The rematch of one of 2014’s best fights is upon us as UFC welterweight champion Johny Hendricks takes on former EliteXC champion Robbie Lawler.
The two faced off back in March in a back-and-forth affair. Lawler used his savvy striking and veteran skil…
The rematch of one of 2014’s best fights is upon us as UFC welterweight champion Johny Hendricks takes on former EliteXC champion Robbie Lawler.
The two faced off back in March in a back-and-forth affair. Lawler used his savvy striking and veteran skills to push Hendricks to the brink of defeat, but Hendricks fell back on his formidable wrestling to get the decision.
Nine months later, Lawler has climbed his way back into contention as Hendricks has nursed an arm injury. Now, the two fighters are dedicated to doing just a bit better than they did in March. For Lawler, that means getting over the razor’s edge and defeating Hendricks. For Hendricks, that means undeniably establishing himself as the undisputed welterweight champion.
Check back soon for our round-by-round recap and analysis at fight time.
There have been many pay-per-view cards for the UFC over the last year, but few have built as much hype as the UFC 181 show Saturday night from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
Not only are fans going to witness Johny Hendricks battling Rob…
There have been many pay-per-view cards for the UFC over the last year, but few have built as much hype as the UFC 181 show Saturday night from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
Not only are fans going to witness Johny Hendricks battling Robbie Lawler for the UFC Welterweight Championship, but the lightweight title will also be one the line as Anthony Pettis defends against Gilbert Melendez.
Here is the full UFC 181 PPV card with predictions and odds, and a breakdown of one of the fights not getting enough mainstream attention.
Underrated Fight to Watch: Travis Browne vs. Brendan Schaub
There are several fights on the card that have the potential to steal the show as Fight of the Year candidates, but the battle between Travis Browne and Brendan Schaub is just going to be a brutal heavyweight bout.
Fans looking for a knockout are most likely to get it in this fight.
Schaub is coming off a tough loss to Andrei Arlovski. The veteran heavyweight had beaten Matt Mitrione and Lavar Johnson in back-to-back fights before the defeat, but he has fallen back down the rankings.
At 31 years old and with three losses in his last five fights, Schaub understands that this could be one of his few remaining chances to make an impact in the division. Proving to UFC President Dana White how important he is in the ring will be a big part of Schaub’s motivation.
Add in some trash talking from Schaub to Browne, via Brett Okamoto of ESPN.com, and fight fans can’t help but get excited for this PPV fight:
Hopefully, he’s 100 percent healthy. Every loss he has, it’s, ‘Well, he did break his hand and foot.’ My left hand was broke when I fought Arlovski, did anyone know about it? Nope. Because I don’t make excuses for that fight. It was pure s—. When he lost to [Antonio Silva], he hurt his knee.
It’s called getting your ass whooped. That’s what it’s called. That kind of s— happens when you get beat up for five rounds. I just hope he’s healthy. I truly believe he’s the most dangerous heavyweight in the world. He’s a handful, and I’m looking forward to this one.
Browne is coming off a heartbreaking decision loss to Fabricio Werdum in a heavyweight title eliminator. Coming into the battle, Browne had three straight wins, all coming via knockout and earning the Knockout of the Night honors.
Both men possess the ability to end this fight early, but Browne has been fighting at the highest level of his career over his last four bouts. He may be coming off a loss, but Browne showed his toughness against Werdum and proved he belongs at the top of the rankings.
On Saturday night, Brown should be able to return to his winning ways by knocking out Schaub with his unique mixture of heavy strikes and powerful kicks.
UFC 181 plays host to the lightweight title tilt between champion Anthony Pettis and No. 1-ranked contender Gilbert Melendez.
The two fighters are coming off coaching The Ultimate Fighter’s 20th season, and they got in each other’s face at the UFC 181 …
UFC 181 plays host to the lightweight title tilt between champion Anthony Pettis and No. 1-ranked contender Gilbert Melendez.
The two fighters are coming off coaching The Ultimate Fighter’s 20th season, and they got in each other’s face at the UFC 181 weigh-ins on Friday evening. The Vegas crowd was pro-Melendez at the weigh-ins, but it may be more even come fight day.
This will be Pettis‘ first defense of his crown since winning it last year against Benson Henderson.
