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Johnny Hendricks is "gonna eat a jab to land a punch"

4K views 42 replies 27 participants last post by  khoveraki 
#1 ·
LAS VEGAS – Johny Hendricks has a very simple plan for upsetting Georges St-Pierre and earning the UFC's welterweight title. The challenger plans on walking through the champ's vaunted jab before launching a counterattack he thinks will put "GSP" to sleep.

"I don't want to take 'GSP' down," Hendricks said at Monday's UFC World Tour 2013 stop in Las Vegas. "I want to lay him out. That's all I want to do. That's what the fans want to see, and I know I have the power in both hands to do it."

Hendricks (15-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) and St-Pierre (24-2 MMA, 18-2 UFC) meet in the main event of UFC 167, which takes place Nov. 16 at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena and airs on pay-per-view. It's a fight for which Hendricks has openly campaigned for years but wasn't absolutely sure he would get until Anderson Silva's knockout loss earlier this month ruled out the possibility of a Silva vs. St-Pierre superfight.

"I was a little nervous until the Anderson-Chris Weidman fight happened because you never know what's going to happen," Hendricks told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "If Anderson wins, does the superfight still happen? So he kind of helped me out, and now it's actually going to happen. I can't wait. I'm so excited."

Just as Weidman was supremely confident heading into his upset win over Silva, so, too, does Hendricks seem to believe it's his destiny to win the belt. A four-time Division I All-American wrestler, Hendricks' wrestling skills would seem to be just what is needed against St-Pierre, who's mastered the art of wrestling in terms of MMA application. Additionally, Hendricks has been blessed with knockout power, as a 46-second win over Martin Kampmann and 12-second stoppage of Jon Fitch can certainly attest.

While St-Pierre's jab is an incredible weapon, as well, Hendricks thinks it will pale in comparison to his power punches.

"I will bite on my mouthpiece and eat a jab to land a right or a left hand on his jaw line," Hendricks said. "That's the difference. Punch me in the face, I'll punch you twice as hard.

"When I'm in there, my goal is to break someone's jaw. Let them forget who they are that night. Let them wake up the next morning and go, 'What the hell happened?' That's my goal every fight."

Like Weidman, who shocked the world with his knockout win over Silva, Hendricks believes his attitude will prove another strength. He respects St-Pierre, a man who is certain to be a UFC Hall of Famer and may very well be the greatest welterweight of all time. But "Bigg Rigg" has no fear of the French-Canadian champ.

"Give 'em respect because they have the belt, but he's just a person," Hendricks said of St-Pierre. "I can beat anybody at any given time, and that's sort of the mentality that you've got to have when you're facing somebody with the belt.

"If he's going to sit there and do that jab, watch. I'll bite on the mouthpiece. I'll eat one to throw my left or right hand all day long."
sauce

Doesn't sound like a good strategy to me to be honest. I mean... he's literally planning on blocking jabs with his face.
 
#8 ·
He will have 2 rounds to land the big one, but 5 rounds to beat GSP, GSP may be caught off guard a few times by faking the big left and going for the TD
 
#10 ·
This prompted me to look at his record. And, unsurprisingly, aside from his first fight, all of Hendrix KO/TKO wins have come in the first 6 minutes.

So, statistically, he aint knocking out shit after the first minute of round 2.

I loves me some bearded Hendrix, but there can be no denying that he flakes out kinda easy when shit doesnt go to plan.
 
#16 ·
GSP will quickly abandon striking if Hendricks walks through his jab to throw power punches. He should just come in hunched over when he does that maybe GSP will break his hand on his forehead or it will give him flashbacks of the Serra KO and he will hesitate and he will be in a better position to defend the takedown.
 
#18 ·
I can't wait for this fight. Johnny has an amazing chin, I still remember when Kos poked him in the eye and then unloaded bombs on him and couldn't even drop him.

Condit was unloading on Johnny as well and he just kept coming forward... (not the best strategy IMO).

If the fight stay on it's feet. I think Hendricks will catch him because he so explosive, big and hits harder then anyone GSP has ever faced.
 
#21 ·
Condit was unloading on Johnny as well and he just kept coming forward... (not the best strategy IMO).
Yes and Condit goes riskier than St. Pierre. So if Hendricks couldn't find Condit's chin I doubt he will find St. Pierre's who fights much safer to avoid any damage to himself.
 
#19 ·
Condit vs Hendricks was a bad ass fight.

