Dan Henderson wins against Mauricio Rua in memorable fight – UFC 139 Recap
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Dan “Hendo” Henderson gave their best fight of their career at UFC 139 event of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The fight took place on Saturday, November 19, 2011 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose,
California. Henderson won the fight via a unanimous decision as the scoreboard read 48-47 when the fight ended.
The match anticipated being one filled with body shots and punches gave the spectators more than what they had bargained for; a straight out brawl, where the fight echoed in the night and created a fan frenzy environment.
Dana White, the president of the UFC said, “It was one of the three best mixed martial arts matches of all time” Their match created history in the mixed martial arts (MMA) division and in the UFC circuit. For the first time in
the history of UFC, a non-title fight went on into the fifth round as neither of the two fighters gave up easily. Considered as an outstanding lightweight fight ever contested inside the UFC’s octagonal ring the two fighters stood in face of their opponent’s
devastating strikes.
The last time Henderson fought in UFC was in July 2009 at UFC 100. He defeated English mixed martial arts fighter Michael Bisping via knock out in the second round. Henderson then fought in the Strikeforce division and made his
return in the UFC ring with his fight on Saturday. Henderson was in complete control of the fight. He dominated Rua in the first three rounds with his solid strikes with his fists and legs.
In the last two rounds, Rua made a resounding comeback that added energy into the fight as both fighters gave whatever they had left within them. The last two rounds of the fight were the epitome of their encounter. Both fighters
were throwing their punches in all direction. Both got a beating so severe, that neither one of them were capable of attending the post-match conference as they were rushed to a medical facility the moment the fight ended.
Rua’s comeback in the fourth round was impactful but Henderson was sheer offensive in his stance. He took down Rua, back first on the mat and punched him with force. Rua later did the same and tried to implement his submission
hold on Henderson’s leg but he escaped. The Henderson-Rua fight may probably be the fight of the year in the UFC division and remembered for years to come.
Once the fight ended, the fighters’ faces were from beyond recognition. Their faces swollen, eyes and skull were dented and bruised with their shorts and bodies stained with the blood that spilled from each fighter’s bodies, giving
the spectators something to cheer all night.
After Henderson was declared the winner said, talking to the press he said, "That guy (Rua) can take a punch… I hit him hard and I thought I could finish him the first two or three rounds but he finished strong." This was a testimony
from the winner to Rua, who certainly made his name with his fight against Henderson.
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