Henderson dismisses Emelianenko in first round

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. -- Dan Henderson stopped Fedor Emelianenko in the first round of their Strikeforce M-1 Global heavyweight bout Saturday.

After 28 consecutive victories and nearly a decade of perfection, Emelianenko (28-8) suffered his third straight defeat, putting his career in question. He wouldn't commit to a future fight with Strikeforce.

"I can't really say right now," he said through a translator. "That is something I need to sit down and talk with my manager and my team and see what kind of opportunities and offers are out there."

Both fighters came out swinging at the bell, but the pace quickly slowed. With under a minute left in the round, Fedor knocked down Henderson.

Henderson (31-4-1), the current light heavyweight champ, quickly recovered and turned Emelianenko over. He pounded him with a body blow, then a flurry of right upper cuts to the head. Referee Herb Dean stopped the fight at 4:12.

"He knocked me down," Henderson said. "I was aware the whole time, then I was just working to get on a single leg and I think I knocked him off balance. I pulled him over the top of me, took his back and saw an opening for a nice upper cut when he was on his hands and knees and just dropped him. I didn't think he was expecting that at that time."

Emelianenko said he thought Dean called it too soon.

"It seems to me, yes. I was ready to continue fighting," Emelianenko said.

Emelianenko is 1-2 since joining Strikeforce and doesn't know if a rematch with Henderson is possible.

"Dan is a wonderful fighter. I have always followed his career and he is a great fighter, but in there I felt I could go toe to toe with him and win the fight. With regard to a rematch, we will see, but it seems like a lot of potential rematches built up in the last few fights," Emelianenko said.