I pop open the top, tap out two, no, three Advils from the almost empty bottle, and wash them down with a glass of water. It’s a regular occurrence these days and a sure sign that my body simply doesn’t recover from workouts as fast as it did in my youth. It’s this realization that makes the feats of two of our featured subjects— both older, both former champions—that much more impressive.
At 41 years of age, Dan Henderson is on a second career defining run in the UFC. He could have retired a few years ago as the Pride Middleweight and Light Heavyweight Champ, and the history books would have deemed him worthy of a place amongst the sports greats. But after leaving the UFC for a stint in Strikeforce, he has returned with a vengeance. Late in 2011 he gave us one of the greatest fights in the organization’s history—a five-round war against fellow PRIDE FC alumnus Mauricio Rua. With the victory, “Hendo” is poised once again to challenge for UFC gold. Turn to page 52 to find out more about Dan’s journey and his current and future plans.
While Dan Henderson looks to put together one more championship run, another former champion lends us the secrets to his own long and successful career. On page 82, Randy “The Natural” Couture gives us insight into the lifestyle that helped him compete at the highest levels of the sport long after many of his peers had called it quits. He is truly, “Fit for Life.”
In addition, we have some great profiles on fighters from across the world of MMA—from the headlining Carlos Condit, to Bellator’s Zach Makovsky, to Strikeforce’s Gilbert Melendez. We are excited for the future of all these fighters and more. So sit back, take a load off, and enjoy the issue. Oh, and don’t forget the Advil.
Ladd Dunwoody
Editor-in-Chief
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