Jones (16-1) has successfully defended the belt three times against former UFC champions, toppling Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida by way of submission last year and Rashad Evans by decision last month.

While he may have never held the UFC title, Henderson (29-8) is a former Strikeforce and PRIDE champion. He secured his shot at “Bones” by defeating Mauricio Rua in a Fight of the Year contender this past November and has won four straight including finishes of Renato Sobral, Rafael Cavalcante, and Fedor Emelianenko.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

“No, I’m not worried about the ‘H-Bomb,’” said Jones on this week’s edition of MMA Uncensored. “I fought Ryan Bader. He had an amazing overhand right. I think he won The Ultimate Fighter with that overhand right. Rashad Evans ended up knocking out Chuck Liddell with his overhand right. Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua had an awesome overhand right. I’m just not worried about it. It’s a single technique that I’m prepared for, extensively.”

“’Hendo’ actually has a good left hook, as well, so, I’m not worried about single strikes,” Jones concluded, understanding Henderson is dangerous for reasons beyond his trademark blow.

The 24-year old’s analytical approach to his adversaries comes from having seen some of his peers make the mistake of losing focus instead of appreciating all the possibilities at play. It was also likely influenced by eating a few stiff shots from Evans in their recent bout including one that “wobbled” him.

“You know, I have this thing where I don’t like to rush. I definitely don’t want to ever lose a fight by getting caught by a wild punch,” explained Jones. “There was a scenario where, Eddie Alvarez*, I think that’s who it was, where he like body shotted this one guy, then he ran up to him to try and finish the fight, and the last thing the guy hit him with, his last shot, and it ended up knocking out Eddie Alvarez. I think that’s who it was. That haunted me. I would never want something like that to happen to me. So, what I do is, I take my time and realize that I have 25 minutes to methodically pick someone apart.”

No date is set for Jones vs. Henderson though UFC President Dana White has come out to say the UFC is looking at September with a possible attachment to Labor Day Weekend.

* – Editor’s Note: Sounds like Scott Smith vs. Pete Sell, not an Alvarez fight

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/STRIKEFORCE

The 24-year old champion recently reached out to his next opponent – Dan Henderson – in hopes of convincing him to avoid the smack and focus on the smackdown.

“I’m excited about Dan Henderson. He’s a great fighter,” began Jones on the 41-year old veteran in an interview with ESPN’s MMA Live before turning to the topic of trash-talk. “You know, I’ve gone through a lot with Rashad as far as all of the trash talking and I really hope Dan’s listening and I really hope that Dan keeps it classy throughout this fight. I respect him as an older man, I respect him as a warrior and I just hope he keeps it classy and (doesn’t) drag me through another trash-talking bout. Let’s stick to why we’re really here, let’s just fight.”

While “Hendo” may not necessarily be known for being a big talker he’s also comfortable speaking his mind and has already questioned Jones being a “genuine” person.

No date has been set for their fight.

Check out the full interview below:

While nothing is official, UFC Director of Operations in Canada Tom Wright would be more than happy to have his country host Jones-Henderson.

“I would love to see that fight happen,” said Wright in a recent interview with the Toronto Sun. “Having Jon Jones defend his championship in Calgary against Dan Henderson – that would be a monster fight. It demonstrates we have an understanding and a respect for how knowledgeable the fight fans are in Alberta, and how important this market is for our business.”

Henderson earned his shot at the belt by defeating Mauricio “Shogun” Rua last year in addition to being the Strikeforce 205-pound champ prior to re-joining the UFC. “Hendo” has been out of action since his November meeting with Rua, patiently waiting for his championship opportunity.

If the bout materializes it will mark Jones’ second visit to Canada as champ since winning the belt. “Bones” defended the title last year in Toronto, choking out Lyoto Machida with a memorable Standing Guillotine Choke at UFC 140.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Previously Jones topped Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Lyoto Machida, and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in championship bouts.

White confirmed Jones’ bout with Henderson could come sooner than expected with a summer date to being looked at. Henderson earned his shot by defeating Rua, the same person Jones took the belt from over a year ago, in addition to recently holding Strikeforce‘s equivalent championship and beating legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko prior to re-joining the UFC.

When asked for his take on Henderson, Jones labeled him as “a great opponent”.

