UFC 171 Results:Ladies and gentlemen, introducing your new UFC Welterweight Champion Johny Hendricks!
Ever since his last title shot way back November 2013 against George St.-Pierre at UFC 167, where he loss in split decision. He admitted that he got too comfortable in the fifth round which cost him the title.
He vowed never to take his eyes away from the prize again. In his title fight against Robbie Lawler, he figured that it was the same fifth round scenario, but this time around, he gave it his all and the title became his for the taking.
"He hit me with some hard shots and I knew I had to come back in the fifth round," Hendricks said. "I knew that was my round that I lost last time. If I'd have gone out there and fought in that fifth round like I did today, maybe this belt would have been mine before this. It's a crappy situation to be in whenever you fight 25 minutes.
"I was in this situation once before and I knew I had to pull it out in the fifth round."
He did exactly that, getting the nod 48-47 on the cards of Crosby, Mike Gonzales and Aladin Martinez. Gonzales and Martinez gave Hendricks Rounds 1 and 2 and Lawler Rounds 3 and 4, setting up the decisive fifth.
Crosby scored the second 10-8 for Hendricks, but then scored a clear Hendricks fifth round 10-10.
"These guys never cease to amaze me," UFC president Dana White said of the judges.
Hendricks, however, did not win the title that easily, he got cut by his right eye and was swollen pretty badly. Lawler, is known of being a power puncher, he cracked Hendricks repeatedly with a stinging jab and also landed several hard right hooks.
I'm lucky I have a thick skull," Hendricks said, beaming.
Lawler, upset with the loss, also expressed his thoughts after the fight.
"I just thought maybe I could run him into something and I just didn't want to go overboard and press and walk into something," Lawler said. "I don't know. It's easy to look back now and look at the things you should have done, but I probably should have pressed a bit more to go for the finish."
Asked if he is willing to fight Lawler again, the new champ said that he would like to fight him again.
In other UFC 171 news, below are the results of the main fight cards of UFC 171:
Welterweight - Tyron Woodley def. Carlos Condit - TKO (knee injury)
Lightweight - Myles Jury def. Diego Sanchez - Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Welterweight - Hector Lombard def. Jake Shields - Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Light Heavyweight - Ovince St. Preux def. Nikita Krylov - Technical Submission (Von Flue choke)
