Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler are going to do it again.
The two met for the vacant UFC welterweight title at UFC 171 earlier this year. They put on a show in that main event. The fight was back-and-forth, competitive and very exciting. It is on the Fight of the Year shortlist for many.
Hendricks has not defended his title since, but Lawler jumped right back into the fray by defeating Jake Ellenberger and Matt Brown to earn his rematch.
This will be a different fight. Both men learned a lot from their first encounter, and both men will try to make the necessary adjustments to finish their opponent. Each man got rocked by heavy shots in their first fight.
This fight is all about who can make the slight adjustment to win. Here are each man’s keys to victory for the upcoming UFC 181 main event.
Lawler‘s Keys to Victory
Stuff Takedowns
Hendricks grabbed the final round in large part due to a final takedown. His wrestling is far superior than Lawler‘s, but Lawler has quality takedown defense. He needs to stuff the takedowns on Saturday.
One of Lawler‘s best attributes is his ability to quickly stand. However, the problem with that is the takedown still scores points on the judge’s scorecards. He needs to remain upright.
After eating heavy blows from Lawler in the first fight we may see Hendricks go for more takedowns in the rematch. Lawler needs to be ready.
Avoid the Cage
If Hendricks forces Lawler against the fence, he can make his takedowns easier, or imitate a clinch battle that won’t benefit Lawler.
Cirlce away. Get to the center.
Both men are aggressive and come forward, but when Lawler is on his heels he can’t put his back against the fence. Hendricks will try to cut off the cage and put Lawler right in front of him. Lawler‘s best bet is to keep the fight at a distance away from the cage.
Make It Dirty
Drag Hendricks into a dogfight like the fight at UFC 171.
If Lawler can make Hendricks brawl, his chances of catching him with a KO shot go up significantly.
Hendricks’ striking is mostly a danger because of his power. He is not nearly as proficient as Lawler on the feet. Lawler can win the grimy slugfests. This is where Lawler can take rounds even if he is unable to finish.
Hendricks’ Keys to Victory
Be Methodical
While Lawler should try to turn this into an ugly brawl, Hendricks should take his time.
It is a 25-minute fight, and he holds the edge in the grappling department. He does not need to throw caution to the wind on the feet nor does he need to go all-out right away for takedowns. Hendricks can take a methodical approach to the early portions of the fight.
Picking his spots for offense early will pay off late.
Position, Position, Position
It is almost a guarantee Hendricks will take this fight to the mat at some point, and when he does he needs to control position.
This isn’t the most crowd-pleasing advice, but this is for the title. He should not make stupid mistakes trying to be exciting.
Lawler is great off his back. He gets back to his feet quickly. Hendricks needs to take his time after a takedown to keep Lawler on his back. The judges will reward him even with minimal offense. We have seen that time and again.
Hendricks needs to control position on the mat before trying to find ground-and-pound.
Go Back To Your Roots
Wrestle.
Simple.
Hendricks likes to throw haymakers and get into a fun scrap, but that isn’t the best style for a long career. Or a successful title run. Hendricks should get back to his wrestling, and in turn that will open up striking when Lawler lowers his defenses to stop a takedown.
Hendricks waited until the final two rounds at UFC 171 to implement his wrestling. He needs to threaten with it earlier on Saturday. Even if unsuccessful, he makes Lawler think about the takedowns which can lead to success standing. It also makes Lawler work harder early to make him less of a threat deeper in the fight.
Hendricks has to wrestle to win. It’s that simple. He had to rely on it late at UFC 171, and he has to rely on it early at UFC 181.
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