Only GSP’s camp and the 209 think Nick Diaz deserves a welterweight title shot before Johny Hendricks. After all, he Hendricks has just run the gamut of UFC welterweights, knocking out two of them (Jon Fitch and Martin Kampmann) in a combined fifty-eight seconds. Think about that. At 14-1 and with five straight victories inside the Octagon, not many can question Hendricks’ resume anymore. Big Rigg is officially a killer now, and with his statements of not wanting to fight again unless it’s for a championship,he demands to be taken seriously… Even if GSP and Nick Diaz don’t want to extend that respect.
Mike Dolce, Hendricks’ strength and conditioning + nutrition coach (he had Johny cut nearly forty pounds in a day for his fight against Kampmann!) has gone public in his confusion and disgust over the way Johny Hendricks is being treated. He spoke to Dave Meltzer about the whole ordeal.
“I think most of us inside the industry, we all understand why GSP wants to fight Diaz,” “GSP wants to punch Nick Diaz in the face. We get that. But that doesn’t make Nick Diaz the No. 1 contender. That’s why I have an issue with what Firas Zahabi said. We are friends and I respect him, but Nick Diaz isn’t the No. 1 contender. He hasn’t beaten anyone in the division. Johny Hendricks has beaten three top five guys, or certainly three top 10 guys in a row, to get the shot.”
“If Georges wants to make money, I get it,” said Dolce. “If he wants the money fight, then he should fight(Anderson) I get it. That’s the biggest money fight. If Georges wants to defend the welterweight title, he has to defend it against Johny Hendricks, because he’s the No. 1 contender. If he wants to do a three-round fight with Diaz to settle their beef, he can bring him to Montreal for a sparring session or Georges can fly in to Stockton if he wants to beat up, or try to beat up Nick Diaz.
“If Georges is going to fight, the money fight goes to Anderson, he can fight Diaz in a grudge non-title fight, but if he defends the welterweight title, it has to be against Johny Hendricks. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”
It certainly would be a hell of a fight. It could be argued that even without the “big” name, Hendricks is the most dangerous opponent GSP has ever faced. A man with Diviion I wrestling titles and KO power in his hands… Maybe that’s why GSP doesn’t feel like fighting him?
