Countdown to UFC 181 Video: Hendricks vs. Lawler

On Saturday, December 6th the UFC will hold UFC 181: Hendricks vs. Lawler II from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

In the night’s main event we will see a rematch of one of the best fights of 2014 when Johnny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler clash for the second time for the welterweight title. In March, Hendricks defeated Lawler to win the vacant title in a fight that literally came down to the final minute of the last round. The fight was seemingly tied at two rounds a piece leading into the final round and after an even round, Hendricks landed a timely takedown in the final moments. The look on Lawler’s face after he got taken down told the story. The veteran welterweight had let the title slip through his grasp.

Hendricks was injured in that fight and hasn’t fought since. Lawyer however got right back in the cage. He knocked out Jake Ellenberger in May and won a decision over Matt Brown in July to earn the rematch against Hendricks.

The welterweight title fight won’t be the only one on the card Saturday. Anthony Pettis will defend his lightweight title for the first time against the number one contender, Gilbert Melendez. Pettis was long considered one of the biggest rising stars in the sport and that potential was finally realized last August when he defeated Benson Henderson to become the lightweight champion.

Pettis took time off after that fight due to an injury and is now making his first title defense because of his coaching duties on the current season of The Ultimate Fighter opposite Melendez. Melendez only has two fights inside the octagon. His debut was a close decision loss to then champion, Henderson. Melendez followed that loss with a decision victory over Diego Sanchez in one of the best fights in the division history.

Those two title fights are only part of a very stacked card. Travis Browne returns for the first time in eight months against Brendan Schaub on the pay-per-view card and Urijah Faber faces Fransisco Rivera in preliminary action. The pay-per-view card kicks off at 10 p.m. ET with preliminary action preceding that on both Fox Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass beginning at 7 p.m. ET.

Above is video from the UFC Countdown special featuring Hendricks and Lawler. (video is courtesy of the UFC)