“He’s a winner, and he has a huge fan base, so the haters will come out. He has extreme knockout power, and I’m excited to conquer,” explained Jones of the 41-year old icon.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/STRIKEFORCE

However, while he may not know who he’ll be fighting next, Henderson definitely has a preference on how things will unfold.

“I think Jon Jones is a better fight for me. His style matches up better. Jones will stand-up with me more. Rashad is real well-rounded. He’ll stand and bang with me a little, but he’ll be trying to put me on my back—a lot more than Jones would,” explained Henderson in an interview with Bleacher Report. “(Jones is) awkward, unorthodox, and a little tougher to figure out…that’s also what intrigues me about it—he’s different.”

Henderson went on to pick Jones in the upcoming bout though made sure to give Evans credit as having more than a slim chance of returning the divisional strap around his waist.

In terms of his 185-pound peers, Henderson made it clear the title isn’t important to him so much as avenging a previous loss to Silva.

“I’m not real keen on fighting 185 right now unless it’s Anderson so if Chael wins, I’d maybe still fight Anderson. Who knows,” Henderson asked rhetorically, shying away from the notion of fighting his Team Quest teammate.

The 41-year old was tapped by the talented Brazilian in the second round of a meeting four years ago despite coming out strong in the first frame. The stoppage is the only of Henderson’s career in the last seven years.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

While it seems most people are picking Jones to retain his belt, shrugging off notions of Evans’ ability to contend with the dynamic champion’s diverse skill-set and size, Henderson isn’t so sure such will be the case and envisions a scenario where Evans emerges with the title in tow.

“Rashad got a lot of criticism for his last performance but I thought he fought really well, really solid. Jon Jones is tough but Rashad could definitely come out winning,” said Henderson in an interview with ESPN. “He will definitely put Jones on his back if he fights like he did against Phil Davis. Rashad’s the better wrestler. It’s just that Jones is awkward. But Jones (won’t) be able to stop him taking him down for that long.”

“Don’t count out Rashad Evans. Everybody’s assuming it will be Jones, but Rashad is a good fighter too,” concluded Henderson on the topic.

Henderson’s next move involves waiting for Jones-Evans to face off, possibly even holding out for a few more months after being promised a shot at the middleweight strap as well if he so desires. The decorated veteran holds an overall record of 29-8 with wins in his last four fights including an instant classic against Mauricio Rua this past November.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Dana White

White was recently asked by HeavyMMA’s Fight Day if Henderson would receive a crack at the winner of Jon Jones’ upcoming defense of the light heavyweight title against Rashad Evans and, somewhat surprisingly, responded affirmatively.

“Yes, Dan Henderson will get the winner of that fight or the winner of the Anderson Silva fight (vs. Chael Sonnen),” said White. “You know, there was a lot of talk about the stuff I said. Here is the thing. I offered Dan Henderson two fights. Dan Henderson wants this fight. Normally I don’t do that. Guys don’t sit around and wait and pick their fights. There’s been very specific cases where that has happened and it’s guys who have earned it or deserved it. Dan Henderson is one of those guys. Listen, Henderson has been around forever. He is forty-something years old. He has been knocking guys out left and right and if he wants to sit around and wait for this title shot, he can do it.”

For fans who have been living in a cage for the past decade, Henderson is a former Strikeforce and PRIDE champion with a 29-8 record and notable victories over Rua, Vitor Belfort, Wanderlei Silva, Michael Bisping, Rich Franklin, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and Fedor Emelianenko. He’s currently on a four-fight winning streak and found success in seven of his last eight outings.

Jones-Evans are set to scrap on April 21 in Atlanta at UFC 145 while Silva-Sonnen fight on June 23 in Rio de Janeiro at UFC 147.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

“Hendo” secured a #1 contender position by defeating Mauricio “Shogun” Rua last year and, despite previous speculation to the contrary, has now confirmed he’ll be holding out for a crack at a divisional belt .

“I guess Dana (White) promised Rashad he was next for the title shot. But timing-wise, it would have been better for me to fight Jones, and then have Rashad fight the winner,” said Henderson, in an interview with ESPN. “That would have been better than having Rashad come right back after fighting Phil Davis, and it’s probably going to be pushed again if Rashad wins because he’s going to have to fight me pretty quickly, as well.”