I'm pretty sure GSP is going to wait for Hendricks to unload before going for the take down and wear em out for the full five rounds. What he does is actually harder than winning by KO in the first. By fighting for all 25 minutes he allows his opponents an opportunity to land a hail mary. He's like the text book chess player that defends, counters, and neutralizes every attack. Pretty demoralizing actually.

It's too bad he doesn't opt to finish his opponents more often.

There's a chance Hendricks can pull this. He's riding an incredible streak. GSP vs everyone else was an easy win. Given the situation at MW...things happens in pairs. Gonna wait for the countdown show then weigh ins to make my final decision. Gotta see what Freddy Roach has planned for GSP along with Firaz and Danaher.
 
#20 ·
lol, I like that strategy. GSP is light years beyond Johhny everywhere but power probably so this would be a good strategy.

It's basically Hendo's main game plan that has worked very well for the past 15 years.

But something tells me Johny won't go for it like he says. GSP is too good to allow him to do what he wants, just like pretty much every challenger he's faced in forever.
 
#22 ·
Hendricks is so far from being the style to beat GSP. I get that Hendricks deserves to fight him or whatever but seriously. GSP is a specialist at fighting wrestlers and guys with big hooks. This will be GSP vs. Koscheck II except Hendricks will wilt earlier IMO.


Bring on Maia vs. GSP.
 
#27 ·
Honestly what else is he going to do?

He doesn't have the reach to stay on the outside and GSP is fast so he'll eat shots all night if he doesn't close the distance. Let's be real here, GSP doesn't have tons of power and Hendricks can definitely eat quite a few of those jabs to get in and throw big shots.

I wouldn't expect anything less if Hendricks wants to put him away.
 
#29 ·
I'm not sure what GSP wants to do or what he will do but I'll tell you what Hendricks will be doing, he'll be looking slow.

He's gonna look like a fat, slow, bouncer as he stalks around throwing haymakers as Georges dances on the outside, landing jabs, kicks, take downs, donkey punches, etc...
 
#30 ·
GSP is a world class striker. He may not show offensive striking all the time because he chooses the safe route. Hendricks has heart and tough willpower but when he eats the technique of GSP's stiff jab, he will definetly wince and feel it.
Hendricks will walk through the jab but his strikes wont have the same technique and timing. This factor lets GSP find openings and throw heavier strikes.

If GSP's former opponents threw wild strikes with pressure then I could of definetly seen GSP with more finishes.
 
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#31 ·
I don't give hendricks more than a puncher's chance

that talk about going to GSP body, nah, it ain't so simple to beat GSP, he faced pretty much every style of opponents and beat them all

The only time I saw weakness recently was when Diaz went into the clinch against the fence

Hendricks will throw a few bombs, get frustrated, get tired and get beat by coasting UD, I see GSP having his way standing or on the ground, either will be just fine, he's lightears ahead of everyone at WW and he's still young.

Maia could pose a challenge, maybe but I don't see anyone else for GSP right now, certainly not hendricks, he's the #1 contender, true, but other than a puncher's change, he got nothing on GSP, nothing
 
#34 ·
whether he can keep him down is a much bigger task imo, I remember Kosheck took him down in the second fight but it only lasted 5 seconds and no pone remember because of the one sided ass kicking, same with the fitch fight.
 
#38 ·
I think a lot of people remember that, BUT the above mentioned did nothing with these opportunities.

I see Hendrix taking down GSP once or twice, but not being able to capitalize on it. We'll see how big Johnny's heart is after 3 straight rounds of frustration... and that's when mistakes happen.

He'll start to swing wildly for the fences and GSP will take him down at will, punish him with short elbows and wear him down via smothering.

He talks a big game now but I guarantee once that cage closes, Hendrix will have a different mindset. :thumb03:
 
#37 ·
Hendricks new found glory in his hands will be his downfall. Yes, you have power but If all you're planning on doing against someone like GSP is knock him out you will lose badly.

GSP will take you down, wear you out, then force you to stand there with arms so full of blood you can barely lift them.

Sure there's always that punchers chance, but... this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to fight the GOAT in the main event infront of millions.

Horrible strategy.
 
#43 ·
Uh, getting hit with a jab while coming in throws your head backwards and puts you far from a position of power to throw from. That's the entire point of the jab. It's not like everyone else just didn't like having their face touched and therefor never "ate a jab" to land on GSP.



GSP jabs perfectly, lining his arm up with his back instead of just punching frontwards. You can't walk through that kind of jab, it's your head/neck versus his entire upper body.


edit: Koscheck looks like Nogueira in that picture.
 
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