Tag: Robbie Lawler

Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler: Will Someone Get Knocked Out in Dallas?

Nobody mistakes the power that exists in UFC welterweight title contender Johny Hendricks’ hands, especially when it comes to his left hand. In 15 career wins, eight men tried to survive Hendricks’ onslaught to no avail, while an official total of six …

Nobody mistakes the power that exists in UFC welterweight title contender Johny Hendricks’ hands, especially when it comes to his left hand. In 15 career wins, eight men tried to survive Hendricks’ onslaught to no avail, while an official total of six men dropped decisions to him.

We say “an official total of six men” because while Hendricks did damage former UFC welterweight champion Georges “Rush” St-Pierre, he dropped a controversial split-decision verdict to St-Pierre, who to his credit, edged Hendricks out in significant strikes landed.

Still, Hendricks gets the chance for redemption this Saturday when he faces “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler at UFC 171 inside the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Much like Hendricks’ career often stands out because of his career wins, Lawler‘s career is defined by the fact that most of his wins have come via knockout. In fact, he has 16 KOs, which comes as no surprise given his experience in the sport.

The fact that Lawler can put guys away with more than just a left or right hand makes him even that much more of a threat to Hendricks. It also serves as one of the reasons why a number of MMA fans anticipate this bout ending inside the distance via one form or another of a knockout.

While no question exists that both can knock each other out, does that mean it will happen when the cage door shuts?

Absolutely not, and while both men appear primed for an intense five-round battle that promises to end before the championship rounds, the matchup on paper suggests that a decision will determine the new UFC welterweight champion.

After all, when it comes down to the bare bones of the matter, the knockout ability only tells a portion of the story, in comparison to other overlooked aspects of the bout.

For instance, consider Lawler‘s three-inch reach advantage. Anytime he lays hands on someone, he always hurts them badly, even if he can’t finish them.

In his UFC 167 win over Rory MacDonald, as well as in early-career bouts against Chris Lytle and Aaron Riley, Lawler proved that he can use his striking effectively to dictate the tempo of the bout while going the distance, even if he gets taken down a few times or put in precarious positions.

In other words, he won’t worry if he finds himself in a situation where he swings and lands with deadly intentions and yet can’t knock Hendricks out.

Lawler knows he can pick Hendricks apart if he needs to, even if it costs him the chance to finish the fight. Besides, no durable opponent on earth will discourage him from trying to blast someone with anything that might end the fight anyway.

“Bigg Rigg” will not go down on his home turf without making it a struggle, though. Remember, Lawler head kicked a durable young man in Bobby Voelker and earned a solid win, but rocking Voelker‘s dome like a hurricane does not compare to cracking Hendricks’ jaw.

So far, no welterweight can claim to have done that.

Also, if the bout reverts more to grappling than striking, then interest begins to peak further.

If Hendricks does get rocked or hurt, he holds his wrestling experience in his back pocket. Lawler normally struggles with guys who can outgrapple him and overall remove him from his element.

While Hendricks does not fit the mold of a grappler, his takedowns and top control can bring bad news to anyone who cannot stuff his attempts.

Still, even his wrestling, which can stifle Lawler if Hendricks sets it up properly, sees a solid counter in the form of impenetrable takedown defense. Sure, Lawler can get taken down, but he has solid defense.

In this fight, he will need it. 

How would anyone say that as a fact? Because even though Hendricks initially weighed in heavy at Friday’s UFC 171 weigh-in, even a Bigg Rigg that looked zapped of his energy can still find a way to threaten Lawler with takedowns. If Lawler cannot stuff any of them, he will find himself in a world of hurt.

Once again, though, this bout is scheduled for five rounds, and just as Hendricks showed that he could go hard for 25 minutes against St-Pierre, Lawler can prove the same on Saturday night.

Even though both men can come in calm, calculated and committed to a game plan, fans should expect that they will show the hearts of a champion throughout the duration of the bout and not let the fight end inside the distance.

