Dan Henderson didn't look a bit out of place sitting at a dais adorned with UFC logos, even though he had just been front and center for another promotion's banner event.

"I guess it's a little bit ironic that every time I win a title somewhere, (UFC president) Dana (White) has to buy the company to get me back," Henderson said at a press conference today in San Jose, Calif., the former backyard of said company, Strikeforce, which in March was purchased by UFC parent company Zuffa LLC.

Henderson's saltiness definitely hasn't left since his most recent turn in the octagon.

Two months after the now-former Strikeforce light-heavyweight champion sent his stock soaring with a knockout of Fedor Emelianenko, Henderson (28-8 MMA, 5-2 UFC) is set to fight at UFC 139, which takes place Nov. 19 at San Jose's HP Pavilion. Former UFC champ Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (20-5 MMA, 4-3 UFC) welcomes him back.

Henderson hasn't fought in the UFC since July 2009, when he knocked out cold Michael Bisping at UFC 100. A failed bid to draw up a more lucrative contract saw him defect to Strikeforce in the fall of that year, and he went 3-1 for the promotion before it was acquired.

Those three most recent performances – all TKOs or KOs – made him a hot commodity, and with Strikeforce's future hanging in the balance, he returned to the negotiating table with Zuffa.

"I'm excited, and the best matchups for me are here in the UFC, worldwide, and just to get competition against the top guys of the sport," Henderson said. "Strikeforce has a number of guys that are tough. I felt like I fought some of the tougher guys over there, and my last one with Fedor, beyond that, I wasn't excited about anybody coming up that I might be fighting other than the guys that were going to be in the UFC."

A middleweight title fight with Anderson Silva was the first option Henderson and UFC executives discussed, but Silva wasn't available for a fall return after a nagging shoulder injury was exacerbated by his ninth straight title defense, which came against Yushin Okami at UFC 134.

"He was hurt in that fight," White said today. "He hurt his shoulder; he's got bursitis or something, and the doctor had him lay off for eight weeks."

Henderson is interested in fighting Silva but has Rua ahead.

"I prefer to fight (at) light heavyweight," Henderson said. "I'm not fond of cutting weight any more, and there's only one fight that I'd probably fight at 185."

White dismissed the idea that Silva was avoiding a fight with Henderson as one vocal fan suggested.

"Listen, Anderson Silva's fought everybody," he said. "It's not like he's ducking fights. He's never ducked a fight ... and if this thing goes right and Dan wants to cut that weight, then we can talk about Anderson Silva."

For now, light heavyweight is the division for Henderson. If you ask him, though, heavyweight is where White is headed.

"Don't get him going, please," White told the crowd.



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