Johny Hendricks Focused On Robbie Lawler, Not The Division
UFC welterweight champion Johny Hendricks returns this weekend (Sat. Dec. 6th, 2014) as he rematches Robbie Lawler at UFC 181. The first meeting was a classic five round burner at UFC 171, and the hope is that the rematch will be just as entertaining. With all the media attention and anticipation for Hendricks-Lawler 2, it’s easy to forget how dangerous the rest of the division is.
“Bigg Rigg” acknowledges the talent pool that is the UFC welterweight division, but also maintains that he is fully focused on the challenge ahead of him in “Ruthless”. Check out what the champ said during a discussion with MMAJunkie.com:
“I can’t worry about anyone in my division other than Robbie Lawler, that’s how you start stretching yourself out and losing focus. Nothing else matters because if I don’t focus on Robbie and beat him. Otherwise, I won’t be facing anyone else. Nothing else and no one else matters.”
“I can’t overlook Lawler, but you have to look forward, so it’s a fine line,” he says. “I can’t look past him, but I also can’t help but look at what could be next and who could be the next fight. I’m not training for Rory MacDonald, but I do know that I’m going to fight him. To do that I have to get through Robbie again.”
Rory MacDonald secured his crack at the winner of Hendricks vs Lawler at UFC 181, with a precision TKO win over Tarec Saffiedine at UFC Fight Night 54. A fight with Hendricks for “Ares” would be interesting, and also a rematch with Lawler if he should win has plenty of room for marketing. Hendricks continued:
“This fight is going to be the second kickoff to my career as far as what I hope to accomplish,” Hendricks says. “Look at my weight class. It’s insane. I’ve got five or six killers in line to fight me that I’m going to have to beat back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back. But right now my main focus is Lawler. I can’t focus on anybody else.”
It’s obvious that “Bigg Rigg” has the athletic ability and skill to perform at the elite level, but will it be enough to overcome “Ruthless” again at UFC 181? The champion got tagged way too much in their first meeting, and has been inactive ever since, while Lawler has been smashing in the octagon.
We’ll see how it plays out at the weekend, for the moment though, stick with LowKickMMA.com for more UFC 181 hype and coverage!
