It truly is the end.
Dan Henderson knew coming into his Middleweight title fight against Michael Bisping at last night's (Sat., Oct. 8, 2016) UFC 204 pay-per-view (PPV) event in Manchester, England that it would be his last rodeo. And after suffering a unanimous decision loss to Bisping (see it again here), Henderson took to the mic to say his farewells.
It was a heartfelt message that saw "Hendo" get a standing ovation from what was otherwise a hostile British crowd. Nevertheless, Henderson thanked the locals -- who serenaded him with a "Hendo" chant -- as well as the rest of his supporters for riding with him throughout his legendary mixed martial arts (MMA) career.
"That was the last time that anyone will see me fight live. I appreciate all the support throughout the years world wide. I gave my heart and soul to this sport and fans like you, even though you booed me at the beginning of the night. It made it worthwhile for me to keep competing year after year. I truly love this sport. I want to say thank you to the fans for making this fight happen and thank you to Michael Bisping for giving me this opportunity for my last fight for the belt. I came up short, but not bad for an old man."
Though he didn't go out on top and claim the only world title that has ever alluded him, Dan can ride off into the sunset on a high note, as he -- along with Bisping -- left it all in the cage to provide fight fans with a five-round war that will be a mainstay on the sizzle reel for years to come.
For complete UFC 204: "Bisping vs. Henderson 2" results, including play-by-play updates, click here.
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