Welterweight champion Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler will go at it for the second time this calendar year in the main event of a riveting UFC 181 fight card.
The two fighters will be hard-pressed, however, to replicate as entertaining of a fight as when they faced off in March. With a vacant welterweight title on the line, Hendricks barely squeaked by Lawler in a unanimous decision that really could’ve gone either way, as all three judges scored it 48-47 in Hendricks’ favor.
Both fighters have taken different paths since that bout. Lawler rebounded in two straight convincing wins, while the champion, Hendricks, took some time off to recover from the torn bicep and fractured shin he fought with in March. But there’s little doubt, with a title belt on the line again, that each is ready for the big stage in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Hendricks-Lawler II is just the icing on the cake of an enticing fight card, so let’s make some predictions for all of the main-card bouts and look closer into the main event.
When: Saturday, December 6
Where: Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas
Start Time (ET): 10 p.m.
Note: Fight card information courtesy of UFC.com.
Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler II
Is it possible that two of the best Fight of the Year candidates in 2014 could end up being from the exact same matchup?
If Saturday’s rematch between Hendricks and Lawler is nearly as memorable as the first, that could prove to be just the case.
When the duo faced off in March, a vacant welterweight title was on the line between two fighters who had never hoisted a UFC belt. The fighting reflected it, as both went back and forth in what was anyone’s fight until Hendricks’ late takedown proved to be the difference—at least on the scorecards.
Even after such a close loss, Lawler needed to build some momentum for another title shot. He’s done just that, with sound wins over Matt Brown and Jake Ellenberger, and takes aim at his second title fight in 266 days’ time, per UFC:
Lawler has stayed in the Octagon since that narrow defeat in March as he built his case for a rematch. Hendricks, on the other hand, had surgery on his torn bicep shortly after the fight and faced a few months of rehab before getting back to his training regimen.
No fights in the last nine months would suggest Hendricks might be a little rusty, but he doesn’t see the long layoff as worrisome, per MMAJunkie.com’s Mike Bohn.
“I feel being inactive doesn’t bother me,” Hendricks said. “You have to train hard and learn how to compete with layoffs. I would like to be able to finish Robbie this time. (The first fight) was a close fight and I was injured a little bit, but I think with this one is going to be different.”
If Hendricks truly wants this time to be different, he will have to make it a focus to bring things to the ground. Lawler had a decisive edge the last time out standing and striking, and it took a few fortunate takedowns by Hendricks to sway the score in his favor.
It’s hard to find a fighter in the UFC—or anywhere—who has made the strides that Lawler has over the last few years, but Hendricks is perhaps best suited to overcome him. Hendricks will learn from his shortcomings in the first fight and do everything he can to wear out Lawler with his ground-and-pound game.
Come the 11th round, Lawler will be gassed, and Hendricks’ extended rest will pay off as he pummels his opponent to retain his title.
Prediction: Hendricks wins via 11th-round TKO
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com