Johny Hendricks To GSP: Just Because You Put On A Few Pounds Doesn’t Mean You’re As Strong As Me
UFC welterweight champion Johny Hendricks joined the list of the injured UFC elite when he had to undergo bicep surgery after winning the title against Robbie Lawler at UFC 171. ‘Bigg Rigg’ tore his right bicep before winning the vacant title against ‘Ruthless’ this past March, which made his win all the more impressive.
The thoughts of Hendricks’ controversial split decision loss against Georges St-Pierre at UFC 167 still haven’t gone completely, in fact ‘Bigg Rigg’ still seems to have the former welterweight kingpin at the forefront of his mind. Check out what Hendricks had to say while talking with MMAJunkie.com recently:
“People tell me (what he says), he’s been saying that he’s walking around at 201 (pounds). Huh, cool. Whatever. Just because you put on an extra pounds doesn’t mean it’s muscle, and just because you put on an extra two or three pounds of muscle doesn’t mean you’re going to be strong as me,” he said. He didn’t feel that strong,” Hendricks added about their UFC 167 fight. “And so that’s just one of those things where I’d like to face him again. Now, I’ve got the belt, and he has to beat me. And realistically, I don’t think he’s going to.”
The champion has talked at length about a possible rematch with GSP, but has also tried to push the opinion that he doesn’t really care whether ‘Rush’ returns or not. It is quite clear though that there are still some bitter feelings towards the ex-champ, and the split decision loss that Hendricks suffered that night in Vegas last November.
The talk then turned to the subject of training, and to the upcoming UFC on Fox 12 bout between Robbie Lawler and Matt Brown. The welterweight battle between ‘Ruthless’ and ‘The Immortal’ will decide the next contender to challenge ‘Bigg Rigg’ for the 170-pound strap.
“The more that I’m training for these five-round fights, I’m getting better, and I’m still young at this. Most of the guys I’m fighting are 10, 12, 14 years they’ve been fighting. I’m only seven. I’m still developing my striking, trying to tune it up. Everything is starting to fall into place.”
“Realistically, I don’t really care (who wins on Saturday),” Hendricks said. “There’s a part of me that would like to face Robbie again being healthy. But then again, there’s a part of me that wants somebody new. I’m torn on this fight. Also, I don’t like to pick the welterweight class because if I sit here and (say), ‘Robbie Lawler is going to smash Matt Brown,’ and all of a sudden Matt Brown beats him, did I give him fuel for to fight me? And vice-versa. I’d like to see how it plays out because I think they both have a chance to win.”
Regardless of the outcome on Saturday (July 26, 2014), there will no doubt be a host of faces in the welterweight division that are eager to get a title shot. Lawler and Brown are at the top of a serious division of legitimate contenders, and also up and coming talent that could be in the mix very soon.
With such a talent-heavy weight class, and returning from an injury to face the winner of Lawler-Brown, will Hendricks still be the champion by this time next year?
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports
