Prime Dan Henderson vs Lyoto Machida

Prime Hendo gives Machida ALOT of problems. First off Machida isnt going to get the KO. Secondly although Hendo is a top shelf wrestler he can stand and trade and has a VERY versatile arsenal of strikes. Hendo does ALOT of things most wrestlers simply dont do. This would be a battle of skill vs will. Il take a Prime Hendo over Machida every day of the week.
Hendo reminds me alot of a young Hopkins. He was willing to break and bend the rules and maul and brawl his way to ugly but effective wins. Machida has very good distance but in a PRIDE ring theres no where to run. Hendo would be in his grill all night for a 3 round decision.

 

It's tough as Machida is on a high and Hendo isn't really like he was. Hendos right or left hand could detonate on that high head and cause problems.

 

I voted Hendo. I think people forget (or never saw) some of Hendos fights in PrideFC and are just going off of the Rampage and Silva fights. I think Hendo would definately get inside Machida and make it a brawl and I'd be willing to say Hendo gets the takedown and has a good chance in a GnP senerio. Then again I can see Machida running the whole fight too and pop shotting Hendo. I think it would have alot to do with the place they fight in, the cage or a ring.

 

It's impossible to say, i thought i could make a prediction about this but it's 50 / 50.

 

I don't think Henderson has ever fought an opponent that utilizes lateral movement and the angles of attack that Machida has. Conversely - Lyoto hasn't faced a top level Greco Roman wrestler with a powerful right hand either. It's a very intriguing styles match up because they both have the tools to beat the other. Being that I've seen almost everything with Henderson in it - all the way back to his 10 second loss to Frank Shamrock in the Contenders - I feel it is safe to say that Lyoto's movement and combinations would give Dan no small amount of trouble.