Johny Hendricks got off to a winning start in his first fight at middleweight against Hector Lombard tonight at UFC Fight Night 105, ourstriking his opponent over three rounds to earn a unanimous decision victory.
Round One:
Leg kick for Hendricks is the first strike of the co-main event, 30 seconds into the opening round. Both men cautious here.
Lombard coming forward, but eats a knee upstairs. Big left hand for Lombard. Now a body kick. Both men exchange in close and Lombard lands a counter left.
Leg kick from Hendricks that Lombard catches and pushes his opponent up to the cage. They separate and exchange evenly for a moment.
Hendricks with a kick that misses and Lombard tries to take his back. Hendricks gets free and lands a nice knee.
Hendricks with a couple of punches and tries for a takedown, but Lombard sprawls. Hard exchange in close and Hendricks lands solidly with his left hand.
Leg kick for Hendricks and Lombard shows great timing again to take him to the mat. Hendricks right back up. Lombard looking to clinch up and tries for a takedown, but Hendricks shows good balance to stay upright.
Lombard stays clinched up and lands a few body shots in the final 30 seconds of the round. Lombard tries for a judo throw, but that doesn’t pay off and he follows up with a couple of punches instead in the final seconds of the round.
Round Two:
Hendricks misses with a big left and gets caught with a counter. Leg kick for Hendricks. Punch and then another hard leg kick for Hendricks.
Lombard with a kick of his own. Hendricks with a left hook and then another soon afterwards. Lombard moves into the clinch. Hendricks tries to push him away, but then Lombard fires a big illegal knee to the groin that forces a stoppage.
Hendricks ok to continue a couple of minutes later. Lombard wades forward with big punches. Again swings hard and lands. He comes forward again, but Hendricks connects this time.
Nice left hand for Hendricks. He tries for a knee strike up the middle, but Lombard uses that to try for a takedown that’s stuffed.
Another knee attempt from Hendricks as Lombard clinches up again. They don’t stay there for long though. Hendricks with a left hand. Another punch lands for him.
Big knee upstairs again for Hendricks grazes Lombard’s chin, but he catches his leg and works into the clinch against the cage. Ref breaks them up because Lombard was grabbing the cage.
Hendricks with a good knee in close. Another knee and a hook from the former welterweight champ. Lombard starting to slow down at this stage in the fight.
Hendricks getting a little wild with another left hook, but he does land a hard knee towards the end of the round.
As he walks back to his corner at the end of the round Hendricks motions to the crowd, clearly starting to enjoy himself – perhaps for the first time in several fights.
Round Three:
Lombard comes forward aggressively and lands with a wide right hook. leg kick for him now. Hendricks feels out with the jab then tries for the big left, but it misses.
Both men miss with hooks. Hendricks tries to set up a left hook, but loads up on it too much and stumbles.
Leg kick for Lombard. Back to the big knee to the midsection for Hendricks that’s partially caught. Another left hand for him.
Back to the hard knee to the body for Hendricks, with Lombard responding with an uppercut this time. Hendricks times a nice left hand as Lombard was coming in.
Hendricks fakes a takedown attempt then unloads an uppercut instead, but it misses. Hendricks moving around Lombard and generally looking to be the busier fighter which will play well if this goes to the judges. He tries the knee again, but doesn’t land and is almost takes down.
Right hand from Hendricks is blocked, but the left behind it gets through. Lombard finally able to take Hendricks down with a sweep, but does well to get back upright quickly.
Lombard starting to stalk his opponent, but not much volume in his striking as he lands just a couple of body kicks.
Another body kick for him and a counter leg kick from Hendricks. Hendricks backing up now, just trying to keep out of harms way in the final 10 seconds of the fight, hoping he’s done enough to win on the scorecards.
Decision:
Hendricks feels convinced he’s done enough to win, and he’s right – he finally gets back to winning ways with a unanimous decision victory (30-27 x2, 29-28).
That ends a three-fight losing streak for the former 170lb titleholder and gets him off to a good start in the middleweight division, while it’s now Lombard’s turn to feel the pressure of three consecutive defeats.
