Hendricks looked like he thought he was too good to be fighting Thompson.

[Kneepocalypse]

It was weird. Every time Johny got tagged, he nodded and smirked like it was nothing. Even right before being TKO'd. I don't know if that was only his 'poker face' or was he really that naïve and foolish to think Thompson couldn't hurt him.

Exactly what Rashad did before he got Machida'd.

(by FightsFTW)

 

[bambammccoy]

the best part was Hendricks nodding and then getting finished 3 seconds later

You mean when Wonderboy nearly kicked him in the cup and Wonderboy tried to apologize and Johny nodded saying it was a clean kick.

 

[OverCoronavirus Pressure]

It's all mental. I could explain it but you wouldn't understand.

Probably best you do, my head might explode from too much valuable insight.
Thanks for thinking about the safety of a Sherbro

 

[Montecristo]

What happened was Karate, if you don´t prepare for it´s distance game youre lost.

 

[ultramanhyata]

To critics of Hendricks: You guys do understand that Johny's sparring partners were only showing him a 70% Wonderboy, right? Let's level the criticism where it's deserved.

 

[bambammccoy]

Watch Johny vs GSP. Johny does the same shit. Its him trying to stay composed and 'not worry about the other guy.' Even eats a side kick to the body, front kicks to the head, round kicks, just like vs Wonderboy.

I'm guessing Wonderboy watched that fight closely because he used alot of similar set ups GSP used to score in the 1st and 3rd I believe it was.

I am a big Johny fan and have only picked against him vs Lawler 2, until a week ago I said Wonderboy would probably win but a brutal 1st round finish was not what I had in mind.

 

[ultramanhyata]

That appears to be his demeanour... Can't imagine why, what with all his amazing and totally legit reasons for losing and personal habits and cleanliness he's so unpopular on these boards... Plus the food at his place... Well... I think the reviews spoke for themselves. A class of its own.

His one saving grace is the way he chews and spits in a botte at post-fight pressers. Adorable!

 

[IMSAYIN]

To be fair to Hendricks Thompson landed a glancing nut shot that grazed the cup and mostly impacted Hendricks gut....

Both kinda paused for a second then Hendricks started nodding to let Thompson know he was good and the ref should not stop the fight.

That's how I saw it too.

 

[GraveyardFilla]

Exactly what Rashad did before he got Machida'd.

(by FightsFTW)

 

[iwhoopedbatman]

I just thought he looked really frustrated. He knew he was getting picked apart at will.

 

[NinjaNiK]

It was weird. Every time Johny got tagged, he nodded and smirked like it was nothing. Even right before being TKO'd. I don't know if that was only his 'poker face' or was he really that naïve and foolish to think Thompson couldn't hurt him.

I would say a bit of both.

 

[HelloJapan]

I just think the sport (and rather quickly) has passed him by. He talks too much, has a wife and 8 million kids, failed business/new ventures, doesn't train with a serious enough camp (imo), gets crazy fat and lazy between fights, hasn't evolved his game enough, etc. It was like watching out of his prime Liddell vs prime Anderson.

...and shave your head for fucks sake. Looks like a god damn homeless phile.

 

[KONE]

You mean when Wonderboy nearly kicked him in the cup and Wonderboy tried to apologize and Johny nodded saying it was a clean kick.

Ok

 

[HelloJapan]

It's weird.
Do you think not getting the decision has him gotten-to?
There has to be a reason for the decline that makes some sense.

I think he's a mental midget. He doesn't stop talking-stfu. Makes excuses allllll the fucking time. He clearly over thinks, and worse verbalizes it.

 

[BALLERSTATUSMCG]

I think his ego gets in the way sometimes. When he takes one to the face he kind of resets and shrugs it off like it was nothing.. if someone keeps at him after that hit he can't reset and he doesn't know what to do

 

[blackjackz]

When he was knocking people out and then the GSP fight I thought nobody at 170 can beat this guy. He had the wrestling and the power. Who knows what the deal is I think it has something to do with the testing.

I find it kind of strange that he easily made weight and looked the worst he ever has right after stricter testing came into play.

Sadly, I think this is something people can't ignore. Johny's physique looked fundamentally different last night, a dramatic change from UFC 167 when he fought GSP just a couple years ago.

While that is far from definitive proof, it is undeniable that Big Rig does not appear to be the same fighter he once was...

 

[method115]

I find it kind of strange that he easily made weight and looked the worst he ever has right after stricter testing came into play.

It's like I said I was interested to see how usada would affect Hendricks more than anyone.

 

[IloveTHIS]

It's weird.
Do you think not getting the decision has him gotten-to?
There has to be a reason for the decline that makes some sense.

Young children and a wife back home.
Already has more accomplishments than 99.9% of people: NCAA champ x2 State Champ x3, UFC Champion, Last man to beat GSP
Has been absolutely fucked on two championship decisions. Gotta be pretty hard to try after that.

 

[Lanshire]

Hendricks has completely fallen apart since the GSP fight. He had the potential to really take the WW crown and run with it. But he hasn't.

He hasn't fallen apart at all, aside from overeating and screwing up his weight cut for his last scheduled fight. He's just faced good opponents. Just because a fighter loses doesn't mean they've declined somehow. If he fought GSP again he'd likely do better this time. But Lawler is a different fighter, who Hendricks arguably beat both times with both being razor thin decisions. He just faced a guy who had the right strategy and skillset to destroy him when he faced Thompson.

And LMAO at idiots claiming it's because of the testing.

Hendricks is amazing at closing the distance, most of his KO's are against people who try to get away from him, Lawler an GSP got hurt
everytime they backup, it was all about Wonderboy superior movement and striking arsenal, I don't think anyone else at WW can do that to Johny, not even close.

I think you hit the nail on the head. People really seem to forget that styles make fights. It'll be interesting to see how Lawler vs Thompson will look, assuming Wonderboy gets the next title shot.

 

[iwhoopedbatman]

Sadly, I think this is something people can't ignore. Johny's physique looked fundamentally different last night, a dramatic change from UFC 167 when he fought GSP just a couple years ago.

While that is far from definitive proof, it is undeniable that Big Rig does not appear to be the same fighter he once was...

He did look different, but I thought he looked significantly better, physically. Obviously, he looked like shit in the fight, but I'm not sure that's not more about Thompson. Machida used to make wrestlers look pedestrian too. It wouldn't shock me if any fighter was using, and Hendricks is no different, but usually guys look puffier after getting off. He went the opposite direction. Just don't think it's evidence of anything.