Bleacher Report will have complete coverage of the co-main event when it gets underway Saturday night.
When Johny Hendricks outlasted Robbie Lawler in March to win the UFC welterweight title in one of the fights of the year, it was obvious a rematch would quickly follow. But as it turns out, they won’t even have to wait until next year.
Hendricks will a…
When Johny Hendricks outlasted Robbie Lawler in March to win the UFC welterweight title in one of the fights of the year, it was obvious a rematch would quickly follow. But as it turns out, they won’t even have to wait until next year.
Hendricks will aim to defend his belt for the first time in UFC 181 Saturday night against Lawler, the very same opponent he topped to win the vacant title. And if their five-round showdown the last time out is any indication, it should be another memorable show.
UFC had to make some late adjustments to the card when middleweight champion Chris Weidman’s fight with VitorBelfort derailed due to Weidman’s hand injury. But with Hendricks and Lawler set to go at it again on an enticing card, there won’t be any shortage of captivating action.
Let’s take a look at everything you need to know for UFC 181.
The first time these two faced off in the Octagon, it turned into a candidate for Fight of the Year. So, it shouldn’t be surprising that the UFC jumped at making the rematch happen sooner rather than later.
With a vacant welterweight title belt on the line, stakes couldn’t have been higher when Hendricks and Lawler faced off in March. And the fighting reflected that, as the two scrapped their way to a five-round battle that Hendricks just barely won.
Although the decision was unanimous, all three judges decided on a 48-47 score. The entire championship could have swung on one round.
But the result still dropped Lawler to his first ever defeat in the UFC, and it took a TKO of Jake Ellenberger and a win over Matt Brown to get him his shot at the rematch. And if he has his way, Lawler will make a statement in the octagon Saturday, per Fox Sports’ Damon Martin:
“I’m not looking for a rivalry. I’m looking for a one-sided fight. I’m looking to dominate and he never wants to fight me again,” Lawler said. “He’s a hell of a competitor, but I’m a hell of a fighter. I’m ready for December 6.”
While Lawler has been peaking in his own game since that March fight, Hendricks has taken some much-needed time off. He fought Lawler the first time with a torn bicep, which required surgery.
But with that now taken care of and a long recovery process over, Hendricks is back to preparing like he’s the underdog, per UFC:
Hendricks’ injury undoubtedly held him back the last time around, and allowed for Lawler to dictate the pace of the fight in stand-up situations. Hendricks got Lawler to the ground enough to stay in the fight, and it eventually made the difference.
This time around, expect Lawler to do everything he can to make this another sparring showdown, staying on his feet and avoiding the inevitable takedowns. Even then, Hendricks possesses the power necessary to knock out any opponent—even the tough-jawed Lawler.
Either way, it should be a memorable fight yet again, per UFC:
Prediction
Lawler is the real deal and will do more than just hang with Hendricks, putting him on the brink early on. But while Hendricks was hampered by injury the first time around, he’ll be a full go Saturday night, which will give him the stamina to get Lawler to the ground as the fight rolls along. Nothing will come easy for Hendricks as Lawler takes aim at the upset, but he’ll learn from his mistakes in March and put Lawler away late.
Just hours ahead of one of the biggest rematches in UFC welterweight history, the chatter from both Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler is heating up. The champion seems confident, yet aware that a significant challenge and threat to his title is at hand…
Just hours ahead of one of the biggest rematches in UFC welterweight history, the chatter from both Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler is heating up. The champion seems confident, yet aware that a significant challenge and threat to his title is at hand.
Taking Nothing for Granted
It all starts with preparation. Both fighters obviously work hard, but Hendricks has taken a special approach since he became champion.
Per the UFC’s Twitter account, Hendricks said this:
Training is something that Hendricks has always prided himself on, but there are two factors to consider heading into Saturday’s bout.
Hendricks missed weight initially for the first fight but came back and made it under the 170-pound limit on his second try. He’ll have to be careful to make sure he’s where he needs to be to prevent another late weight cut.
Also, Hendricks is coming off surgery to repair a torn bicep. There is a question as to how that injury might have impacted his training and conditioning. If this bout goes five rounds like the first one did, that conditioning will be put to the test.