The result after the full five rounds may be controversial. If so, it will all but guarantee a rematch down the line.

Yet, with the vacant UFC welterweight title on the line, it would only be fitting that the bout end on the heels of an exciting, back-and-forth affair that gives us a tremendous look at the best of the welterweight division today—while helping us get excited to watch what happens in the UFC welterweight picture in the future.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

‘UFC 171: Hendricks vs. Lawler’ Weigh-In Results [UPDATED…Hendricks Makes Weight on Second Attempt]

Live from the South Side Ballroom at Gilley’s Dallas in Texas, all 26 fighters competing on tomorrow’s UFC 171: Hendricks vs. Lawler card are hitting the scales today starting at 5 p.m. EST. Will Diego Sanchez cartwheel his way to the stage? Will Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler have a good old fashioned dip spit-off? Only one way to find out, Nation.

Update: Well that was nerve-wracking. Check out the full results after the jump, including three fighters who missed weight on their first attempts.

Live from the South Side Ballroom at Gilley’s Dallas in Texas, all 26 fighters competing on tomorrow’s UFC 171: Hendricks vs. Lawler card are hitting the scales today starting at 5 p.m. EST. Will Diego Sanchez cartwheel his way to the stage? Will Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler have a good old fashioned dip spit-off? Only one way to find out, Nation.

Update: Well that was nerve-wracking. Check out the full results after the jump, including three fighters who missed weight on their first attempts.

Main Card (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
-Johny Hendricks (170*) vs. Robbie Lawler (170)
-Carlos Condit (170.5) vs. Tyron Woodley (170)
-Myles Jury (156) vs. Diego Sanchez (155)
-Hector Lombard (170) vs. Jake Shields (171)
-Nikita Krylov (205) vs. Ovince St. Preux (205)

Prelim Card (FOX Sports 2, 8 p.m. ET)
-Kelvin Gastelum (171**) vs. Rick Story (170.5)
-Jessica Andrade (135) vs. Raquel Pennington (135.5)
-Dennis Bermudez (146) vs. Jimy Hettes (145.5)
-Alex Garcia (170.5) vs. Sean Spencer (170)

Prelim Card (UFC Fight Pass, 6 p.m. ET)
-Renee Forte (157***) vs. Frank Trevino (155)
-Will Campuzano (125.5) vs. Justin Scoggins (125)
-Robert McDaniel (184.5) vs. Sean Strickland (185)
-Daniel Pineda (145) vs. Robert Whiteford (145)

* Hendricks initially weighed in at 171.5, but hit the welterweight limit when he weighed in again two hours later — which is a good thing because it would have been a total clusterfuck if he didn’t.

** Gastelum originally weighed in at 172, but made it down to 171 on his third attempt. 

*** Forte was given two hours to make 156 pounds, but couldn’t make it happen, and forfeited 20% of his purse to Trevino.

And here we have Nick Diaz heckling Johny Hendricks about his weight. Diaz actually offered to step in if the title fight was called off. And that’s why we love him.

UFC 171’s Robbie Lawler Says He’s Finally Ready to Live Up to the Hype

Robbie Lawler, circa 2001, was a fight promoter’s dream. Raw-boned, corn-fed and lily white, the 19-year-old Iowan prodigy appeared to be cut from granite as he laid waste to Saburo Kawakatsu at a long-forgotten extravaganza in Hawaii. 
The w…

Robbie Lawler, circa 2001, was a fight promoter’s dream. Raw-boned, corn-fed and lily white, the 19-year-old Iowan prodigy appeared to be cut from granite as he laid waste to Saburo Kawakatsu at a long-forgotten extravaganza in Hawaii. 

The world wasn’t watching Shogun Fights, but that wasn’t important, at least not for Lawler. One man who mattered was in the front row watching the laser light show and world-class fighters—Dana White, in his first year as UFC president and looking to reinvent the fight game.

