Henderson and Gono scrambling.
The fight was in the semi-finals of the Pride 2005 welterweight (185 lbs.) tournament. Dan Henderson had defeated Ryo Chonan earlier that night, and Akihiro Gono had defeated Daniel Acacio.
The Fight[]
The first round began and they touched gloves. Henderson landed a leg kick. Gono landed a body kick, Henderson caught it and got the takedown hard into full guard. Apparently a headbutt had occurred. The fight was paused. Henderstood stood rubbing his head angrily as Gono rubbed his head sitting down as well. Gono was taking a bit to recover. They restarted in guard again. Henderson was looking to pass and Gono was defending. Henderson seemed a bit bigger. Henderson landed a left hand and Gono was complaining of an eyepoke. Henderson shook his head standing up. Gono stayed laying down. No wait he had missed the left hand and headbutted again. They restarted standing. Gono landed a leg kick. He was moving a lot. Gono landed another leg kick. Henderson was stalking him. Gono checked a leg kick. They clinched and Henderson broke with a missed short uppercut. Henderson landed a good body shot and he was hunting for that right hand. Gono tried a body shot of his own but didn't land it really. Henderson faked a leg kick. Gono tried a knee and slipped. Henderson came down with a big hammerfist to guard. He passed to half-guard. Henderson landed a few left hands in under. He stood and came back down to half-guard. He landed a good knee to the face as Gono sat up. The action slowed down. 'Hey, keep the pace, let's go!' Henderson landed three or four elbows to the body. Three more elbows to the body. Another pair. 'Push his face away!' Henderson tried to pass, Gono retained guard nicely. Henderson was holding onto a guillotine or headlock from the top there. The action had slowed for sure. He let go of the headlock. Henderson landed a shoulder strike to the nose. Henderson stood out and let Gono up. They circled. Henderson was trying to corner him. They clinched. Not much was really going on. 'Dan, break his grip!' Not much going on. 'Dan, break and punch!' The referee finally broke them up. They circled. Henderson landed a leg kick. Gono landed a good body kick. Henderson landed a right hand. Gono landed another body kick and they clinched again. Gono landed a body shot inside. The referee broke them up relatively quickly. Gono landed a hard body kick. They clinched again. Henderson tried for the trip, Gono popped back up. Henderson landed a right hand and they clinched. Henderson was trying for the body lock takedown. He landed a knee to the leg. The referee broke them up relatively quickly once more. Henderson landed a leg kick. Henderson seemed a bit tired, if I'm not mistaken. Gono landed a leg kick. Gono blocked a right hand. Hendersn landed another one. He landed a big combination. He landed a big right hand and Gono went down facedown and Henderson landed a few short shots in under and it was all over. Decent knockout.