Immediately after a knockout win over Hector Lombard at UFC 199 in June, Dan Henderson stood in the Octagon and said he didn't know if he'd ever fight again.
Later that evening, Michael Bisping won the middleweight title and everything changed.
Henderson, 46, will challenge Bisping for the 185-pound championship at UFC 204 this weekend in Manchester. It's a fight that never would have happened were it not for a bit of history between the two that dates back seven years.
In 2009, Henderson floored Bisping with a right hand at UFC 100. It was arguably the highlight of Henderson's career, not to mention Bisping's most memorable loss. That storyline opened the door for a Henderson title shot -- and one more trip to the Octagon.
Win or lose, Henderson has said this will be the last fight of his career. Let's take a closer look at "Hendo's" curtain call. Don't agree with the picks? Let me know on Twitter: @bokamotoESPN.
Main event
Michael Bisping (29-7) vs. Dan Henderson (32-14)
Middleweight championship
Odds: Bisping -245; Henderson +205
It's kind of crazy to think about: Bisping, at 37, is still younger than Henderson was the first time they fought.
Henderson says constant questions and comments about his age have made him laugh in recent years, but can you really blame anyone for marveling at "Dangerous Dan's" longevity? At 46, he's the oldest active fighter in the UFC.
They say power is the last thing to go in a fighter, and boy has that rang true with "Hendo." He is still always one right hand away from rewriting everything we think we know about a perceived outcome. And while his strategy to land that right hand has gotten somewhat predictable (knock an opponent off-balance with an inside leg kick, follow with the hammer), it's worth noting his three recent finishes came under variations of that.
Against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in their rematch, Henderson showed how lethal he can still be coming off a clinch and landing that right. Against an uber-aggressive Tim Boetsch (poor Boetsch, I think he overestimated how far gone "Hendo's" chin was), Henderson landed the right hand as a counter, while in the process of moving backwards. And against Lombard in June, Henderson threw a head kick, followed by a clubbing back elbow he later said he'd never practiced before.
So, let's not completely relegate his chances of dethroning Bisping to that patented inside leg kick, overhand right combo -- but to be fair, yes, of course, we're likely to see a lot of it.
And right now, it's difficult to bet on Bisping falling victim to that again. Possible? Certainly, yes. But we're talking about a version of Bisping whose feints and footwork have navigated the treacherous waters of Anderson Silva counters and Luke Rockhold liver kicks in 2016. This is a very confident Bisping, one who has improved his wrestling since the first Henderson fight -- and is still, don't forget, nine years younger.
Age and experience played to Henderson's favor at UFC 100. That was a big spot for Bisping at the time, fighting a former Pride champion on the biggest card in UFC history. He wasn't nearly as accustomed to the bright lights as Henderson was, and it showed. Bisping has talked exhaustively about being overtrained for that fight. He had signs of fatigue after the first round, which is highly uncharacteristic of him.
This time, age is firmly in Bisping's corner. Henderson's chin has been questionable for awhile. Even though he beat Lombard in his most recent fight rather spectacularly, he was also dropped in the first round, again. Although few expect this fight to go the distance, a five-round fight absolutely favors Bisping. Speed favors Bisping. And even the clinch, where Henderson holds a world class Greco-Roman background, Bisping won't be a fish out of water like he was in 2009 when they first met.
Henderson generates a lot of power in small opportunities. It's a loaded gun at all times. Bisping's defense will be heavily focused on that right hand though, and his feints have the ability to remove an opponent's weapons by virtually not even giving them the opportunity to comfortably throw them. He will not be an easy target for the "H Bomb," Henderson's vaunted right hand.
Prediction: If Henderson wins, it will be pandemonium -- and perfectly in line with the upset-filled 2016 we've witnessed. But ... BISPING VIA THIRD-ROUND TKO.
Featured undercard bouts
Vitor Belfort (25-12) vs. Gegard Mousasi (39-6-2), middleweights
Belfort's last performance against Ronaldo Souza in May left a lot to be desired. He'll have to look much, much better to have a shot against the well-rounded Mousasi.
Prediction: Mousasi via TKO, round two.
Jimi Manuwa (15-2) vs. Ovince Saint Preux (19-8), light heavyweights
Saint Preux has looked like a competent grappler and a complete novice, depending on whom he's fighting. It might be on his side in this matchup.
Prediction: St. Preux submission.