Henderson also added he knows nothing is set, but mentioned he felt it was the only logical scenario, stating, “The only fight that makes sense is a title shot, I was hoping to jump the line in front of Rashad, but I’ve got to wait until Rashad fights Jon Jones and then I’ll fight the winner.”

Reports have claimed Henderson to have turned down bouts with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and a rematch with Rua over the past few months. Now, with his recent statements, it’s clear exactly why.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

However, just because he’s holding out for a specific scrap doesn’t mean he’s on the cusp of calling it quits. While fast-approaching his 42nd birthday, Henderson’s thought on retirement are not those many would expect to hear, with the former Strikeforce champion instead feeling he has years left in his seemingly ageless body.

“I’ve changed my training, I’m smarter with my training,” said Henderson, in an interview with ESPN. “I’m also smarter with my positioning and techniques. I know what works and what doesn’t. I’ve got three fights on my deal, and I’ll probably sign one more deal after that.”

As long as the scenario play out as he expects, that could put Henderson close to the same age as Randy Couture when he finally decided to retire, though Henderson quickly added, “I definitely won’t be as old as Randy when I retire!”

If things work out, expect to see Henderson matched up against either Jon Jones or Rashad Evans once the two meet in April or Anderson Silva-Chael Sonnen if somehow that bout falls through.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/STRIKEFORCE

The 41-year old, who was last seen defeating Mauricio “Shogun” Rua last year, is said to have decided his next fight will be for either the UFC light heavyweight or middleweight belt but nothing less.

However, both those titles are currently tied up as Jon Jones will defend the light heavyweight strap against Rashad Evans next month, while middleweight champion Anderson Silva is scheduled to face Chael Sonnen later this summer.

“He wants a title fight,” said UFC President Dana White during the UFC on FOX 3 press conference earlier this week. “He either wants Anderson Silva or whoever has the belt at 185, or the winner of Evans and Jones.”

White added that “Hendo” is not concerned with who has the title – just that he competes for one, saying, “Dan doesn’t seem too picky.”

Henderson has yet to wear UFC gold, though has held championships for PRIDE and Strikeforce. The 29-8 legend has not addressed White’s assessment since it was made though in recent weeks he has said he wanted to fight in the next few months.

PHOTO CREDIT – TRIUMPH UNITED/UFC

Henderson, who is sitting on the sidelines while waiting for a bout, sounded off on “Rampage” through Twitter regarding Jackson’s performance and overall appearance relating to the former champion missing weight and eventually being outpointed by Ryan Bader in the co-main event of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson.

“Might just be me but Rampage’s stomach is hanging out past his dicky do. Not really able to get aggressive,” Henderson posted. “Bader fought great. Nice job. Quinton looks like he just showed up to get paid.”

Jackson said that he didn’t want to disappoint his beloved Japanese fans by pulling out of the fight despite doctor’s orders. During the weigh-in special, Rich Franklin questioned Jackson’s desire as well, though “Rampage” later revealed he suffered a knee injury in training preventing him from reaching the required weight.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Now, on his Twitter account, “Hendo” has set the record straight or at least given his side of things.

“Was never offered Machida. And even though he has lost 3 of his last 4, I’m sure it would be entertaining,” Henderson posted.

Machida is coming off a loss to champ Jon Jones with other recent defeats to Quinton Jackson and Mauricio Rua.

Currently, Henderson is awaiting word on who he will face next. The former 41-year old icon was hoping to become the next contender to the UFC light heavyweight title but that opportunity went to Rashad Evans leaving Henderson’s future a bit hazy.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Henderson, who solidified his standing as a top challenger with an exciting win over Mauricio Rua in November, recently opened up on his plan for 2012 in a conversation with ESPN where he explained it’s never been his intention to wait for Jones-Evans to settle their score.

“That was never what I said or anything,” said the former Strikeforce/DREAM champion. “I don’t know who said that, but it wasn’t me. My thoughts were I was waiting to see what happened with Rashad and Phil Davis. That was the only thing I was going to wait for.”

“Obviously you can’t guarantee that nobody gets hurt,” he added, alluding to the possibility of stepping in as a replacement for Jones or Evans, continuing, “I don’t know what the plan is, but I’d fight whoever it is they think would be a good match-up. The problem is there’s really nobody right now who fits the bill for a title contention fight; that would make sense to fight me. I don’t know. Maybe I’d fight at a different weight class. I don’t know if they see anybody at heavyweight that would make sense? But I would prefer to fight someone in April or May.”