White, on his way toward becoming one of America’s most iconic fight promoters, knew what he wanted. And he wanted Lawler, going so far as to compare a kid in his fourth professional fight to the fearsome boxer Mike Tyson, signing him to a UFC contract in what he called “a Christmas present to myself.“

At the time fans had a bit of fun with that piece of hyperbole. Though not yet bald and bombastic, White was already developing a reputation as an emotional and compelling interview. This, it was thought, was just an early example of Dana being Dana.  

White saw Lawler as a star in the making and did everything in his power to make that happen. Against fellow Midwestern bangers, Lawler excelled. He knocked the potential right out of fellow prospect Aaron Riley at UFC 37 and just a month later knocked out Steve Berger at UFC 37.5, becoming the first fighter to compete on cable television, hand-selected by White for Fox Sports’ The Best Damn Sports Show Period.

Training at Pat Miletich‘s famed gym in Bettendorf, Iowa, Lawler was put to the test daily in practice sessions with world champions like Jens Pulver and Matt Hughes. Under Miletich‘s guidance, Lawler, a southpaw, developed a stiff right hand and the killer instinct you needed to simply survive in an environment that saw plenty of fighters slink off in the middle of the night, unable to face the prospect of another day at practice. 

“Pat was one of the first guys who could do it all, grapple, wrestle and strike. I just tried to take after him and work on all aspects,” Lawler said. Like all Miletich fighters of that era, he remembers his days in the gym fondly. 

“More than anything, he put us in situations where we made each other better. Jeremy Horn brought a lot to the table. Matt Hughes brought a lot to the table. Lots of guys you never heard of. He made it a grind. It wasn’t easy. If you stuck around for more than a month, that was definitely saying something. Just the mental toughness you get from training in a gym like that was huge.”

The memories come floating to the surface easily. Horn’s patient guidance and pursuit of martial knowledge. Being trash-talked and rag-dolled by Hughes for two solid years, never once yielding or giving up. And being put in with heavyweights when fighters his own size wanted no part of sparring with the fearsome youngster who swung every punch like it was his last.

“When Pat first started fighting there really weren’t that many weight classes. He fought a bunch of heavyweights when he first started so it just didn’t seem odd to me,” Lawler said. “I lifted weights and was strong. I was a tough kid, willing to get after it and I thought I hit just as hard if not harder. And I didn’t have to sit in front of a big guy and let him punch me. It’s not a tough man’s game.”

Lawler, ultimately, wasn’t ready emotionally or athletically to live up to the expectations that he would be Miletich‘s next breakout star. Fighting, at the top level at least, is about more than competing in the cage. There are responsibilities to the promoter and the fans that Lawler says he just wasn’t ready for at the time.

A media nightmare, he quickly developed a reputation as one of the toughest interviews in the sport. Even UFC matchmaker Joe Silva, a genius at drawing out amazing soundbites for the UFC’s pay-per-view soundbites, couldn’t break through Lawler‘s stone wall. 

“I was young,” he explains. “I’m older now.”

In the cage, too, he struggled. Although the right hook and ability to regain his feet after a takedown were already staples of his game, he wasn’t quite sophisticated or patient enough to deliver his best weapons against really good fighters. After that quick start, he bombed out of the UFC in 2004, becoming an MMA ronin, drifting from promotion to promotion, never quite living up to his promise. 

Was it too much too soon? Did White’s high expectations go to a young fighter’s head, stifling growth and development? After all, if you’re already Tyson-esque, what more is there to learn? 

Lawler says it wasn’t so. The once-brash young man, now a brash older man, told Bleacher Report that White didn’t say anything he wasn’t already thinking.

“It really didn’t matter what he said. In my head, even before I started the sport, I was going to be the best ever,” Lawler said. “I was going to knock everyone out. So it didn’t really matter what he said. I already had a belief in myself that I have what it takes to get the job done. That’s why I’ve kept fighting for as long as I have. I always felt I was capable of so much more than I’ve shown. And I’m getting better every day.”

