It’s been 20 years of caged combat inside the UFC’s famed Octagon—an occasion that’ll appropriately be celebrated with the return of the organization’s champion extraordinaire, Georges St-Pierre.
Whether or not you think he’s got anything left to…
It’s been 20 years of caged combat inside the UFC’s famed Octagon—an occasion that’ll appropriately be celebrated with the return of the organization’s champion extraordinaire, Georges St-Pierre.
It might be a tale you’ve heard several times over the course of St-Pierre’s unprecedented welterweight title reign, but on Saturday night, Hendricks seems to be the manifestation of all the right qualities to give the French Canadian icon loads of trouble.
Beyond defeating the opponent standing across the cage from him, St-Pierre will also look to secure a few more records to his name—if he outperforms Hendricks at UFC 167, St-Pierre will have the most total victories and most title-bout victories of any fighter to ever compete under the Zuffa banner.
There’s no denying that there’ll be more on the line than your routine title fight.
And just think—Rashad Evans, Chael Sonnen, Rory MacDonald and Robbie Lawler will all make appearances before the main event even manages to get underway.
When we speak of “stacked fight cards,” this is what we’re referring to.
Let’s take a look at all of the dynamics and content needed to prepare you for the 20th anniversary special, UFC 167.
There is a genuine enthusiasm pulsing through Johny Hendricks.
As a reporter who has covered the sport of mixed martial arts closely for the past several years, working with fighters specifically, seeing an athlete carry excitement is certainly nothing…
There is a genuine enthusiasm pulsing through Johny Hendricks.
As a reporter who has covered the sport of mixed martial arts closely for the past several years, working with fighters specifically, seeing an athlete carry excitement is certainly nothing new.
Whether it is the next fight, their increasingly visible profile, or something new they’ve added in their preparation, a fighter being revved up over the moving parts of their career is a pleasant side effect of the business.
In this regard, Hendricks is no different from his peers in the MMA world. But when it comes to the fashion in which that enthusiasm is carried, “Bigg Rigg” is in a league of his own.
The 30-year-old has a wide-eyed, thrill-of-the-moment essence to him that tells you he’s simply happy to be here—wherever “here” may be. At present, “here” is the doorstep to a long-awaited title shot against welterweight king Georges St-Pierre that will go down this Saturday night at UFC 167 in Las Vegas.
While a championship fight against one of the most dominant titleholders in UFC history and the flashing lights, pomp and circumstance that come with such an event are certainly enough to put a charge in anyone, these elements are just another reason for Hendricks’ elation to continue.
Make no mistake about it, his upcoming bout with GSP is the biggest moment of his athletic career by a long shot.
In the same turn, the fight is one more entry atop a pile of reasons the Oklahoma native and Texas resident has to be happy these days. His visibility as an athlete is at an all-time high, and because of it, he’s landing big sponsorship deals with companies like Reebok. These windows come and go, but at this moment in time, life is good for Mr. Hendricks.
“You have to enjoy it,” Hendricks told Bleacher Report. “You have to enjoy the ride. You can’t let it go to your head and that is really how I’ve been approaching this. You have to have fun, because you don’t know how often it’s going to come around. Enjoy the moment and live it up.
“This means everything to me. It seems like a long road and one that didn’t seem like it was ever going to come to this point. All of a sudden, here we are and I’m one fight away from being able to get that title. That means everything to me because everything I’ve wanted to try to accomplish is right here.
“I’ve earned this,” he added. “I could have taken the easy road and not fought—let Georges do what he did. But I feel like the fans want to see me fight and that’s my job. My job is to fight and push forward the best I can. Taking that approach also helped me learn and I’m still developing. Most of these guys I’m facing have 30-40 fights. I have 16 and I’m still learning and trying to understand what kind of fighter I can be.”
With that said, on Saturday night, the goal Hendricks has been doggedly chasing for the past two years will come front and center. He will step into the Octagon to take his shot at toppling the most dominant welterweight to ever compete in the sport and will have 25 minutes to try to break one of the most methodical fighters in UFC history.