Thrilling Sequel?
The champion has seemingly guaranteed the rematch will be just as thrilling as the first fight.
If that’s the case, we might be looking at a strong candidate for Fight of the Year. Besides the two men’s first encounter, we haven’t seen a ton of memorable fights in 2014 as compared to years past.
If Lawler-Hendricks 2 can produce fireworks, it could be mentioned in the same breath as the first fight, as well as Matt Brown-Erick Silva from UFC Fight Night 40.
GSP Don’t Want None of This
When Hendricks and Lawler engaged in their epic battle, it was for the title vacated by Georges St-Pierre. Hendricks seemed to have beaten GSP when they met in Nov. 2013. Instead, GSP escaped with a controversial split-decision victory and his title.
There have been rumblings about a GSP comeback since he left. Hendricks wants GSP to know that if he did return, he’s got something waiting for him. Per MMA Geek, Hendricks said:
There’s definitely some unfinished business there. While many believe Hendricks won the first fight, in the official records, it reads a loss.
Keeping it Simple
Lawler wants to stand and strike.
That’s his game and everyone knows it. He has to make sure his takedown defense is in order against opponents who excel in that area. I’d say he’s done a pretty good job of it considering his last three opponents are 6-for-21 in takedown attempts against him.
This used to be one of Lawler’s primary weaknesses. What’s changed in The Ruthless One’s game?
His evolution from a 20-year-old in the UFC to the complete fighter he is today is one of the more fascinating stories in sport’s history. He’s faced just about everyone there is of note in his weight region over his 12-year career.
Now he has as good a chance as he’ll ever have to capture UFC gold.
UFC has saved one of its best shows for the end of the year, as two championship bouts will headline Saturday night’s UFC 181 pay-per-view fight card.With Johny Hendricks squaring off against Robbie Lawler for the Welterweight Championship and Anthony …
UFC has saved one of its best shows for the end of the year, as two championship bouts will headline Saturday night’s UFC 181 pay-per-view fight card.
With Johny Hendricks squaring off against Robbie Lawler for the Welterweight Championship and Anthony Pettis defending the Lightweight Championship against Gilbert Melendez, MMA fans will be treated to an excellent show.
Here is all the vital viewing information and predictions for Saturday’s big event.
Where: Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas
When: Saturday, December 6
Start Time: UFC Fight Pass Prelims at 7 p.m. ET; Fox Sports 1 Prelims at 8 p.m. ET; Main Card PPV at 10 p.m. ET
The UFC 181 card is very deep, but the most underrated fight of the night is the preliminary card headliner featuring bantamweights Urijah Faber and Francisco Rivera.
Faber is a veteran of mixed martial arts and the UFC’s Octagon, but he looks to be far from done as a viable championship contender. The UFC’s official rankings have Faber listed as the No. 3 contender in the bantamweight division.
After losing in his championship match against RenanBarao in February, Faber bounced back with a decisive submission win over Alex Caceres in his return matchup and looked to still be in elite form.
Faber spoke to E. Spencer Kyte of UFC.com about his approach to the sport despite being 35 years old and his charge back up the rankings:
I haven’t had time to sit back and smell the roses – I’m in ‘Do Mode’ right now. I’m gonna do, do, do, do and when I feel like I’m done with my journey and this path, that’s when I’ll look back and look at the ruins. At this moment, I’m not in the mindset of sitting back and seeing what I’ve done – I’m still doing.
On the other hand, Rivera has faced some roadblocks on his climb up the divisional rankings. Not only is he coming off a loss to TakeyaMizugaki, but he has only fought three times since July of 2012.
Seven of Rivera’s 10 victories have come via KO or TKO, indicating he has the power to be an issue for Faber, but The California Kid knows how to handle heavy strikers. Using his superior wrestling skills, Faber will keep Rivera off balance and control the pace of the fight.
While a fight filled with ground-and-pound action won’t satisfy casual UFC fans, Faber must earn this win to continue climbing the rankings and eventually earn another shot at the bantamweight title.
Faber has the tools to win a decision victory over Rivera and take one step closer to T.J. Dillashaw and the championship.
There have been many pay-per-view cards for the UFC over the last year, but few have built as much hype as the 