Mike Chiappetta • E-mail

COLUMBUS, Ohio - They are the perfect contrast of styles.

Dan Henderson is the challenger. If you want to see the picture of a fighter, look at his face. He will wear the marks of his trade through every waking moment of his life. His ears are cauliflowered. He's been hit so many times his nose no longer has the shape God intended and his teeth are a few short of a full set. There is a scar on his cheek, and his jaw juts out proudly in a way that says, "Go ahead, hit me if you dare."

Anderson Silva is the champion. Despite having more than 20 pro fights, his face is almost unblemished. He is flashy in the ring and out. He once wore a mink coat to a UFC event. He is quick to show off the same smile with the same teeth he's had all his life. After finishing off an opponent, he usually dances in the ring. Sometimes, he does it while there's an opponent in front of him.

Somehow, some way, these two men who couldn't be more different style-wise, will end up in the same place on Saturday night, as the two best middleweights in the world, in the main event of UFC 82 with the title on the line.

"Put simply, this is the best middleweight fight ever," UFC President Dana White says.

Sometimes, sports promoters and athletes say outrageous things to drum up interest. This is not one of those times.

Silva (20-4) is considered by many to be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Since arriving in the UFC, he has made the middleweight division his playground. He's had five fights, won four by knockout and one by submission. What's alarming about that is that four of those matches were title matches. Against the best competition, he's had his best matches.

"I hope to keep continuing to make history in MMA," Silva said through an interpreter. "I hope this will be one of the most memorable fights in history."

If it is, Henderson will also have a hand in it. The California native and former Olympian has been fighting professionally for over a decade, but with most of his career having been overseas, many American fans haven't had the chance to experience his brilliance in the sport.

Even in the ring, the styles of champ and challenger clash. While Silva often utilizes his pinpoint punches and Muay Thai background to deliver punishment in the clinch, Henderson has more of a straight power punching game, while his clinch game centers on the positional and takedown Greco-Roman background that took him to the Olympics. And on the ground, while Silva is a jiu-jitsu fighter, Henderson usually opts for ground and pound. In short, they couldn't be more different.

"It's going to be an awesome fight," said former middleweight champion Evan Tanner, who is returning to UFC after a two-year layoff. "Silva is going to get a really big challenge from Henderson. I'm not going to call the fight, but it's going to Anderson's toughest fight and I think Henderson has a very good chance of winning."

Henderson most recently fought at UFC 75, where he took light-heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson to a five-round decision loss. Over time, it has been Henderson's willingness to fight all comers that has won him respect in the MMA community. During his career, the natural 185-pounder has taken on fighters from weight classes up to heavyweight. The approach led him to becoming the only man ever to hold belts in two different weight classes in a major organization. In addition, he holds a win over current UFC interim heavyweight champ Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira on his resume.

Now, in his usual weight class, Henderson might be the last UFC middleweight with a legitimate chance to dethrone the champ.

"For me, I get up for the challenges," Henderson said. "He's the top guy and I get up for the big challenges."

In the lead-up to the fight, Henderson has disagreed with the notion that Silva is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. When asked to expand on his statement, he said, "I think he hasn't fought me yet, and that's the bottom line. Is he the best? We'll find out on "Saturday night."

While the middleweights clearly have the center stage spotlight to themselves, there is a wealth of talent on the card. Heavyweights Cheick Kongo and Heath Herring have been pushed as the co-main event, but other popular fighters including Andrei Arlovski, Josh Koscheck, Diego Sanchez and Jon Fitch are also competing.

In fact, White said that should Fitch defeat Chris Wilson, the former Purdue wrestling star will likely be the first challenger for the welterweight title following the Georges St. Pierre-Matt Serra rematch.

NOTES
• White said that UFC is expecting heavyweight Brock Lesnar to fight again this summer, though an exact date and opponent is not yet determined.

• Both Andrei Arlovski and Josh Koscheck are on the last fight of their current deals, and White said the he expects to begin negotiating with both quickly. "Andrei's a guy that I want, so I think we'll get it done," he said. "When I want a guy, I'll get it done."

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