Where the challenge in itself is daunting, this is where Hendricks’ zest is truly unique. He is absolutely pumped to face St-Pierre and all the life-changing rewards that would come with a victory are beyond appealing. But it is the perspective in which he sees the moment that is absolutely refreshing.
For Johny Hendricks, it’s all about finding out if he has what it takes. He truly wants to know if he’s as good as he believes he is and is willing to put himself through the grinder to find those answers.
Some people take comfort in speculation. Hendricks is not one of them.
His self-confidence has been validated every step of the way through his brief time in MMA. Six years and 16 fights under his belt and already he’s risen to the top of the sport. He’s claimed elite-level status in one of the most competitive divisions under the UFC banner, and he’s done it one thunderous step at a time.
During the six-fight winning streak that delivered him to title contention, he’s solidified himself as one of the most devastating strikers in the current MMA era.
His left hand spells destruction—a bolt of lightning, cold, dark destruction—and he’s built a solid reputation off the magic it has produced. Being a two-time NCAA Division I champion wrestler and four-time All-American made it a given that he would use that pedigree to find success inside the cage, but the fact that he’s tucked it away and decided to make his money on his feet is impressive in its own right.
Every new challenge is a fresh opportunity to put his evolution to the test, and that is what has him excited.
“Every fight is a chance for me to find out,” Hendricks said. “This fight has a little more on the line, but I’m truly excited. I can’t wait. You don’t know what’s going to happen, and let’s get in there and find out. That is pretty much the way I’ve been living and it’s got me here. The more you do something, sometimes you tend to change. I don’t want to change. I want to make sure whatever got me here keeps me here.
“What I do in a fight is adapt. Moment by moment, second by second, I adapt to what is happening in there. One thing I’ve learned is if you have a game plan…game plans can fall to crap really quickly. I know what his game plan is going to be realistically. He’s going to throw a lot of jabs. He’s going to throw a lot of check-hooks to keep me at bay. And he’s going to try to take me down a lot. That’s what he wants. As for me, I don’t know what I want.
“I don’t go in there with a set game plan or saying I’m going to take him down or throw certain strikes,” he added. “I’m starting to blend myself as a fighter that has become sort of unpredictable, and that is what I think is going to win me this fight.”
While Hendricks hasn’t spent nearly the time the champion has logged competing on the sport’s biggest stage, he isn’t necessarily lacking in big-moment experience. In 2005 and 2006, the Team Takedown fighter proved to be the top collegiate wrestler in the nation at 165 pounds, as he brought back-to-back titles home to Oklahoma State.
Though striving to reach the top of the collegiate wrestling mountain has extreme differences from the journey he’s currently on, the battle to win those championships provided tools he will carry into the battle ahead.
The prizes at the end of those roads may carry different face value, but what they represent to Hendricks is a greatness he’s been chasing for as long as he can remember.
“To me, it’s big, but they are very different,” Hendricks said. “This fight can change my children’s futures. This fight has the potential to allow me to provide everything I want to provide for my kids in their lives. Wrestling was all for pride. That’s it. You didn’t have a check or that belt waiting in front of you. All you had was the will and desire to be the best. That is something that has helped me in this sport and helped me get to where I’m at, because I remember what it’s like to do these things. I remember what it is like to chase those goals.
“That being said, now I know it’s my turn and I have to grab it.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
With Anderson Silva dethroned, Georges St-Pierre is now the UFC champion with the longest current title reign. More notably, he’s only two wins away from tying Silva’s record for consecutive title defenses, and he’ll try to pick up one of those victori…
With Anderson Silva dethroned, Georges St-Pierre is now the UFC champion with the longest current title reign. More notably, he’s only two wins away from tying Silva’s record for consecutive title defenses, and he’ll try to pick up one of those victories at UFC 167.
Challenging St-Pierre on Saturday will be Johny Hendricks. The Oklahoman has won six straight fights, knocking out the likes of Jon Fitch and Martin Kampmann en route to his first shot at the 170-pound championship.
