Former PRIDE® and STRIKEFORCE® champion (No. 6) Dan Henderson will take on surging title contender (No. 5) Daniel Cormier in a highly-anticipated light heavyweight clash at UFC® 173 on Saturday, May 24 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The Henderson-Cormier bout will serve as the night’s co-main event.
Coming off an impressive KO victory against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in March, Henderson (30-11, fighting out of Temecula, Calif.) proved he still has what it takes to compete with the UFC’s best. Currently ranked sixth in the division, Henderson owns career victories over some of the sport’s top names, including Fedor Emelianenko, Vitor Belfort, Michael Bisping, Rich Franklin and Rafael “Feijão” Cavalcante. Now, he looks to derail Cormier and move closer to a coveted UFC title shot.
Undefeated in his professional career and currently ranked fifth in the UFC’s talented 205-pound division, Cormier (14-0, fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) made his light heavyweight debut in February by knocking out Patrick Cummins. A teammate and training partner of UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, “DC” holds signature victories over former UFC champions Josh Barnett and Frank Mir. A victory over MMA legend Henderson on May 24 could secure him a date with the UFC light heavyweight champion.
The bout is subject to all licensing rules and regulations set forth by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.