Sun Tzu's Art of War: Shogun vs Henderson

Sun Tzu wrote The Art of War thousands of years before Mixed Martial Arts existed. Though he aimed to breakdown what aspects of military planning decided the winner of a battle, we can adapt his vision to the sport of MMA. So, what does one of the world's greatest military minds have to say about Sunday's match up between "Shogun" Rua and Dan Henderson?

1) Which of the two sovereigns is imbued with the moral law? (Who is harder to finish?)

• Few fighters are able to absorb the punishment these guys have weathered throughout the course of their careers. Tough doesn't begin to describe either one of these legends, unfortunately, both guys are way past their primes, and that aggressive style that made them fan favorites seems to have taken its toll. Henderson is coming off his first knock out loss, and Shogun just got submitted by a bloated middleweight two fights ago. However, at 43 years old one has to wonder if father time finally caught up with Hendo. Advantage: Shogun

2) Which of the two generals has most ability? (Who has the better camp?)

• Hendo comes out of Team Quest in Temecula California, while Shogun trains at his Fight University in Brazil. Shogun's never been one to gameplan as his usual course to victory is overwhelming offense, but the same could be said about Henderson. However, Team Quest has  produced some of the best fighters to ever grace the octagon; giving Hendo the advantage here.

3) With whom lie the advantages derived from heaven and earth? (What advantages surround the fight?)

• Brazilians don't lose in Brazil. The home crowd advantage is undeniable for Shogun.

4) On which side is discipline most rigorously enforced? (Who's in better shape?)

• Both guys have a full throttle kind of style that has them gassing when they can't put opponents away. Can't say either has an advantage over the other in terms of cardio. Hendo gassed out the last fight, but Rua couldn't muster the energy to finish him in the later rounds. DRAW

5) Which army is stronger? (Who's stronger?)

• Hendo is smaller but the guy can hang in there with big Light heavyweights. Shogun on the other hand has trouble with stronger guys, but it's not likely that Hendo will be pushing Rua around. In their first fight neither guy looked to have overpowered the other. Though Rua does have a size advantage, I doubt he can physically overwhelm Henderson. DRAW

6) On which side are officers and men more highly trained? (Who's more well rounded?)

• Rarely do we get to see Shogun's Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in action since he prefers to slug it out on the feet. He does have great GnP and likes to take people down when he doesn't get the best of the stand up exchanges. Henderson on the other hand has Olympic level Greco-Roman wrestling and everyone knows about that nasty right hand of his. Both guys can be dangerous in the clinch but in different ways: Shogun uses knees and kicks well, while Hendo rather take you down or dirty box. All and all, both guys have options wherever the fight goes. DRAW

7) In which army is there the greater constancy both in reward and punishment? (Who can finish the fight?)

• 91% finishing rate for Shogun Rua says a lot, and Hendo knocks out Heavyweights. DRAW

THE PICK: Two evenly matched fighters who look to impose aggressive styles made for an instant classic the first time. The first time around, many felt the judges should have scored it a draw, and it doesn't get any closer than this. However, since the fight takes place in Brazil I have to think Shogun will get that little boost to help him get the nod. That doesn't mean Hendo can't land that H-Bomb of his, but expect Shogun to weather the storm and take control in another war. Shogun by Split Decision.