Hendricks’ wrestling pedigree and knockout power are expected to present St-Pierre with a test he hasn’t seen in recent title defenses. Will that be enough for Hendricks to end the Canadian’s long welterweight reign?
Here is a look at how St-Pierre and Hendricks match up in all areas heading into Saturday’s matchup.
Georges St-Pierre has tangled with and trounced numerous top-flight wrestlers and KO artists, but the UFC’s most decorated welterweight champ can’t deny that Johny Hendricks represents his most trying challenge.
Hendricks, GSP’s main event opponent at …
Georges St-Pierre has tangled with and trounced numerous top-flight wrestlers and KO artists, but the UFC’s most decorated welterweight champ can’t deny that Johny Hendricks represents his most trying challenge.
Hendricks, GSP‘s main event opponent at UFC 167, will bring a distinguished collegiate wrestling resume, a left hand from hell and the heart of a lion to next Saturday’s fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
But even with his greatest challenge lurking, the 170-pound linchpin was spot-on in assuming that he’ll outshine the hard-hitting southpaw in every facet of the game during a UFC 167 pre-fight promo.
“I’m the best in the world (and) I believe it, and I’m going to prove it again to everybody. I’m very excited fighting Johny Hendricks. He’s the No. 1 guy right now (and) a lot of people believe he has the style to beat me (but) I’m better than him everywhere (and) I believe that.”
St-Pierre has disposed of several Division I wrestlers in his career—the likes of Frank Trigg, Matt Hughes (twice), Jon Fitch and Josh Koscheck (twice).
In those six fights, GSP landed 19 takedowns and surrendered just four (two each to Koscheck and Hughes).
Of the four Division 1 wrestlers he’s tangled with, though, only the right-handed Koscheck can claim to possess similar knockout power to “Bigg Rigg.”
A four-time All-American wrestler who placed fourth, second, first and third in the NCAA championships (1999-2002), Koscheck looked downright one-dimensional in his two scraps with GSP.
In their first meeting at UFC 74, St-Pierre outstruckKoscheck 118-14, including 38-4 in the significant strikes category. St-Pierre also hit both of his takedown attempts, stuffed Koscheck on three of four shots, and attempted five submissions en route to a unanimous decision.
GSP again dominated Koscheck at UFC 124, scoring four takedowns and outstriking the former Edinboro University stalwart 136-30 to notch another unanimous decision, this time in a title fight.
Like Hendricks will probably do, Koscheck entered his fights with St-Pierre assuming that either his wrestling pedigree or his one-punch knockout power would carry him past the more cerebral GSP.
Koscheck, however, failed to formulate a game plan geared either toward relentlessly attempting to outwrestle St-Pierre or perpetually trying to bait him into making a fight-ending error on his feet.
Instead, the Pennsylvania native and his former coaches from the American Kickboxing Academy fell into several intricate traps set by St-Pierre and diabolical trainer FirasZahabi. GSP controlled Koscheck‘s wrestling and jabbed him into an oblivion.
To avoid a similar scenario for the former three-time NCAA wrestling champ, trainer Marc Laimon must do what no coach since Ray Longo has done and implement a scheme that will deceive the always prepared GSP.
But even with Laimon on his side, bookmakers still don’t foresee BiggRigg defying the odds against St-Pierre.
Aggregate betting website Bodog.net has deemed the 32-year-old Canadian a 2.25-1 (-2.25) favorite to topple Hendricks (+175).
Like most fans and pundits, the oddsmakers believe a decision or a submission win would be unlikely and that Hendricks must score a KO to get past St-Pierre.
However, considering the champ’s uncanny ability to recover, and since it seems unlikely that Laimon will outwit Zahabi, wagering that GSP will defend his belt for the ninth straight time seems like a wise bet.
Long-reigning UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre has been adamant about undergoing strict drug testing for his upcoming UFC 167 title bout against Johny Hendricks, and it looks like he’s put his money where his mouth is.
