Daniel Henderson Former American Olympic wrestler and martial arts specialist. Date of Birth: 24.08.1970 Country: USA

1. Biography of Daniel Jeffery Henderson
2. Early Life and Wrestling Career
3. Transition to Mixed Martial Arts
4. Success in Pride Fighting Championships
5. Return to UFC and Transition to Coaching

Biography of Daniel Jeffery Henderson

Daniel Jeffery Henderson, a former American Olympic-level wrestler and martial arts specialist, is known for being the only fighter to hold two championship titles in two different weight categories simultaneously. His list of victories goes beyond these two belts, as he had previously become the champion of UFC 17 in the middleweight division, Pride 2005 in the welterweight division, and the winner of the RINGS King of Kings tournament. As of October 2010, Henderson ranked 7th on sherdog.com's list of the best middleweight fighters. He currently competes in the Strikeforce project and was the last champion of Pride Fighting Championships in the middleweight and welterweight divisions.

Early Life and Wrestling Career

Daniel Henderson was born in Downey, California and grew up in Apple Valley, California. He comes from a mixed heritage of English, Scottish, French, and Native American bloodlines. In 1987 and 1988, Daniel received his first wrestling accolades at the California State Wrestling Championships. He continued wrestling in college at both Cal State and Arizona State University. He represented the United States in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics.

Transition to Mixed Martial Arts

Henderson became interested in mixed martial arts in 1997 after joining the Real American Wrestling team. In his first year in the sport, he won the Brazil Open tournament, and the following year, he emerged victorious in UFC 17, defeating notable fighters such as Allan Goes and Carlos Newton. On October 28, 1999, Henderson secured two more wins, earning himself a spot in the finals of the RINGS King of Kings tournament. By defeating Gilbert Yvel, Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, and Renato Sobral, he became the champion of the tournament.

Success in Pride Fighting Championships

Henderson found his true home in the Pride Fighting Championships, primarily competing in the middleweight division. He faced popular fighters of that time, including Wanderlei Silva, Renzo Gracie, Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, Ricardo Arona, Murilo Rua, Murilo Bustamante, Yuki Kondo, Ryo Chonan, and Akihiro Gono. As Pride launched its subsidiary project, Bushido, Henderson won his first welterweight championship title by defeating Ryo Chonan and Akihiro Gono. His fight against Murilo Bustamante proved to be more challenging, but once again, Henderson prevailed over his opponent.

Return to UFC and Transition to Coaching

On September 8, 2007, Henderson returned to the UFC. After some time as a fighter, he transitioned to being a coach for the reality TV show, Ultimate Fighter. On December 5, 2009, Henderson signed a new contract with Strikeforce, after his previous agreement with UFC expired. The contract was for four fights and 16 months. He made his debut in the new project on April 17, 2010.