The idea of a heavyweight tilt is certainly enticing given Henderson’s success against Fedor Emelianenko though, as he admitted, there aren’t a lot of names jumping out at him as being something fans might want to see. The 41-year old also mentioned a rematch with Quinton Jackson as a possibility pending the outcome of Jackson’s bout against Ryan Bader at UFC 144.

With Henderson on the record the ball now appears to be in the UFC’s court. What match-up they’ll throw back remains to be seen though, clearly, “Hendo” is ready for the challenge as long as it makes sense and fans are interested in seeing it go down.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/STRIKEFORCE

“Rashad should win,” explained Henderson to TATAME. “Rashad has better hands and they’re both good wrestlers. I think it is gonna come a lot down to conditioning, who is in better shape.”

Of course, even if Evans does lose Henderson isn’t sure the crack at Jones will come his way after turning down a match-up with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira that would have kept him busy until mid-2012.

It really did make no sense to me,” said Henderson after joking that he hoped he hadn’t made UFC President Dana White mad. “What was the point of that fight? They were just trying to put together a main event that wasn’t gonna be that great.”

As far as how he sees Sonnen faring, surprising few Henderson went with his training partner at Team Quest rather than the brash Bisping who he unforgettably knocked out at UFC 100.

“I don’t see Bisping even having a chance,” he flatly stated.

See how Henderson’s picks play out tonight on FOX with the broadcast starting at 8:00 PM EST.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Machida expressed his desire to hook up with “Hendo” in a recent interview where he also reaffirmed the possibility of dropping to middleweight in the near future.

When asked about Henderson in an interview with Sherdog, the 33-year old Brazilian said, “I would be really honored to face him. At 41 years old and competing at such a high level, he’s an example for our sport. The fight he had with ‘Shogun’ (Mauricio Rua) was unbelievable. I think we could have a great fight.”

Machida, currently healing up from elbow surgery, says he plans to be ready to return to training in early February and hopes to fight in April/May. If a bout with Henderson doesn’t work out based on Evans potentially beating Phil Davis this weekend, Machida also has his eye on another top contender in action at UFC on FOX 2.

“Actually, I never had an interest in facing (Chael Sonnen), but he did so much trash talking that I started to have an interest because I’m not the kind of person who likes to say a lot of bad stuff about my opponents,” revealed Machida. “I’d rather fight and see what happens. I think that fight could happen, but that will depend on whether or not he fights Anderson (Silva).”

Sonnen, who has also taken shots at Machida in the media, will earn an opportunity to face rival Silva if he comes away with his hand raised tomorrow night against Michael Bisping. Comparably, “The Dragon” last fought in December where he was submitted by Jones in the second round of their headliner after putting together an excellent first frame against the champ.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

When Henderson recently re-signed with the UFC talk immediately began on whether or not he might consider dropping to middleweight in hopes of fighting Silva again, a move “Hendo” stated he’d happily make given the chance to avenge the loss.

Now, UFC President Dana White has revealed Henderson would have likely gotten his crack at squashing “The Spider” had the Brazilian been healthy enough to fight again before the end of 2011.

Silva is currently suffering from a shoulder injury, a condition White elaborated on in a discussion with MMAFighting.

“He has bursitis in his shoulder,” White explained. “The doctor told him he needs to rest it for eight weeks, and he’s doing physical therapy. It’s not like he’s got some injury that needs surgery or anything like that. As amazing as this guy is, we forget this guy is 37 years old.”

As far as who Silva will actually face next, White kept his options open stating it would be logical to give the winner of this weekend’s fight at UFC 136 between Sonnen and Brian Stann a shot at the 185-pound king while also stating Henderson was someone worth giving consideration to assuming he beats Mauricio “Shogun” Rua next month at UFC 139.

“We’ll have to see what happens,” White concluded in as non-committal a manner as possible.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

News of the bout was first reported by MMAWeekly.com and has since been confirmed by the UFC.

