Christopher Salute – Alas, your classic “Old Lion” vs. “Young Lion” fight is here. Michael Bisping and Dan Henderson are two incredible fighters. Bisping, a new school competitor, is very technical. Henderson is, as well. But, he is a very heavy handed striker and concentrates more on his wrestling ground game than BJJ.

Let’s try to forget the manufactured rivalry, here. These two competitors have a lot of respect for one another. It would be huge if Bisping could pull off the win against Hendo. It would really seem like a win-win situation for him. Bisping is much newer to the sport and he is fighting an absolute future Hall-of-Famer in Dan Henderson. Then again, one thing we want to remember about Bisping is his almost spotless record, losing once to Rashad Evans. Not to mention, Bisping has become the face of MMA in Britain. So, there is a great deal riding on this fight for both competitors.

Let’s start with the basics. Both fighters began at the 205 weight class. Let’s not forget that Hendo is the only professional MMA competitor to hold belts in two weight classes at the same time (185 and 205 with PRIDE). Bisping, at 6’1’’, started as a much heartier competitor. Dropping twenty pounds left Bisping much more spread out, as opposed to Henderson who seems to look more natural at 185 lbs. But, Bisping does have a longer reach and a height advantage, which may lend well to his Muay Thai striking and Jiu-Jitsu. But, Henderson, a stockier 185 pounder, is all muscle. So, he may be able to simply tough his way through the strikes and holds to land some powerful boxing shots. Or worse, get a take down and stay on top.

A great deal of British and American fans, alike, have grown to like Bisping. His raw talent paired with extreme work ethic and intelligence makes for a great competitor. This is why many fans want to see him pull out a win over Henderson. But, again, this is a situation where experience should beat out energy and speed. Bisping is so well trained and strikes like his flying knee are definitely something to watch out for. But, Henderson is an incredible wrestler and his age and number of fights really don’t seem to have effected his game plan, which is keeping his game tight and simple. His strength and conditioning don’t seem to be an issue, especially since he won his last two fights via decision, as well.

With these two fighters, I feel I have seen enough fights to give you a pretty solid prediction. Hendo should beat Bisping. It just may take all three rounds to wear the young British fighter down.