Thirteen years and 29 fights later, White’s then-comical proclamation suddenly doesn’t seem so funny. Now days away from his 32nd birthday, Lawler is fighting for UFC gold for the very first time, perhaps redeeming one of White’s rare missteps in the process. When he meets Johny Hendricks for the UFC welterweight title Saturday in Dallas, Texas, Lawler will finally have a chance to achieve what many thought was his destiny.

Through the years, through stops in Japan, Hawaii, Elite XC and finally Strikeforce, Lawler never gave up hope. While contemporaries and teammates slowly dropped from the MMA scene, he still believed. 

“Stubborn is not giving up and coming back every day when stuff is rough and not easy. I guess I want to be stubborn,” Lawler said. “I’m a grinder. You just wake up every day and get after it. I was banged up here and there. There was a time it felt like I just couldn’t get healthy. But I kept learning. It would have been easy to give up and do something else. It would have been easy to give up. To say ‘This is hard. Maybe I shouldn’t do this anymore.’ What I thought was ‘I’m in it. And I’m going to stay in it until I can’t do it anymore.’ Everything I’ve been through, it’s just made me a stronger individual, plain and simple.”

Training today at American Top Team, 1,400 miles and a world away from his Midwestern roots, Lawler brings a slice of home with him, flying in longtime boxing coach Matt Pena to help him fine-tune his game alongside Top Team’s Ricardo Liborio, “Conan” Silveira and Kami Barzini.

It’s a relationship Lawler resisted for some time, despite pleas from manager Monte Cox to give a change of scenery a chance. Eventually Lawler relented and admits he’s a better fighter for it.

“The (Josh) Koscheck fight came up and I was like ‘Man, this is a big fight. I should probably go down there.’ I spent three weeks down there and it worked out well,” he said. “The trainers are great. If I didn’t feel like they wanted me there, I wouldn’t have gone there. But I heard it a few times from my manager, that they really wanted me down there and were asking about me.

“I’m excited to go train every day. I’m excited to be back in the UFC. Fighting on the big stage. And I’m with a really good team. The fighters are awesome and they push me hard. There’s a hundred guys down there and they’re all really good. Even the guys no one has heard of. And the coaches are awesome. Put all those things together, with my mentality and I believe great things are in store for me.”

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 171 Start Time: When and Where to Watch Hendricks vs. Lawler

I hope you’re ready—UFC 171 has the potential to blast the roof straight off the American Airlines Center in Dallas this Saturday night.

Former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre may have left a sizeable void, but make no mistake about…

I hope you’re ready—UFC 171 has the potential to blast the roof straight off the American Airlines Center in Dallas this Saturday night.

Former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre may have left a sizeable void, but make no mistake about it—Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler is the fight to remind MMA fans that the UFC’s 170-pound division is alive and thriving.

Gutted by what most consider to be an unjustifiable loss in his attempt to formally dethrone St-Pierre this past November, Hendricks is coming with a vengeance—vowing to formally take a belt that he’s “already earned,”(via UFC) no matter the cost.

Well, the task won’t be easy.

UFC brass have pitted him against an adversary with 31 professional fights to his name, nearly twice as many as Hendricks has even competed in. In Lawler, we’re presented with a fighter so seasoned that he isn’t rattled anywhere near as easily as he tends to rattle others.

Hendricks hasn’t yet stood across from a fighter with the type of knockout arsenal he often demonstrates—that will all change on Saturday night.

Oh, and let’s not forget the other welterweight showdown that’ll preface the explosive championship main event.

Perennial fan favorite Carlos Condit possesses the consummate MMA arsenal: diverse muay thai striking, slick submissions, endless cardio and the ability to string it all together in one lethal package.

He’ll need it on Saturday night when he stands across the Octagon from Tyron Woodley, a contender working to make a name for himself by nearly decapitating fighters with power punches.

Two extraordinary welterweight fights, back to back.

Let’s take a look at what the rest of the evening has in store.