“Hendo” is no stranger to the octagon, having two prior runs under his belt. He first competed at UFC 17 back in 1998, winning the one night middleweight tournament before heading off to Japan, where he made a name for himself in PRIDE with victories over the likes Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort. He returned to the UFC at UFC 75, taking on Quinton Jackson in a UFC light heavyweight title vs. PRIDE light heavyweight title fight and followed that up with a bout against Anderson Silva in a fight that merged the UFC and PRIDE middleweight titles. Despite losing both bouts, Henderson rebounded and won three straight in the UFC, defeating Rousimar Palhares, Rich Franklin, and Michael Bisping.

Failing to reach a new contract with the UFC, Henderson headed to Strikeforce, where he immediately challenged Jake Shields for the middleweight strap. Not having the conditioning at 185 to defeat Shields, Henderson moved up to 205 where he knocked out Renato Sobral and Rafael Cavalcante to capture to the light heavyweight belt. In his most recent fight, Henderson stopped Fedor Emelianenko in the first round, pounding him out with his famous right hand, dubbed by some as the “H Bomb.”

Now the Team Quest pioneer will get another crack at a former PRIDE superstar when he takes on “Shogun” Rua, fresh off his victory over Forrest Griffin. In that bout, Rua received a hero’s welcome at UFC 134 in Brazil and avenged his first UFC loss against Griffin. The former UFC champ has had a storied MMA career that includes winning the PRIDE light heavyweight grand prix in 2005 and becoming the first man to beat Lyoto Machida to win in the UFC belt in 2010. Rua holds wins against some of the best fighters in the sports history, including Ricardo Arona, Quinton Jackson, Chuck Liddell, and Alistair Overeem.

The bout will headline UFC 139 and will have major title implications. Also on the card, which takes place on November 19 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California is a middleweight bout between Vitor Belfort and Cung Le.

*PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE*

According to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation, Five Ounces of Pain has confirmed one of the core components of the matchmaking process in regards to their headlining bout on July 30 was the ability to sever professional ties with the loser based on the amount each earns in comparison to their perceived market value, as contracts are generally structured to allow for immediate release in the event of defeat.

In May, ESPN reported the two fighters are scheduled to earn $2.3 million combined for their July 30 fight with Henderson taking home an $800,000 paycheck and his Russian counterpart the remaining amount. For reference, the entire disclosed payroll of UFC 132, the most recent PPV event for the world’s foremost MMA promotion, was more than a million dollars less than the two Strikeforce fighters’ expected windfall in the Windy City.

Whether Zuffa would renegotiate terms with “Hendo” if he loses, or if the former Olympic wrestler would even want to re-sign, are unknown. However, a major factor in Henderson’s departure from the UFC two years ago after winning three straight fights was the amount of money on the table with UFC President Dana White repeatedly stating on record the company’s belief that the 40-year old was not a major draw. The Team Quest patriarch is also on the last fight of his current Strikeforce deal.

Though the parent-company of Strikeforce is not in the same position of fiscal responsibility when it comes to Emelianenko, the previously unbeatable heavyweight is no longer the same asset he was when originally coming on board in 2009, a matter apparently straining the partnership between M-1 Global and the promotion’s primary home, Showtime. Emelianenko has lost his last two fights in convincing fashion meaning a third consecutive stumble – especially to an opponent known for competing in a smaller division – would not only be disastrous on a professional level but also likely mark the end of his Strikeforce career given the kingly sum demanded by “The Last Emperor”.

Though only the future knows for sure how things will play out, it appears a black mark has appeared on what is otherwise an extremely fan-friendly pairing at “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson”. The two long-standing stars hold 57 total wins including memorable performances too numerous to list. Among them, for Emelianenko, are victories in Japan against Kevin Randleman, Mark Coleman, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, while Henderson has found success against the likes of Michael Bisping, Wanderlei Silva, “Minotauro” Nogueira, Vitor Belfort, and Rich Franklin.

Requests for official comments from Showtime and Strikeforce representatives have gone unanswered at the time of this report.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

News of Emelianenko’s stance was reported by ESPN where it was also mentioned the bout would likely be at heavyweight if it does indeed take place and would be targeted for this summer.

Henderson had previously spoken of his openness to going up in weight if need be to face the iconic Russian, who himself is a relatively undersized heavyweight, meaning Emelianenko’s teased drop to 205-pounds has been put on hold for the immediate future if not permanently.

If things continue as planned it is likely the prodigious pairing would headline the July event rumored earlier this week as being Strikeforce’s initial foray into PPV and featuring Mo Lawal vs. Roger Gracie as part of the main card.