Johny Hendricks: the former champion fighting for relevance at UFC Fight Night 105

With Just one win from his last four fights, former welterweight champion Johny Hendricks needs to beat Hector Lombard at UFC Fight Night 105 on Saturday night just to preserve his status on the UFC roster.

The 33-year-old’s decline over the last three years has been as stark and surprising as any in recent memory.

As he knocked out Martin Kampmann 46 seconds into their bout at UFC 154 in November 2012, Hendricks appeared unstoppable as he continued to rise up the welterweight rankings.

It was his third first-round stoppage victory in his last five fights, and thrust him right into the title picture at 170lbs, the division then still monopolised by legendary Canadian champion Georges St-Pierre.

A decision win over perennial contender Carlos Condit in his next outing earned Hendricks a shot at the title, pitting him against the long-time pound-for-pound king.

Coming out on the wrong end of a controversial split decision, the majority of MMA fans, and indeed UFC president Dana White, felt as though the bearded wrestler deserved to have his hand raised.

St-Pierre’s immediate retirement put paid to any notion of a rematch, with Hendricks instead pencilled in to face veteran striker Robbie Lawlor for the newly vacant belt.

After five hard-fought rounds, the judges awarded Hendricks the decision at UFC 171 in March 2014, crowning the then-30-year-old as the new welterweight champion.

It seemed as though the Oklahoma-born powerhouse was destined to dominate the division for years to come. But little did those in attendance at the event in Dallas know, they were witnessing a fighter who had already peaked and would never quite look the same again.

Hendricks lost his belt to Lawlor in a rematch at UFC 181, starting a run of four losses from five fights.

In that time he has twice missed weight, ahead of defeats to Kelvin Gastelum and Neil Magny.

As far from the title picture now as he was when making his UFC debut back in 2009, Hendricks will move up to welterweight to take on former Bellator champion Lombard on Saturday night.

The man whose knockout power used to strike fear into opponents, who once looked destined to preside over a period of dominance, now desperately needs a victory over a 39-year-old on a two-fight losing streak, just to avoid being cut from the UFC.

Where only a few years ago, Hendricks appeared to have the MMA world in the palm of his hand — or, rather, on the end of his fist – is now one more lacklustre performance away from being forced to ask himself how much longer he wants to keep doing this.