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[Sakara=Excitement]

Johny Hendricks Overcame Bronchitis, Mono to Edge Josh Koscheck in UFC on Fox 3 Co-Main Event

Johny Hendricks got the job done Saturday night, but not without overcoming a bit of adversity.

Following his hard-fought split decision victory over Josh Koscheck in the co-main event of UFC on Fox 3, Hendricks revealed that he fought off two illnesses leading up to the contest at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J.

“I guess I had God on my side. I had a tough training camp. These last two weeks, I was battling some mean stuff, but my coaches kept me positive,” Hendricks told Fox Sports after his win. “I had bronchitis, and then mono -- two great ones to have three weeks before the fight, right?”

Despite taking ill, Hendricks said he never seriously considered pulling out of the fight. Though he would walk away with a razor-thin judges’ decision, Hendricks did not have an easy night, first receiving an accidental eye poke and then absorbing a barrage of punches in the first round.

“I did get poked in the eye and was seeing double,” Hendricks said. “I had to close one of my eyes to see where he was at, but that’s fighting. I just stayed strong and stayed focused on what I needed to do.”

Hendricks battled back to close out round one and fought Koscheck tooth-and-nail for an additional 10 minutes. Koscheck managed to secure a takedown to close out the final frame, but Hendricks nonetheless received the split nod. The win marked the fourth consecutive win for the two-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion, who bested Koscheck’s longtime American Kickboxing Academy teammate Jon Fitch in December.

“Both [Koscheck and Fitch] are tough fighters,” said Hendricks. “I feel blessed to be in same Octagon as them. Now I just have to go home and be prepared for a title shot. I fought hard tonight and got my hand raised.”

The defeat snapped a two-fight winning streak for Koscheck. Though disappointed in the result, the former welterweight title challenger did not bemoan the judges’ verdict post-fight.

“I’m not one to ever bitch about decisions,” said Koscheck. “I thought I won the first and third [rounds], but apparently the judges saw it differently. It was a good fight, and I felt like I ended the fight on top. It is what it is, and I live to fight another day.”

The victory now secure, Hendricks may look at future opportunities to move up the welterweight ladder. The Oklahoma State alumnus has won eight of his nine Octagon outings, with only a 2010 decision defeat to Rick Story marring his professional record. Though he could be on the verge of challenging for the 170-pound championship, Hendricks took a patient approach when discussing his next step.

“Whenever I heal up, we’ll talk and go from there. Right now, a lot of things are going through my mind,” said Hendricks. “I need to get away and go spend time with my family before I do anything. Right now all I want to do is go home and spend time with my wife.”

http://www.mmaweekly.com/i-think-a-f...%9D-dana-white

At UFC on Fox 3 on Saturday night, Johny Hendricks moved his record to 13-1 and solidified his spot amongst the welterweight elite after winning a split decision over former no. 1 contender Josh Koscheck.

Now, Hendricks has defeated two former title challengers in Koscheck and Jon Fitch on his way towards the top. UFC president Dana White is impressed. Whether you agreed with the decision or not, White believes that Hendricks’ skills are worthy of a crack at Georges St-Pierre, if he is successful against Carlos Condit.

“Josh Koscheck, because he gets booed, may not get the respect that he deserves, but he’s a great fighter and has been for a long time and Johny Hendricks won tonight,” White said at the UFC on Fox 3 press conference. “Whether you agree with the decision or not, cause some people think that Koscheck won or it should’ve been a draw, it was that close. I think a fight with Hendricks vs. GSP is pretty interesting.”

As for Hendricks, he feels truly blessed to be in title contention and to have beaten such greats as Fitch and Koscheck. The 28-year-old was once written off as a top contender by pundits after losing to Rick Story. To have bounced back and climbed to the top of the division is an impressive feat in and of itself.

“They’re both great fighters. I feel blessed to be in the same Octagon as them,” Hendricks said of Koscheck and Fitch. “Now I just got to go home and see what they say and be prepared for what they say and hopefully a title shot.”

Now sitting as one of the sport’s elite, it’s a surreal moment for the former four-time All-American wrestler. While earning the top spot, Hendricks is going to have to take a breather and let it all sink in because, unfortunately for him, he won’t be able to fight for a title until at least 2013 due to St-Pierre vs. Condit happening in November.

Hendricks, though, remains positive and upbeat about it all. For now, he’s looking forward to healing up and spending some time with his family

“It just depends what happens,” Hendricks continued. “Whenever I get back home and when I heal up, we’ll talk from there, but nothing really matters. I just want to go home and spend some time with my wife.”

