After the 1996 Olympics, Dan Henderson was a world-class athlete looking for a way to make a living. He had just competed in Greco-Roman wrestling in Atlanta, and he knew he wasn't ready to retire as an athlete at age 26, but he also knew there was no professional Greco-Roman wrestling circuit.
So he decided to take a shot at mixed martial arts, a sport so obscure that when he told people he was doing it, most didn't know what it was. Even those who had heard of it were only vaguely aware of what it was; some people called it Ultimate Fighting, some called it vale tudo, some called it no holds barred, and some called it savagery unfit for an Olympian.
But Henderson entered the Brazil Open in 1997, and that began an MMA career that has seen him fight professionally on four continents, and an MMA career that continued on Saturday with his victory over Rich Franklin in the main event at UFC 93.
UFC 93 Morning After: Let's Hear It for Dan Henderson originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Sun, 18 Jan 2009 08:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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