Happy trails, Hendo: 8 of the legend's greatest moments

No fighter's had a career quite like Dan Henderson's.

Henderson made his first steps into the undiscovered country of MMA out of necessity and to keep busy, not because he had any grand aspirations. There was no indication then that the sport would become the international phenomenon it's turned into - Henderson was looking to make a quick buck on the side while pursing his Olympic wrestling dreams.

Nineteen years and 47 fights later, "Hendo" sits among the immortals of combat sports. The final chapter was written Saturday night, and while he failed to unseat Michael Bisping to become a UFC champion for the first time, the raucous affair only added to his legacy.

Related: Watch: Henderson announces retirement after losing to Bisping at UFC 204

As the man once known as "Hollywood" rides off into the sunset, here are eight standout chapters in his storybook career.

Early tournament success

Armed with little more than his Olympic wrestling background and a good chin, Henderson jumped headfirst into the four-man middleweight tournament held at UFC 17 on May 15, 1998. Using a steady diet of top control and ground-and-pound to neutralize his foes, Henderson fought for a combined 30 minutes to win a pair of decisions over Allan Goes and future UFC champion Carlos Newton.

Henderson's focus remained on his international wrestling competitions, but he would travel to Japan in October 1999 and win a pair of fights in the qualifying rounds of that year's "Rings: King of Kings." That tournament would conclude the following February, when Henderson's wrestling again carried him to wins over Gilbert Yvel, heavyweight great Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and Renato "Babalu" Sobral.

The two-division PRIDE champ

Once Henderson decided to focus on his MMA career, he emerged as a star in Japan's PRIDE organization. He won another tournament in 2005 to capture that promotion's welterweight (183-pound) championship.

That was the first world title for Henderson, and he'd make history 14 months later when he knocked out Wanderlei Silva to win the PRIDE middleweight (205-pound) championship.

Henderson was the welterweight champion heading into that bout, and the win over Silva made him the first MMA fighter to hold two world titles simultaneously.

The most devastating 'H-Bomb' ever

Henderson and Bisping coached opposite one another on the ninth season of "The Ultimate Fighter," and Henderson vowed to silence the talkative Bisping when they fought at UFC 100. He did just that with one of MMA's most vicious knockouts.

That finish has been replayed ad nauseam, and it's one of the main reasons Henderson was booked to rematch Bisping seven years after their first meeting.

A champion once more

In the early 2010s, California's Strikeforce promotion had established itself as a legitimate alternative to the UFC that was willing to offer six-figure contracts and national television exposure to any stars looking to make the jump. Henderson did, and in his third fight with the promotion, he won their light heavyweight belt with a TKO win over Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante.

Knocking out Fedor

When Henderson agreed to a heavyweight bout with Fedor Emelianenko, it paired up two of the sport's most accomplished and well-traveled fighters. "The Last Emperor" was a couple of years removed from his prime, but many fans still associated him with an eight-year undefeated stretch that saw him conquer all comers.

The Emelianenko that stepped into the cage with Henderson was on a two-fight losing streak, and Henderson was more than happy to keep the bad times rolling.

As he so often does, Emelianenko played the aggressor until a slick escape by Henderson turned the tables and put him in position to punch Emelianenko into oblivion.

The 'Shogun' classic

Few could have predicted that a throwaway PPV in the fall of 2014 would produce one of the best fights in MMA history, but that's exactly what happened when Henderson went five rollicking rounds with Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 139.

The veterans pounded each other in an instant classic that likely took years off their careers. Still, nobody will forget the back-and-forth battle that saw Henderson drop Rua multiple times with his dynamite right hand, only for "Shogun" to battle back in the later rounds with takedowns and relentless ground-and-pound.

Though Henderson would win the unanimous decision (and their rematch in 2014), there was no real loser in this one.

One more thrilling KO

The explosive Hector Lombard was expected to send Henderson into an unceremonious retirement at UFC 199. "Hendo" had other plans.

Henderson weathered an early onslaught until he found an opening for a head kick that stunned Lombard. He followed up with a sickening elbow that left Lombard stiff on the mat.

The last stand

The idea that Henderson would challenge for a UFC title in the year 2016 would have been laughable six months ago, but with his old rival Bisping having become the middleweight champion, there was a sudden swell of fan interest in seeing these two run it back.

As shaky as Henderson's claim to a title shot was, there was something charming about seeing him receive one more chance at glory - especially when he announced that his rematch with Bisping would be his last fight, win or lose.

The UFC 204 main event lived up to the hype. Henderson knocked Bisping down twice and came precariously close to finishing him. But Bisping's superb conditioning allowed him to outlast and outpoint Henderson over five nail-biting rounds.

It was a defining moment for both men and the perfect way for Henderson to leave the cage with his head held high, his granite chin as indefatigable as ever.

Related: Q&A: Dan Henderson on respect for Bisping, the importance of UFC title