TEMECULA, Calif. - Dan “Hollywood” Henderson yearned to fight in America after building a fearsome reputation for years in Japan.

Then the Temecula, Calif., resident received word he was about to fight on a card for Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Goodbye, Japan. Hello, stateside.

Henderson’s first fight on a UFC card takes place Sept. 8 against the UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (27-6) in London, England.

London?

“I have to admit I was a little disappointed to find out I was fighting in London,” Henderson said. “I’m famous in Japan but nobody knows me in my own country. I was hoping to fight here.”

If not for the chance to add the UFC light heavyweight title to the Pride middleweight and welterweight titles he now possesses, Henderson might have passed on the opportunity.

But this is big.

“It’s the biggest fight of my career,” Henderson said. “It’s a chance to become an undisputed champion in MMA.”

For years, Pride Fighting Championship and UFC battled for control of the MMA world, including legitimacy of its champions.

This past year saw UFC purchase Pride FC, adding its coterie of fighters, including Henderson, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and Antonio Nogueira to its stable of top-flight fighters.

Pitting Henderson against Jackson boggles the MMA mind, with fellow UFC fighter Jason Miller calling it "the biggest fight in the history of MMA."

Jackson, who knocked out Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell last May to rip the UFC title away, has sparked the interest of fans eager to see whether Henderson’s ground skills and punishing punches can test him.

“He has some sloppiness in his game that I can take advantage of,” said Henderson, who is three inches shorter than Jackson. “He hasn’t looked particularly good in his last two or three fights.”

Preparation is key, Henderson said.

“Dan Henderson is so good on the ground,” said Jorgen Kruth, a K-1 fighter helping Henderson with his stand-up fighting skills. “I think Dan Henderson should win this.”

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From October 1999 to the present, Henderson has not fought on American soil. He has built a reputation in Japan for fighting skills that enabled him to defeat Nogueira, Renzo Gracie, Murilo Rua, Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva among others.

“It was great fighting in Japan. They have the best and most knowledgeable fans in the world,” Henderson said.

Now both Henderson and Jackson travel to the United Kingdom to fight before spectators not known for being blathering MMA fans. It’s still fairly new to the British Isles.

“Speaking to some of the media, it seems they’re more impressed that I’m a two-time Olympian than a MMA champion,” Henderson said. “This is an opportunity to showcase the sport.”

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