The UFC 173 card scheduled for May 24th is less than two weeks away, and the card features a co-main envet in the Lightheavyweight division featuring Daniel Cormier taking on Dan Henderson. Right now, the odds on this fight are prohibitive, as Cormier sists at (-1050), over a ten to 1 favorite, with the return on Henderson at (+550). With a line this wide, the question becomes, ‘does Henderson have any chance at all?’
The short answer is, not really. The UFC is asking Henderson, who is approaching 44 years old, to go out on his shield. No one is going to argue that Henderson has carved himself a Hall of Fame level career, but his age, the whole TRT controversy and a 1-3 record in his last four outing have left him far from being a title contender in either the Middleweight of Light Heavyweight divisions.
They are asking him to fight Cormier, who is younger, bigger, stronger and faster at this point. It should also be noted, that as gutsy and tested as Henderson is, Cormier is also a better wrestler. Henderson really has no sure fire way to take Cormier out, he is going to have to count on a little luck and his big punch to rattle Cormier and get him hurt. If he cannot do that, he is in for a long day.
For Cormier, this will be his second fight at 205 lbs, but the first one is a throw away against unheralded Patrick Cummins. For Cormier, this match represents adding a legitimate scalp to his resume at 205 that will justify a title shot against Jon Jones. For his part, Jones is lined up to fight Alexander Gustafsson at either the November UFC )the spot traditionally held by Georges St Pierre) or the year end show which means Cormier cannot even fight for the title until 2015.
In the in between time, I would put a year end fight together between Daniel Cormier and Glover Teixeira. Teixeira is coming off a loss to Jon Jones, but he is still a top contender and their fight schedules coincide pretty well. Cormier is going to have to stay busy, and you will have to excuse him if he is looking past this Henderson fight, most of the MMA business is doing the same.
ght class.
