Johny Hendricks sees opportunity in Georges St-Pierre’s return
Johny Hendricks walks to the octagon to face Neil Magny in their welterweight bout during UFC 207 event at T-Mobile Arena on Dec. 30, 2016, in Las Vegas. Credit: Getty Images / Christian Petersen
When Georges St-Pierre last stepped in the cage in late 2013, it was Johny Hendricks who nearly took his title and perhaps triggered the longtime champion’s retirement.
Hendricks later claimed the vacant title, but has been a shell of himself since losing it in December 2014, dropping four of six fights and missing weight in half of his bouts. He hopes to turn it around against Paulo Borrachinha to kick off the pay-per-view, but he’ll also have his eye on how his old rival St-Pierre looks in the main event against middleweight champion Michael Bisping with a revenge match on his mind.
“It is a little weird, but I’m excited, I want to see how he looks,” Hendricks said. “If he looks like he used to, and if he loses and still wants to be in the game, I want it. I would love to get another crack at that dude.”
Hendricks isn’t sure what to think of St-Pierre’s matchup with Bisping, but said St-Pierre’s inability to change strategy during a fight may cost him.
“It’s two years off, is that going to change you?” Hendricks said of St-Pierre. “People say that he’s as strong as Bisping or some people say he’s not stronger than Bisping, you never know until you get in there. Can he wrestle [Bisping]? If he can’t take [Bisping] down, who wins the fight? Probably not him.”
Gall’s work ethic praised by training partner Duffy
New Jersey’s Mickey Gall has developed quite the fan base since joining the UFC despite just a handful of fights.
One of his biggest fans at his fight against Queens’ Randy Brown on Saturday will be Joseph Duffy, who trains with Gall at Tristar Gym in Montreal and will fight James Vick during the prelims.
“Mickey’s the best,” Duffy said. “Me and Mickey, we’ll always get a round in together. He comes in and he’s there to work. We’re always impressed by people who come up and they’re in and straight into work. No missing sessions, no slacking off, and that’s Mickey to a T.”
Duffy believes Gall has improved greatly since working at Tristar and that he’ll thrive in the spotlight of Madison Square Garden.
“He’s so early in his career, but he seems to walk with this confidence and air around him,” Duffy said. “He’s not frightened by the big stage. If anything he absorbs it and really performs on it.”
