MEMPHIS - Dan Henderson's exit from the UFC was surprising to some, not so much to others. UFC president Dana White says at the end of the day he's completely okay with the fighter's exit from the promotion, and that Henderson likely won't ever fight for the UFC again.
"I'm happy, I'm very happy with it. I couldn't be happier," White said about Henderson's signing with Strikeforce. "I pushed them to do that. I started taking (expletive) off the table and that made him make his decision to go with them."
When asked if Henderson was an asset to his new employer, White simply said, "To them maybe; he's not to me."
The deal was struck just days ago, and even Henderson pointed out that while the four-fight deal keeps him in Strikeforce for the immediate future, he wouldn't rule out an eventual return to the UFC. On the flipside, White started closing that door on Thursday.
"Dan probably won't be back in the UFC. He'll retire over there," commented the brash UFC exec. "We, we're (cool), we know where we stand."
The two talked earlier this week. White said at the end of the conversation they know where they stand with each other, but his tone painted a frosty conversation between the two. Past comments seemed to have ruffled some feathers, and White spoke about some misconceptions.
"There's always this talk about I don't respect guys. Dan Henderson, believe me, I show a lot of guys respect," he said. "Just cause I wouldn't pay Dan more than anybody else doesn't mean I don't respect guys."
Asking the UFC to pay him more than anybody else is an assertion that Henderson and his camp have contested since day one.
"I don't believe that I'm asking for too much money," Henderson told MMAWeekly.com back in October, "and I know for a fact that I'm taking less money than other fighters."
Regardless, for the time being, it seems Henderson will be a Strikeforce fighter, and White will move forward without him, comfortable with the decision to let him go.
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