achieved one of the greatest accomplishments in MMA history, winning the Pride welterweight (183lb - Japanese weight divisions were differently named) and middleweight (203lb) belts at the same time.
But their first fight was so long ago that the 40-year-old only has a basic memory of the fight.
"I think he had submitted all four guys that he fought before that...I wanted to make sure I didn't get submitted by him – 'stay on my feet, outstrike him, and avoid takedowns.' That's basically how the fight
went."
That might be how this one goes as well. Henderson was upset in his last fight, for Strikeforce`s middleweight (185lb) title against Jake Shields, who was able to dominate Henderson by taking him down and
holding him there in the last four rounds of the fight.
It is worth nothing that Henderson`s right hand is legendary, and he almost knocked out Shields twice in the first round with it. As for Sobral, he has much improved his stand-up game, and he demonstrated
that by outstriking Robbie Lawler in his last fight. Henderson says the game plan will be to pressure Sobral into an exchange, where he can do damage.
"I stalk guys down and make them trade punches with me," Henderson said. "But (I'm) not over-agressive to get taken down. I might get in there and take him down. He'll probably take me down, as well. I've
just got to make sure I get back up."
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