This morning, “R…
Long-reigning UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre has been adamant about undergoing strict drug testing for his upcoming UFC 167 title bout against Johny Hendricks, and it looks like he’s put his money where his mouth is.
This morning, “Rush” posted two letters he received from Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) president Margaret Goodman—one dated October 3, the other November 1.
Both indicate his ongoing participating in VADA random drug testing for performance-enhancing drugs.
My samples have been analyzed by the WADA-accredited UCLA Olympic Analytical Lab. Here are the results. pic.twitter.com/ovCFfUR6wj
GSP notes that he has been tested by the VADA lab three times since September 1 for “the anabolic steroids panel, Carbon Isotope Ratio (CIR/IRMS) tests for the presence of exogenous testosterone, and analysis to determine erythropoietin (EPO) and human growth hormone (hGh) administration,” the letters say.
St-Pierre and Hendricks ended up exchanging a back-and-forth war of words in the media since neither side could agree on the drug testing terms for their November 16 title tilt, per ESPN.
For the record, neither GSP nor “Bigg Rigg” have ever failed a drug test in 42 combined professional mixed martial arts contests, despite being two of the biggest, strongest competitors at 170 pounds.
Hendricks enters the heavily-anticipated pay-per-view matchup on the strength of a six-fight win streak, while the Tristar gym standout looks to make it nine title defenses in a row (and 12 straight wins).
Will Hendricks’ powerful left hand manage to find the French-Canadian superstar’s chin, or will the GSP’s refined boxing and wrestling, once again, just be too much to handle?
John Heinis is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA Editor for eDraft.com.
“Bigg Rigg” has just locked up a big deal with Reebok.
During Wednesday’s episode of UFC Tonight, it was announced by MMA journalist Ariel Helwani that top welterweight contender Johny Hendricks has signed a deal with blue chip sponso…
“Bigg Rigg” has just locked up a big deal with Reebok.
During Wednesday’s episode of UFC Tonight, it was announced by MMA journalist Ariel Helwani that top welterweight contender Johny Hendricks has signed a deal with blue chip sponsor Reebok:
“Johny Hendricks is going to make history even before he fights GSP. Some fighters in the past has had deals with Reebok, the great apparel company, but no one has rocked their gear inside the Octagon, that is until November 16. That’s when Johny Hendricks will be sponsored by Reebok. He’ll become the first UFC fighter to rock Reebok gear inside the Octagon.”
Hendricks now joins a small group of MMA stars breaking down barriers by acquiring a blue chip sponsor. It really speaks volumes to the evolution of the sport. Many can still remember a time when even low end sponsors were afraid to associate with a sport some branded as “human cockfighting.”
Thankfully, the UFC’s continued growth has increased exposure and allowed people to become more educated about MMA. Along with Reebok, major companies like Nike, Gatorade, Under Armour and Adidas have focused their efforts in MMA.
The inevitable trickle-down effect is the biggest thing to take away from Hendricks’ deal, as it will open the doors to future fighters hoping to snag a major sponsor.
Hendricks actually wearing Reebok gear into the cage means Reebok is officially an approved sponsor in the UFC.
Some may remember former UFC light heavyweight champ Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, a Reebok-sponsored fighter, throwing a fit after the UFC denied him wearing his Reebok-sponsored gear during his bout in January with Glover Teixeira.
UFC President Dana White told The MMA Digest that Rampage wasn’t allowed to wear his gear simply because Reebok wasn’t an approved sponsor. In May, White spoke with former Bleacher Report writer Damon Martin and hinted at the UFC potentially closing in on a big deal with Reebok, but nothing was ever officially announced.
UFC 167 is slated to take place on November 16 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Hendricks hopes to be the man to finally put an end to Georges St-Pierre’s UFC title reign. It’s no secret that he has the power to shock the world.
Will he be able to cash in on a world title to supplement his newfound superstardom?
There is a genuine enthusiasm pulsing through