UFC 167: St-Pierre Survives Hendricks’ Championship Assault
Georges St-Pierre retained the UFC welterweight championship against Johny Hendricks at UFC 167 on November 16, 2013. Their main event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas ended in a split decision after five rounds, leaving the champion with his belt after a punishing challenge.
Five rounds and a divided verdict
Hendricks brought powerful punching and accomplished wrestling to the title fight, keeping St-Pierre under pressure across the scheduled distance. The divided verdict captured how closely the contest was judged and became the central talking point of the night.
The official result remained a successful defense for St-Pierre. For Hendricks, reaching the final horn against the longtime champion established the scale of his challenge, even though the decision denied him the championship he had pursued.
Lawler and Woodley strengthen their cases
The supporting card carried major welterweight consequences of its own. Robbie Lawler defeated Rory MacDonald by split decision after three rounds, while Tyron Woodley stopped Josh Koscheck in the opening round at 4:38. Both winners strengthened their positions in a division headed by St-Pierre.
At light heavyweight, former champion Rashad Evans finished Chael Sonnen with strikes at 4:05 of the first round. That decisive stoppage contrasted with the uncertainty surrounding the main event’s scorecards. UFC 167 combined a closely contested championship defense with important victories for established contenders: St-Pierre remained champion, Hendricks left with a narrow defeat, and Lawler and Woodley continued building their own welterweight cases.
Sources
Article Tags
UFC 167, UFC history, MMA