Johny Hendricks (Photo/John Sachs)Against Minnesota this season in Minneapolis, the crowd booed him as he readjusted his headgear after going out of bounds. He then proceeded to snap his chinstrap in slow motion with a smile to bring on more.
His physical resemblance to John Smith is eerie. He looks like a more physically perfect version of his mentor … like he was created in a lab to wreak havoc on collegiate wrestling.
His wins against Muzaffar Abdurakhmanov and Ryan Churella at the NCAA Championships, along with his latest win against Iowa's Mark Perry on Friday night, have the undertones of scheming with the referee -- exactly what you would expect from a villainous character.
They say that villains dress in an impeccable way with a style that deviates from the norm. Hendricks looks good in his Orange singlet, but has been seen wearing extremely ugly color clashing blue wrestling shoes.
The point is that he is only playing the perfect part. He is exactly what collegiate wrestling needs. He is the villain to Ben Askren's sandy blond-haired hero. It is a bland story without him. It is like watching Indiana Jones find the treasures without being chased by the bad guys. In the case of collegiate wrestling, it is Askren pinning his way through stand-ins.
On top of that, Hendricks wrestles the type of style that I want my son to model some day. He is aggressive and never stops. Leg attack after leg attack, he is relentless. His shots against Perry on Friday night were precise and fast. He seems to outwork his opponents to the point that he creates opportunities for himself.
The way he wrestles back into a match when he is down points indicates that he never gives up or panics. He is the biggest "when it counts" wrestler in the country. A real gamer tells you he is going to win and then backs it up. He is a winner who has two individual NCAA championship rings and has been part of three national championship teams.
Last year, Hendricks won his second individual national championship and was seventh in the Rev Wrestler of the Year award voting. He was behind Ben Askren, Cole Konrad, Nate Gallick, Les Sigman, Dustin Schlatter, and Shane Webster. Johny gets no love because of his reputation.
Johny Hendricks (Photo/John Sachs)A showdown between Hendricks and Askren would be the ultimate in collegiate wrestling. The fan favorite vs. the wrestler everyone loves to hate. The match-up would spike casual fan interest in the sport and also be able to provide enough viewers to support a national TV audience.
The opportunity for the match-up is on February 2 when the Missouri Tigers travel to Stillwater to face Oklahoma State. Speculation is that Askren will not be dropping down for the match since there is no real team advantage to do so. Missouri already trounced Oklahoma State, 27-15, with its lineup. There is also no good reason for Askren to drop extra weight and strength as the end of the season approaches.
This is Johny Hendricks' opportunity. This is his chance to go from villain to anti-hero by moving up a weight to face everyone's hero Ben Askren on February 2. If he wins the match-up, he is on the fast track to Rev Wrestler of the Year and securing his legacy. If he loses, at least he had the guts to go for it and the respect of collegiate wrestling fans.
Now, let's all root for the villain … (or at least for him to bump up a weight).
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