Earlier in the main card, a newly reinvigorated Diego Sanchez will look to mow down the undefeated Myles Jury—does he have enough left in the tank to exact his savagery over such a young, fresh fighter?

And before that, grappling ace Jake Shields will look to bring down and control the juggernaut in Hector Lombard, a fighter who stuffs takedowns three out of four times they’re attempted. If the fight stays on the feet, can Shields handle Lombard’s power?

All of these riveting questions are bound to be answered at UFC 171—I’m venturing to guess that the answers will be coming fast and hard.

Zuffa is setting the stage for an undeniably exciting fight card, one that culminates in a chaotic championship fight. 

A belt will be put around a welterweight who, for the first time in ages, won’t be a French Canadian. And just prior to that, fans will likely be alerted to the new No. 1 contender when either Condit or Woodley gets his hand raised.

Don’t forget to check back with Bleacher Report before and after the action begins—we’ll have you covered with tons of exciting content to prepare you for the mayhem of UFC 171.

 

Artem Moshkovich is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter for MMA news and more. 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Gambling Addiction Enabler: ‘UFC 171: Hendricks vs. Lawler’ Edition

By Dan George

Someone is getting put to sleep at UFC 171: Hendricks vs. Lawler this weekend. It’s a fact. With 26 knockouts between the main eventers alone, I will reiterate: Peoples is getting put to sleep at UFC 171. And for the first time since UFC 168, those peoples won’t be the audience (*swishes three-pointer*)

Aside from providing some prime opportunities for fans to witness a highlight reel knockout, UFC 171 is also a gambler’s paradise, so join us after the jump for a look at all the UFC 171 betting lines (courtesy of BestFightOdds) and our time-tested advice.

Stay the Hell Away From:

Raquel Pennington (+220) vs. Jessica Andrade (-280)

Andrade as a -280 with a loss to Liz Carmouche and a decision win against 36 year old veteran Rosi Sexton inside the Octagon is rather steep. Jessica may be the better fighter on paper, but it is hard to gauge the improvements made by Raquel since her decision victory over Roxanne Modafferi. Dana had implored Raquel to “let your hands go” during the TUF 18 season, seemingly underlining unrealised potential in the 25 year old Colorado Springs native. Will Raquel come out striking and use her size advantage to control Jessica, or will Andrade find a way to push the ground attack and control the fight on the mat? Too hard to tell from here, best to pass over and simply enjoy.

By Dan George

Someone is getting put to sleep at UFC 171: Hendricks vs. Lawler this weekend. It’s a fact. With 26 knockouts between the main eventers alone, I will reiterate: Peoples is getting put to sleep at UFC 171. And for the first time since UFC 168, those peoples won’t be the audience (*swishes three-pointer*)

Aside from providing some prime opportunities for fans to witness a highlight reel knockout, UFC 171 is also a gambler’s paradise, so join us after the jump for a look at all the UFC 171 betting lines (courtesy of BestFightOdds) and our time-tested advice.

Stay the Hell Away From:

Raquel Pennington (+220) vs. Jessica Andrade (-280)

Andrade as a -280 favorite with a loss to Liz Carmouche and a decision win against 36 year old veteran Rosi Sexton inside the Octagon is rather steep. Jessica may be the better fighter on paper, but it is hard to gauge the improvements made by Raquel since her decision victory over Roxanne Modafferi. Dana had implored Raquel to “let your hands go” during the TUF 18 season, seemingly underlining unrealised potential in the 25 year old Colorado Springs native. Will Raquel come out striking and use her size advantage to control Jessica, or will Andrade find a way to push the ground attack and control the fight on the mat? Too hard to tell from here, best to pass over and simply enjoy.

