Former UFC welterweight contender Johny Hendricks was out of a #1 contender fight fight with Tyron Woodley at UFC 192 in October, and temporarily out of the division, after he suffered medical issues during yet another failed weight cut. It was in fact a fiasco, caused by coming into camp too heavy.
Hendricks assured UFC president Dana White that he would make major changes, and was allowed to stay at 170. It an interview with MMA Junkie Radio, Hendricks detailed how he has changed – left Team Takedown gym, left the associated management, and secured the services of nutritional expert Louis Giordano. He did retain his two striking coaches, Tony Cabello and Steven Wright
I do have then, my two striking coaches, my striking’s got a lot better having them around, said Hendricks, as transcribed by Mike Bohn? for MMAjunkie. These are coaches I’ve been around the last two years. They know me inside and out. They know what I can do. They know what my goals are, and our goals are the same, and that makes it so much better.
It’s sort of the rebirth. Me and my coaches have been talking about it and say, ‘We have a new lease on life. We’re going to do what we can and we’re going to make the best of it.’
The rebirth will get tested at UFC 196 on Feb. 6, vs, Steven “Wonderboy” Thompson. As Hendricks is ranked #2 in the division, and Thompson #13, Hendricks has everything to lose against the dangerous and unorthodox striker. And Thompson is on a division best five-fight win streak.
I still have it; I still feel I’m still young at heart, said Hendricks. I still move, I’m still fast, I still hit hard, and I have everything to get back to it. I know what I want to get back because I’ve tasted it. That’s the difference between me and him right now. He wants it. I get that. I understand that. But it’s me. It’s not somebody else he’s fighting – it’s me.
If he has that fire, that’s fine because I can match anyone’s intensity no matter how high they want to go or how low they want to go. I’ve proved that time and time again. Can he match mine? That’s the question. When he gets hit by me, will he still be in there? That’s the question. I’ve been hit by the hardest guys in our weight division and stood toe-to-toe. He hasn’t done that yet. He has yet to face down the barrel of the gun and get hit.
