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'Hendo' wanted Anderson Silva or Vitor Belfort after last fight: Coach

By Unambig Redux
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Most men, when they are pushing 45, eat a little more, workout a little less, and compensate by opening their belt two extra notches.

Not Dan Henderson.

No country for old men? The veteran mixed martial arts (MMA) legend, the middleweight winner of UFC 17 way back in 1998 when fighters competed multiple times in one night, isn't riding out the end of his contract with easy wins.

According to Team Quest coach Ricardo Feliciano (via our friends at MMAFighting.com), immediately following his first round knockout of Tim Boetsch in New Orleans, Henderson told his trainers and teammates he wanted a big fight next against Anderson Silva or Vitor Belfort.

"Dan came to us and said guys, 'I want Vitor or Anderson Silva,' I said, 'You're crazy, Dan. You said two more fights, you're done. Go enjoy your vacation. Don't worry about that anymore. Just make your money.' He said, 'I'll make my money and I want to ask for Vitor or Anderson Silva.' He doesn't just want to just get his check like we thought after the last fight. Nah, he wants to challenge himself. He's putting himself in training. He's going to push his training more, he'll be motivated. He'll be in great shape."

"Hendo" has some history with both fighters. Silva defeated Henderson via rearnaked choke in the second round of UFC 82, while Belfort owns a split in two fights dating back to Pride 32.

Since Silva's been sidelined for a year with a drug suspension, the trilogy with Belfort has become a reality as the two will meet in the main event of UFC Fight Night 77 on Nov. 7 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Belfort was last seen inside the Octagon at UFC 187 against middleweight champion Chris Weidman looking rather deflated after being forced to abandon testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Many were sad to see the end of "TRT Vitor" and his "fucking spectacular" victories.

There are some concerns that with the event being hosted in Brazil, Belfort will fall back on old habits. Lest we forget, Henderson also benefited by a career resurgence with TRT usage, however he has stated in the past he wasn't really taking that much [TRT] to begin with.

Are you looking forward to this fight? Will the "old" Henderson and Belfort show up in Brazil? Or will they just be, well, old?

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