With nearly two decades spent competing at the highest level of mixed martial arts, Dan Henderson has impacted multiple generations of fighters coming up in his wake. Of those who have been inspired by Hendo's work inside the cage, Tim Boetsch is certainly a card-carrying member of the club.
The former wrestling standout from Maine watched the former Olympian turned knockout artist use his grappling skills and power game to become a success in the MMA world. Knowing he had similar tools to work with, The Barbarian set out to find success of his own, and the results he's produced have validated his decision to step into the cage in the first place.
Yet things have a funny way of intersecting in the fight game, and in the main event at Fight Night 68 on Saturday, Boetsch will get to test his skills against a fighter he's admired for years. That said, Boetsch is looking forward to the challenge and is honored to have the opportunity to trade leather with a fighter he considers to be one of the best to have ever done it.
"I have been following Dan for a long time, and he's a hero of mine to be quite honest," Boetsch told Bleacher Report. "He's someone I've looked up to for a long time and ever since I started fighting because of his wrestling background. His wrestling pedigree is better than mine since he was an Olympic-level wrestler, but he's just that gritty, hard-nosed and tough fighter that I always wanted to be. I think I've become one of those fighters now.
"I think that makes for a great fight between us. People who understand who is going to be inside the Octagon together on Saturday night know it's going to be an awesome fight. I think it's interesting because Dan is a really nice guy outside of the Octagon, but once he gets in there he has that killer instinct. He has that look in his eye, and I think that's what has me so excited to get in there with him. I know it's going to be a battle."
While Boetsch's immediate focus is locked on defeating Henderson in New Orleans, he also sees the main event tilt as another opportunity in the much larger picture.
Two years ago the 34-year-old Barbarian Combat Sports leader was sitting just beyond the gates of title contention in the middleweight division. He'd climb the 185-pound ranks on the strength of a five-fight winning streak, but a loss against Costas Philippou at UFC 155 brought his momentum to a halt. And while he's struggled to find consistency in the five fights since his bout with Philippou, the hard-charging powerhouse believes he's made gains in other areas.
In Boetsch's mind, the most prominent change in his game has been his ability to re-establish the killer instinct he feels he had lost somewhere along the way. His aggression and win-at-all-cost mentality is what brought him initial success, and he is confident those elements will be the reason he finds victory against Henderson at Fight Night 68.
"I'm definitely on track and on the right path, and I feel like a lot of that has to do with switching camps. I've been working with Marcus Davis and really working to get that killer instinct back. I think that's what people really enjoy seeing from me. They know when I step into the Octagon they are going to see an exciting fight. It's going to be violent.
"My natural ability to get after it is what first got me started and was the key to my initial success in this sport, and I have definitely reconnected with what motivates me. I'm getting back to that raw and violent fighting style people expect from me. Saturday night is going to be another example of that. My performance is going to show what I've been working on and where I'm heading.
"A win in this fight would be huge for me," he added. "It would be a major achievement for my career. It would also let me know I'm on the right path and shows everyone I'm a guy to watch out for. A win here puts me heading back toward the top of the division, and that's where I want to be."
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
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