[Qball1974]

Bronchitis, mono and an eye poke....Dam tough dude!

[rivethead]

Good for Hendricks. If he was that sick, he might have more of a chance against the elite guys in the division.



Kos should have been DQ'd for the poke. Should have been warned pre-fight and then pulled. That shit is getting old. Correction, has gotten old already several fights back.

Vegas should have a sideline of odds for which round he pokes somebody in his next fight.

rh

[Rumble]

Originally Posted by rivethead

Good for Hendricks. If he was that sick, he might have more of a chance against the elite guys in the division.



Kos should have been DQ'd for the poke. Should have been warned pre-fight and then pulled. That shit is getting old. Correction, has gotten old already several fights back.

Vegas should have a sideline of odds for which round he pokes somebody in his next fight.

rh

I thought the same thing when I saw that happen. I thought to myself, "how many times are they gonna let this guy get away with this?"

Regardless, I thought Hendricks looked a little off last night, but he still fought a great fight and I'm glad he pulled out the decision.

I'd love to see them force Condit into action and match him up with Hendricks. There's no point in being an interim champ if you're just going to sit around for the real champ to get better and never defend your title.

[v3xi]

Originally Posted by rivethead

Good for Hendricks. If he was that sick, he might have more of a chance against the elite guys in the division.

He hasnt beat everyone but beating champion dry humper Fitch and a very Solid Kos back to back is huge. I dont really know anything about him but if someone beats Fitch they should get GSP next and hes done more then that.

Kos should have been DQ'd for the poke. Should have been warned pre-fight and then pulled. That shit is getting old. Correction, has gotten old already several fights back.

There should be a repeat offender system in place like how the NHL suspends players. Same with cage grabbing. Notorious cheaters should get 1 warning BEFORE the fight like you said, then have a point taken away the first time they do it. Eye pokes should have a bigger penalty obviously.

[Flou]

Josh will keep poking eyes until someone actually has the balls to take point away from him.

[Umbras]

Yes they need to make a list with Josh Pokecheck at the top, I am getting tired of guys disrupting the pace of a fight with the "accidental" poke to the eyes.

I know it does happen and it is a hazard, but I can think of at least 5 fights where Josh has done "accidentally" poked his opponent in the eye with his favorite tactic.

[rivethead]

If I had more faith in the officiating in MMA, I'd love to see an option for the ref to allow the clock to run during the time given for a fighter to recover...so for repeat offenders like Kongo kneeing someone's balls, or Koscheck poking an eye, it would represent an opportunity for something between an outright DQ and doing nothing. A fighter gets fouled and could effectively win the round with the clock running out while the offender is docked a point. Right now, a fighter will often continue to fight while hampered by the illegal blow and can still take damage that can cost them further rounds in the fight while while the rest of the round is fought.

Plus, if the offender does it again in an additional round--as Kongo has--they effectively cost themselves the fight.



But again, I don't have faith that 90% of the officials out there could implement it effectively at this point in MMA's history.

rh

[Leucoethiops]

Originally Posted by rivethead

A fighter gets fouled and could effectively win the round with the clock running out while the offender is docked a point.

Sounds exciting.

I agree that some sort of consistent deterrent is needed, but that would be some boring shit, plus you have the flip side of guys 'Koschecking' it; feigning injuries to win rounds.

Thankfully we would have Joe Rogan running into the ring post-fight and keeping it real.

"YOU CLEARLY DIDN'T GET POKED IN THE EYE"
"THAT WAS A TERRIBLE CALL MARIO YAMASAKI"

Etc.

[Cat--Smasher]

Originally Posted by rivethead

If I had more faith in the officiating in MMA, I'd love to see an option for the ref to allow the clock to run during the time given for a fighter to recover...so for repeat offenders like Kongo kneeing someone's balls, or Koscheck poking an eye, it would represent an opportunity for something between an outright DQ and doing nothing. A fighter gets fouled and could effectively win the round with the clock running out while the offender is docked a point. Right now, a fighter will often continue to fight while hampered by the illegal blow and can still take damage that can cost them further rounds in the fight while while the rest of the round is fought.

Plus, if the offender does it again in an additional round--as Kongo has--they effectively cost themselves the fight.



But again, I don't have faith that 90% of the officials out there could implement it effectively at this point in MMA's history.

rh

Go check out the Thompson vs Lashley SFL 3 fight to see 2 monstrous knees to the balls and no points being deducted. I dont wanna spoil it for anyone but I am sure the knees has some influence on the outcome of the fight.