The Good Dogs:

Dennis Bermudez (-225) vs. Jimy Hettes (+175)

In his last three outings, Bermudez has won via back-to-back split decisions and a unanimous decision, respectively, yet still comes in as a better than 2 to 1 favorite to walk away with a win against grappling ace Jimy Hettes. Looking at the three straight first round losses via submission on Bermudez’s record, coupled with Jimy’s 10 submission victories in 12 career fights, the scales begin to lead towards an upset victory for Hettes. Bermudez holds a decided striking advantage and most likely will try to keep this fight standing, but as seen in the past, Bermudez may over commit and follow the fight to the ground where he falls into Jimy’s wheelhouse.

On the side of Hettes, if he can emulate his fight with Nam Phan and stick to Bermudez, there is a great chance that as the fight goes on Hettes finds a way to either submit Dennis or steal enough rounds to pull off a decision victory here.

Hector Lombard (-220) vs. Jake Shields (+180)

This will be Jake’s third consecutive outing as the underdog and for the third straight time he will look to reward those who believe he can pull off the upset win. Lombard is most likely being looked at through the Jake Ellenberger lens, meaning he is favored to stop Shields takedowns early and use his decided striking advantage to put the former Strikeforce champion away. While Lombard has returned to welterweight and still has plenty of punching power, what is less clear is whether or not he still has sufficient strength in the grappling department to deal with a guy like Shields if the fight does go to the ground.

Demian Maia found out the hard way that Shields has an incredible ground game and in the event this fight does go to the ground, this is where Jake can cash big.

Myles Jury (-185) vs. Diego Sanchez (+160)

Too hard to pass over Sanchez as an underdog against a rising undefeated prospect who has had Michael Johnson as his toughest test thus far inside the Octagon. Diego is notoriously hard to finish and tends to catch the eye of the judges more often than not with his unique style of fighting, which is something Jury has yet to experience inside the Octagon. Jury may very well find his range and keep Diego at bay, but the high probability this fight goes to decision will give Diego the time to perhaps get inside and pressure Jury in a way that could force the usual wild brawl Sanchez tends to thrive in.

Johny Hendricks (-380) vs. Robbie Lawler (+315)

Johny is the right favorite but is way overpriced when looking into this fight and where the potential advantages are for Robbie Lawler. Both men are southpaws and it is Lawler who is 2” taller and will have a 3” reach advantage, possibly gaining a small edge in the stand up department. This seemingly small edge is only amplified when underlining how heavy both fighter’s hands are coupled with their willingness to keep the fight standing. Johny will most likely be the one to initiate the takedown, but Lawler showed in his bout with Koscheck that he can effectively use his butterfly guard to get back up and fight where he is strongest.

Robbie’s record at Welterweight is 11-2, with one loss coming via injury (hip dislocation) to Pete Spratt and of course the only KO loss of his career to Nick Diaz, not once has he been a victim of being out grappled like he was at 185lbs. With this in mind, if the fight stays standing, taking Robbie at 3 times your bet could be the best good dog pick of 2014.

Other Main Card Bouts:

Ovince St-Preux (-365) vs. Nikita Krylov (+305)

Krylov certainly looked night and day from his debut against Soa Palelei with a stunning KO victory over Walt Harris in his last outing in the Octagon. Krylov will be making his Light Heavyweight debut this time around and it will be as a replacement for Thiago Silva (who’s kind of a shitty person and is no longer welcome in the UFC) on short notice. OSP has the benefit of a full camp and should be able to use some GnP to fend off the submission specialist Nikita while maintaining control on top either pulling off the decision victory or even stopping Krylov due to strikes.

Carlos Condit (-185) vs. Tyron Woodley (+160)

Tyron Woodley is looking to jump into the Welterweight top ten rankings in a big way by taking on the UFC #2 ranked Welterweight Carlos Condit. Many like Woodley to use his wrestling pedigree to exploit Condit in this fight and grind out a win, as we have seen both Condit become a victim of this as well as Woodley often come out the victor while employing this style of attack against his opponents. Condit has shown some improvements in his ground game, notably being able to stand up after being taken down by Johny Hendricks several times in their razor close affair back at UFC 158. Condit’s advantage in the stand for this fight could be the difference if he is able to use leg kicks to keep Woodley off balance and unable to drive forward for takedowns.

