It may have came one fight too late but Dallas based fighter Johny Hendricks will finally get a shot at the UFC welterweight title and Georges St-Pierre. Saturday night, Hendricks defeated Carlos Condit in the co-main event of UFC 158 in Montreal, Canada.
Hendricks and Condit put on the 'Fight of the Night' in their welterweight tilt. Both men gave everything they had for fifteen minutes. The fight went to pretty much every place a fight could go. Condit and Hendricks both looked very sharp.
However, it was the takedowns that weighed heavy in the eyes of the judges who gave Hendricks the slip decision victory over the former interim UFC welterweight champ Condit.
During the post-fight press conference UFC president Dana White confirmed that Hendricks will get a title shot against champ Georges St-Pierre. “(Hendricks) is your number one contender. No doubt. Done.” White told reporters.
Hendricks was passed over for a title shot when champ St-Pierre requested a fight with Nick Diaz. St-Pierre defeated Diaz in the main event of UFC 158.
Hendricks, elated to finally be awarded the shot he feels he deserves weighed in during the press conference as well. “I’m just excited. I finally got to the top and now I actually get to fight him,” said Hendricks. “That’s what it’s all about; getting to the top and fighting the best. So I’m going to go home, study some more and be prepared the best that I can.”
A date is not set for the bout between Hendricks and St-Pierre, but it is almost confirmed that the fight will take place in Las Vegas. "I was just telling Lorenzo (Fertitta) we've got to bring him (St-Pierre) back to Vegas," UFC President Dana White told MMAjunkie.com following UFC 158. "He hasn't been out of Canada in a while."
This is an extremely interesting match up. St-Pierre dominates opponents with his wrestling but Hendricks is a two-time collegiate national champion in wrestling. Hendricks will also bring probably the heaviest hands that St-Pierre has faced to date. If anyone has a skill set at welterweight that could give St-Pierre trouble it is Johny Hendricks.
UFC 158 aired live on pay per view Saturday night from the Bell Centre in Montreal.
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