Johny Hendricks has a 14-1 MMA record (Photo/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)Johny Hendricks is one win away from a UFC welterweight title shot. On Saturday the two-time NCAA champion from Oklahoma State faces the former No. 1 contender Carlos Condit at UFC 158. Condit is coming off a five-round decision loss to welterweight champion Georges St Pierre. Hendricks, who has been dreaming and preparing for four years to win the welterweight title, is coming off a pair of stunning first-round knockouts over top echelon welterweights Martin Kampmann and Jon Fitch.
After his latest win, many pundits called Hendricks the No. 1 welterweight contender and next in line for the coveted title shot. The current champion GSP disagreed and went to Dana White and the UFC asking for Nick Diaz, thus leaving Hendricks out of the mix. Hendricks was kind enough to sit down with InterMat and answer a few questions about his career, his upcoming fight, and when he thinks he will be fighting for the title.
What are your thoughts on not getting the next title fight and how the situation with GSP was handled?
Hendricks: He's scared. There's no reason somebody should be above me (for the next title shot) and here GSP is calling somebody else out. Dana is trying to keep his champion happy, even if it's only for another fight. GSP used his pull and had Dana and the UFC give Diaz the shot instead of me. It sucks. You do everything right. You make all the steps, and then some other guy controls your future. I mean, one person did, GSP, he sort of screwed me over, the right person should be me, and it's not.
For him to comment on that he thought I didn't beat Koscheck, who had their hand raised? You don't get to the top without being tough and GSP to say that I didn't beat or finish Koscheck? He goes the distance in almost every fight; I mean when does GSP finish anyone? Serra? B.J.? That's what ... four years ago?
I am going to move on. I am training for another five-round fight, and I am going to get better. I'm not going to sit here and keep myself down and feel bad for myself.
You mention that GSP is scared to fight you. Why do you believe he is scared to fight you?
Hendricks: I have three things that worry GSP, his trainer, and his camp. I have the wrestling. I have the power. And I have a skill set that is unknown in my ground game. Mainly, I think GSP is ducking me because of my power and my wrestling. I will move my camp to Oklahoma State to fight GSP. For that fight, I would wrestle with these young guns. I also get to train my submission game with Marcello Garcia, so I can beat GSP on different levels, so he doesn't want to fight me. Can he take me down or hold me down, maybe I submit him? GSP doesn't want to fight me. It is what it is.
You're obviously disappointed in how things played out, how do you avoid overlooking your next opponent, Carlos Condit?
Hendricks: It sucks, but I am going to take this and get better, I move forward.
I am going to get a win over Carlos Condit, and then he can't even keep me away from the belt.
We say hey, we are fighting and training for the belt; we are training for GSP for the belt.
So this guy (Condit) is keeping me away from my title shot, so this will be the hardest training camp I will ever had, I will train like this is the last training camp and last fight I will ever have, so I am going to show GSP how much better I got with another training camp focused on five championship rounds.
I may even showcase my other skills. I don't know what's going to happen. I hope I get too. All I want to do is go out there and make sure I get my hand raised no matter what.
Talk about your evolution in your striking game, mainly your hands.
Hendricks: I am at the point where I can close my eyes and land my left. Everybody is scared of my left hand, so in turn, it makes my takedown easier. I like to feel people out in the first minute, like Kampman threw head kicks at me and not do anything stupid. I like watching people like (Lyoto) Machida, the way he moves in and out of danger, Anderson (Silva), whenever he plants his feet and head moving, it's amazing. So when I watched them, I mimicked them and made up my own style.
I watched a lot of fighting movies, Kung Fu movies and tried those moves and things I saw.
A while ago, we didn't have a striking coach, so Marc (Laimon) and I did a lot of work together.
Then we brought in Steven Wright. He likes that I get ideas for different areas, and gives me free rein to experiment and he's right there to say whether something that would work or not work. He has been a big part of my success.
What happens if GSP beats Diaz and then moves up in weight for a super fight with Anderson Silva?
Hendricks: If I beat Carlos, I'd ask Anderson to not take the GSP fight. I want to beat the guy who is holding the title. I want to take the belt form the guy who has held it for three to four years. I would really enjoy doing that. I just want the belt, whoever has it but what makes it mean more than anything, is if I can beat GSP to do it. Otherwise I will move up to 185 and try to fight GSP at 185, if he does that again to me. In all seriousness, it's about getting the belt and that's the bottom line. I want the belt.
Talk to me about cutting weight in MMA, your nutritionist Mike Dolce, and what's different now. You actually seem to be getting bigger?
Hendricks: I am getting bigger, and I am eating so much more cleanly now more than ever before in my life. I hunt all the time. I eat hog or deer unless I go out to eat, then it's a burger or steak.
I don't buy any store-bought meat. Also, I am able to lift weights. For a longtime to get down to 170 I ate one meal a day, wearing sweats two weeks out. My old wrestling sweat suits I used to wear all the time are now just collecting dust. Now I get to lift and eat what I want up to three weeks outside of my fight. Right now I am at 205, eating five meals a day. I'm lifting heavier weights. I'm only getting stronger. Dolce likes me to get bigger muscles because the bigger the muscles the more water they hold and the easier it is to suck it out.
What are we going to see on Saturday when you fight Carlos Condit and afterwards if GSP defeats Diaz?
Hendricks: I am going to go out there, fight a good fight, and get my hand raised no matter how it's done. Afterwards? I have something planned up my sleeve to call out GSP if we both win.
Recommended Comments
There are no comments to display.
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now