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When Johny Hendricks heard his name announced as the new UFC welterweight champion following his battle with Robbie Lawler at UFC 171 back in March, he fell to his knees under the weight of the moment.

The former two-time NCAA Division I national champion wrestler turned MMA powerhouse had just come through a five-round war with a resurgent slugger turned contender—four of which he did without the use of his left arm due to a torn bicep—and now had 12 pounds of championship gold around his waist to make it all worthwhile.

It was a surreal moment for Hendricks and one that capped the 31-year-old’s three-year rise through what is arguably the most talent-stacked division under the UFC banner. The welterweight division is a shark tank of a weight class and one where any one of the divisional elite can defeat another on a given night. That said, Hendricks took every major challenge put in front of him and proved his worth every step of the way.

During his rise to the top, Bigg Rigg dusted a pair of perennial contenders in Jon Fitch and Martin Kampmann, went toe-to-toe with former interim champion Carlos Condit in a raucous 15-minute affair then pushed long reigning welterweight king Georges St-Pierre further than any man had ever done in the past in his first title opportunity at UFC 167 last November.

The title challenger had the longstanding champion in a position where he was consistently forced to fight himself out of danger, and with that being the case, a large percentage of the MMA community believed Hendricks bested the pound-for-pound great when the final bell sounded on their five-round affair.

Nevertheless, two of the three cage side judges believed GSP had done enough to win the bout, and the Team TakeDown representative was forced to exit the Octagon empty-handed. Yet, the sting of that night in Nevada wouldn’t last long, as four months later the heavy-handed Oklahoma native was officially crowned as the new champion of the 170-pound fold—winning the title St-Pierre vacated shortly after their clash the previous year.

It was the moment Hendricks had dreamed of and was one he made sure to allow himself to slow down and appreciate.

“The time off was good,” Hendricks told Bleacher Report. “It’s been nice to spend time with the family. It’s been good to spend time with the wife and kids. It’s also been nice to heal the body and mind and get hungry again. Get hungry to get back into the Octagon and get hungry to train again. That desire and drive to keep going are crucial things to have and time off gave that to me. I kept watching people fight, and I couldn’t because I was healing up. But now that I’m able to jump back in there, I’m super excited.

“You get time to let everything soak in, but you also get time to let it all go away. You know what I mean? You get time to feel proud that you are the welterweight champion, but you also get time to realize it doesn’t matter anymore because now I have to retain it. With every fight, as soon as I sign that bout agreement I’m no longer the champ.

“I’m trying to defend it and I plan on defending it a bunch of times,” he added. “But as soon as I sign that bout agreement, you forget about what you have done in the past and start thinking about what you are going to do next. Right now, I’m thinking about defending that title.”

The bearded slugger fought his heart out to become champion, and if a lifetime accomplishing great feats on wrestling mats across the country has taught him anything, it’s that there cannot be too much time spent admiring past achievements. While obtaining goals are a crucial part of his personal progression as a fighter, setting new goals are a necessary catalyst to reigniting the fires of motivation when the moment arrives to do so. 

And for Hendricks, that time has come front and center.

After spending the past several months rehabilitating his injured arm and adjusting to life as the welterweight champion, the Texas transplant will soon step back into the Octagon to defend the belt he fought so valiantly to obtain. The former Oklahoma State University wrestling standout and “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler will once again lock their proverbial horns in one of the year’s most highly anticipated rematches at UFC 181 on Dec. 6.

The first tilt with the American Top Team representative was an instant classic where both fighters gave their all in pursuit of the vacant welterweight strap. And despite having to push through an early injury—a caliber toughness Arlington-based fighter gives full credit to his wrestling background for—Hendricks had the savvy to dig deep in the final frame to win the round and ultimately the bout. The fight was a 25-minute gut check for the welterweight powerhouse and one he relied on his inner grit and heart to earn him the victory.

Yet, while their initial go around was a closely contested affair, Hendricks is coming into the rematch looking to put on a much more definitive performance. He knows full well what Lawler brings to the table but doesn’t believe Lawler knows what a 100-percent healthy Johny Hendricks looks like.

In his opinion, that alone will make a tremendous difference, and Hendricks is determined to put a definitive stamp on his reign as the new welterweight king by defeating Lawler in spectacular fashion at UFC 181.

“I always want to win, and if I can go out there and beat Robbie Lawler a second time—especially considering the things he’s done while I was out—that’s going to send a big shock through the welterweight division,” Hendricks said. “Lawler is a very tough fighter and so are a lot of the other guys who are all trying to get a shot at the title. If I can go out there and get my hand raised the way I think I can, then it will look way better on me. That’s really what I’m focusing on.

“I’m going to go out there and get it done the way I need to so that there aren’t any questions at the end of the fight. I am focused on making sure this fight isn’t as close as the last one was.” 

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

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