A riveting memoir by the first MMA double champion and two-time Olympic wrestler who cut a polarizing path as a firebrand figure and went on to become a legend.
“Dan Henderson is a savage. He came from a pure, wrestling background with very little striking training, and he went and became one of the most dangerous, one-punch knockout artists in the history of the sport.” —Joe Rogan
Dan “Hendo” Henderson was the first fighter in MMA history to become a double champion, winning championships in PRIDE Fighting Championships and Strikeforce. He faced the biggest names in MMA, on his unparalleled run through the early days of MMA through its remarkable rise in popularity, squaring off against the likes of Fedor Emelianenko, Anderson Silva, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Wanderlei Silva, Michael Bisping, Vitor Belfort, and Renzo Gracie. Henderson’s first fight against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in 2011 is considered one of the greatest fights in UFC history.
In this no-holds-barred look back on his life, Henderson provides context and insight into the biggest fights of his career, while reflecting on the wholly unique upbringing that shaped him into the warrior he needed to be to win. With his trademark humor, he sheds light on his two trips to the Olympics, his transformative time training in Europe and Russia, and his up-and-down relationship with Dana White.
Hendo: The American Athlete is a thrilling window into the life and mind of a true legend. There will never be another fighter like Hendo.
ISBN-13: 9781637588680
Media Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Permuted Press
Publication Date: 10-24-2023
Pages: 248
Product Dimensions: 9.20h x 6.00w x 1.00d
One of the greatest fighters to ever get in a cage and a ring, Dan Henderson was a two-time American Olympian in Greco-Roman wrestling who went on to become one of the fiercest knockout artists in mixed martial arts history. His first fight against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua is in the UFC Hall of Fame, and his knockout of former UFC Champion Michael Bisping is one of the greatest in MMA history.
David Kano has worked in film and television for over a decade and has won awards for his previous narrative work. He has directed and produced films featuring Hall of Famers in football, boxing, and mixed martial arts, working with legends such as Brett Favre, Jim McMahon, Roy Jones Jr., Floyd Mayweather Sr., Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, Nick Diaz, Urijah Faber, and Don Frye. Kano is currently working on multiple documentary projects and TV series, including some in the true crime and law enforcement realm, and he is also in pre-production for a scripted faith-based film. He holds a Master of Arts in Mass Communication and a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism and is currently working on a doctorate in higher education.