Condit is yet to be KO’d and Woodley is not the best striker he has faced, not by a long shot — Woodley will most likely have to stick to a one dimensional approach of going for the takedown, something Condit may be more than ready for considering his losses to GSP and Hendricks previously. Carlos is coming off an ultra impressive FOTN KO of Martin Kampmann and seems to have enough tools in his belt to ensure he is next in line for a title shot at 170lbs.

Parlay 1
Scoggins-OSP-Condit

Parlay 2
Pineda-Scoggins-Shields

Enjoy the fights and may the winners be yours!

UFC 171: Johny Hendricks, Robbie Lawler Prepare to Put Fresh Spin on WW Title

Arguably the most interesting thing about Saturday’s fight between Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler is that it doesn’t really matter who wins.
Either way—and barring something unforeseen—the UFC 171 main event will usher in a new era…

Arguably the most interesting thing about Saturday’s fight between Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler is that it doesn’t really matter who wins.

Either way—and barring something unforeseen—the UFC 171 main event will usher in a new era for the welterweight division. No matter who hangs the no-vacancy sign on the 170-pound title, one of the fight company’s most reliable weight classes will be unequivocally changed.

For the first time since 2008, the welterweight class will have an undisputed champion not named Georges St-Pierre. Regardless of this weekend’s result, every man in the division will enjoy new life, and each of them will have a new target upon which to heap his most sinister desires.

Welterweight will be scruffier and a little rougher around the edges come Monday, with either Hendricks or Lawler at the helm. We’ll trade custom suits and polite sound bites for ball caps and straight talk, careful game-planning for bad intentions, and a half-decade of French-Canadian dominance for a wide-open division where it feels like anybody has a shot to wear the belt.

And really, that makes this the best kind of fight.

Hendricks comes in as a 4-1 favorite, according to BestFightOdds.com, and by all rights the title should be his for the taking. His pedigree as a two-time NCAA national champion wrestler at Oklahoma State suggests he’ll be able to decide where things are contested. If he wants to take Lawler off his feet and finish him on the ground or grind out a decision, he should be able to do it.

A Hendricks victory is also likely the best path to a smooth transition of power. Many observers thought he defeated St-Pierre in their razor-close battle at UFC 167 four months ago, and a win over Lawler would cauterize the wound of that fight’s controversial decision. Some people might even read it as the de facto first defense of a title he had already won.

Certainly, Hendricks also has a better chance to hang onto the belt longer than Lawler might. Nobody wants to see a welterweight repeat of the instability that plagued the light heavyweight championship after Chuck Liddell lost it back in 2007. In addition, to the extent the UFC can mitigate the notion that the new champ is just keeping GSP’s belt warm for him until he returns, a Hendricks victory also plays better.

The wild card, obviously, is both men’s shared proclivity for boxing. Any number of factors—pride, ego, a willingness to please—could sucker Hendricks into a stand-up battle against Lawler, and if that happens, all our careful prognosticating and sober pre-fight analysis will prove moot.

Likewise, a Lawler championship in the UFC in 2014 would be one of the sport’s most unexpected feel-good stories. It might not last long, but it would be hard not to smile at the notion of the 31-year-old finally cashing in on the potential we first heard about when he began his UFC career on a three-fight tear back in 2002.

Either way, the storyline will be new. There will also probably be some growing pains.

Nobody expects either of these guys to be St-Pierre, after all. That would be unfair.

You don’t replace the best 170-pound fighter in MMA history just by handing somebody else his belt. Neither contender will likely ever match his drawing power, crossover appeal or streak of 10 consecutive title defenses. In order to even have the chance, one of these two gents would still have to be champion circa 2020, and no one imagines that will happen, either.

But no matter what, it will be fresh.

It will be lively.

It will be a whole new world for the welterweight division, and that’s something we haven’t seen in a long time.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com