By MARK FRANCESCUTTI, Staff Writer, SportsDayDFW
Go beard or go home.
Dallas-area fighter Johny Hendricks — with his Texas-sized mound of facial hair — is bearded up for the biggest fight of his life.
He has his Nov. 17 Ultimate Fighting Championship title fight against Georges St-Pierre on his mind so much, he has St-Pierre in his training room every day.
Well, almost.
A cardboard cutout of the welterweight champion St-Pierre hangs on the wall in Hendricks’ Pantego training center. Large arrows point to the belt Hendricks, the No. 1 contender, covets.
It’s a little extra motivation, sure, but if you’re judging by looks, Hendricks looks motivated.
He said Monday he weighs 192.8 pounds for the 170-pound fight. That’s down from 220 pounds in July. He usually doesn’t cut down that far until the week of the fight, when he’ll lose the final 20 mostly through depleting water.
“We said we didn’t want weight to be an issue,” Hendricks said. “I feel great. It’s the lightest I’ve been. I’m getting tired of the diet.”
Here’s an average day of Hendricks’ Dolce diet:
— Oatmeal in the morning with strawberries and blueberries.
— Then a snack — like apple and nuts.
— Lunch is chicken with quinoa or spinach, and as many peppers and greens as you want.
— Another snack.
— After workouts or before workouts, deer meat with quinoa and spinach and all the greens he can fit.
Said Hendricks: “Two years ago I wouldn’t have said this, but I love steamed broccoli and I love asparagus.”
While he’s eating greens, he also has some oranges in his life — a new orange T-shirt, which reads “Go Beard and Go Home,” to go with his orange Hummer H2.
To give him some relief of the monotonous training, he’s spent time at birthday parties with his three daughters, shooting guns and getting ready to hunt this weekend for deer.
Many fighters have four to five fights a year. Hendricks (15-1) has had just one, while waiting patiently for UFC 167 and St-Pierre.
To keep going, “I’ll try to make (workouts) harder on myself,” Hendricks said. “Sometimes I’ll have music on and try to sing.”
What does he sing to?
“Country. Waylon Jennings. Johnny Cash,” Hendricks said.
And what kind of music does St-Pierre listen to?
“If I had to guess, what is that, techno?” Hendricks said, with a laugh. “French-Canadians want to be French so I say they’re more techno guys. It’s like that Vegas club techno and R&B.”
Hendricks might poke fun at the champion, but he has consistently called St-Pierre, “A good guy.”
He’s is also not bitter at Rick Story, the only fighter to beat him in the UFC cage. Recently, Story reportedly worked out with St-Pierre to help the champ prepare for Hendricks.
“I’m happy Rick Story got a chance to do that,” Hendricks said. “That’s going to better his career. That’s the wrestler in me. I don’t dislike.”
