The hardest thing is that the people who don't know anything about fighting, they label you. Once they get to know me, they're like, 'Ah, you're not anything like I thought.' That's probably the hardest thing about being a fighter - everything else is easy.

Johny Hendricks

I don't really believe in that ring rust stuff.

What I've done is back off weight training and do more wrestling, cardio - where you're building muscle but not building weightlifting muscle.

Johny Hendricks

Car You Wrestling

I've got to believe in my skills.

Johny Hendricks

T Skills Skill

Punch me in the face, I'll punch you twice as hard.

Johny Hendricks

You UN Twice

I always thought I could be pretty good, and it turns out fighting has made me happy.

Johny Hendricks

Good Ways Way

I had Jake Ellenberger. I trained very hard for him; then I was able to get Carlos Condit, an excellent fighter. That's what it's all about.

Johny Hendricks

Car Very Trained

Growing up wrestling, you get injured, and they expect you back on the mat in a couple weeks unless it's really bad.

Johny Hendricks

You Wrestling Wing

God blessed me with a great wife, a great family, and a great coach.

Johny Hendricks

Great God Family

When my kids grow up, my goal is someday, someone will come up to them and say, 'Your dad was an amazing person.' Not saying I was an amazing fighter but a genuine person. That's what I strive for.

Johny Hendricks

Amazing Your You

One thing I've learned is portion control. So, for example, if I eat pizza, instead of eating the whole thing, I eat three slices, and then I put it up.

Johny Hendricks

Whole Who Up

I grew up working hard to earn everything I had.

Johny Hendricks

Work Working Hard Working

If I don't get the love of the sport back, it's not about winning or losing to me: it's about having fun. If I can wake up and enjoy what I do, it's gonna show in the octagon.

Johny Hendricks

Love Winning Win

There's no reason to be involved in the sport if I'm not going to fight to my best ability.

Johny Hendricks

T Sport Son

As an athlete, there is no bigger compliment in my mind you can pay a guy when you say he can get the job done despite the obstacles he'll face.

Johny Hendricks

Men You T

I've wrestled all my life.

Johny Hendricks

Life Wrestle T

I see myself as a power puncher, but for some reason, I can never sell myself that I'm one of the elite.

Johny Hendricks

Power UN T

What I realized is that no matter what you do, you're not alone in life. Every accomplishment worth a salt, there is someone else there who played a role and took a part.

Johny Hendricks

Men Life Art

I've been under the lights since my freshman year of high school.

Johny Hendricks

Year UN T

The toughest fight I've ever had was T. J. Grant.

Johny Hendricks

Toughest Tough T

If you do what you love, you're going work your butt off every day.

Johny Hendricks

Work Love Your

I'll be the first one to tell you that I'm fat out of season. I love McDonald's, and I love Taco Bell. But, whenever it comes fight time, I'm always ready.

Johny Hendricks

I know that I wouldn't be where I'm at if it wasn't for God.

Johny Hendricks

Fighting lives and dies; you can't fight forever.

Johny Hendricks

I drive a big F-350. It's a dually. I put Ranch Hand front bumpers on it so it sticks out about another 12 inches.

Johny Hendricks

I spent a lot of my childhood growing up in Oklahoma, where I wrestled and played baseball.

Johny Hendricks

I really didn't know If I wanted to pursue the Olympics for wrestling. I didn't know what to do with my life. So, I prayed about it. My manager called me a few weeks later and asked if I wanted to fight. I agreed to give it a shot, and I went out and got knocked out.

Johny Hendricks

I wrestled at 165 pounds in college. I would actually cut from 205 pounds down to 165, and it wasn't really a big deal for me. With me wrestling all of the time, my body got used to it.

Johny Hendricks

I've got a wife who keeps me humble.

Johny Hendricks

Pride is an amazing thing.

Johny Hendricks

The hardest thing is that the people who don't know anything about fighting, they label you. Once they get to know me, they're like, 'Ah, you're not anything like I thought.' That's probably the hardest thing about being a fighter - everything else is easy.

Johny Hendricks

For some reason, I have a thick skull.

Johny Hendricks

Pressure lets you know what kind of person you are.

Johny Hendricks

You see a lot of guys who are told they will be the number one contender if they win the fight in front of them. They have fought a couple of really tough guys to get there, but when the chance is presented to them, something happens in some shape or form, and they aren't able to take it. They end up losing. That was the biggest fear for me.

Johny Hendricks

But after defeating Carlos Condit, I've shown I deserve to have a title shot.

Johny Hendricks

I'm going to do everything in my power and train as hard as I can to make sure that 12-pound gold buckle that says UFC on it is somewhere at my house.

Johny Hendricks

I think my strength is going to be my greatest attribute and speed.

Johny Hendricks

There's nobody at welterweight I didn't face that I wasn't stronger than. I didn't face anybody that I didn't feel I couldn't outpower.

Johny Hendricks

I didn't enjoy fighting. All I cared about was trying to beat the scale. Once that got to a point where I couldn't compete with the scale anymore, I was like, 'I'm done.'

Johny Hendricks

Check out my pictures. I'm fat. You know what I mean? But I love it. I love it. I'm a fat dude.

Johny Hendricks

Word of mouth is very powerful.

Johny Hendricks

That's my goal for every fight, is to hit them as hard as I can.

Johny Hendricks

My wife and kids mean more than the belt or UFC or anything else to me.

Johny Hendricks

Fans and reporters, they don't get that ever since I was five, all I've done is competed against something. I always had a goal. Then, whenever you hit a point, there's a point in an athlete's life where it's like, 'Is it still worth it?'

Johny Hendricks

I'm done fighting at welterweight. Unless they open up a 175-pound division, I'm moving up to middleweight.

Johny Hendricks

The Lord blessed me with great strength.

Johny Hendricks

I still like fighting, it just got to a point in MMA where it was just another day.

Johny Hendricks

I don't take anything personal.

Johny Hendricks

One thing I'm very grateful for is that I know, every time I leave, my wife is going to keep my kids happy, and whenever I get home, they are going to miss me.

Johny Hendricks

I can fight for my honor, but fighting for my family is the most important thing. Making sure they get what they want. That's all that matters.

Johny Hendricks

I just want the belt. That's the only thing that's pushing me, the only thing that's motivating me.

Johny Hendricks