UFC 171: Hendricks Fights Through Lawler for Welterweight Gold
Johny Hendricks captured the vacant UFC welterweight championship against Robbie Lawler at UFC 171 on March 15, 2014. The main event at American Airlines Center in Dallas went all five rounds, with Hendricks winning a unanimous decision after an extended exchange of momentum.
Hendricks wins the vacant championship
All three judges scored the fight 48–47. Hendricks had lost a split decision to Georges St-Pierre the previous November, and St-Pierre subsequently vacated the championship. This time, the final announcement gave Hendricks the belt after another demanding twenty-five-minute contest.
Lawler’s resistance made the championship anything but straightforward. The pair’s work earned Fight of the Night honors, recognizing a title contest that required the eventual winner to remain effective through the closing round rather than rely on one decisive early moment.
Contenders make their own statements
Tyron Woodley defeated Carlos Condit in the co-main event, with a knee injury bringing their welterweight bout to a second-round TKO conclusion. Myles Jury beat Diego Sanchez by unanimous decision at lightweight, while Héctor Lombard outpointed Jake Shields over three rounds.
Ovince Saint Preux submitted Nikita Krylov in the first round, and Dennis Bermudez stopped Jimy Hettes in the third. Both earned performance bonuses. The card therefore produced more than a new champion: it also delivered important wins for contenders in several divisions. Hendricks’s title breakthrough remained the centerpiece, turning his previous championship disappointment into a belt-winning result in Dallas.
Sources
- View the official UFC 171 event archive on UFC.com.
- ufc.com: second times charm hendricks
- ufc.com: ufc 171 presser and bonus recap
Article Tags
UFC 171, UFC history, MMA
