The O’Collegian

Music blared from the Oklahoma State wrestling room’s speakers as Johny Hendricks methodically punched the bag.

Hendricks was in his own world, in the far corner of the Oklahoma State wrestling room. Current and former OSU wrestlers grappled behind him as if they were preparing for the NCAA tournament.

The sound of Hendricks’ right hooks combined with bodies slamming against the mat muffled the bass of the hip-hop music.

Hendricks trained countless hours waiting for this moment; and that moment has arrived.

The former Cowboy wrestler will make his much anticipated mixed martial arts debut Friday night in Masters of the Cage XVI in Oklahoma City.

“I’m really excited,” Hendricks said. “I’ve been training  hard for three months. Really, really hard for the last month and a half once I found out who I’d be fighting was set in stone.”

The last time OSU fans saw Johny was in his heartbreaking loss in the 2007 NCAA National Finals. Hendricks lost to Iowa’s Mark Perry, an opponent Hendricks had previously beaten seven times.

Despite that loss, Hendricks is widely regarded as one of the most talented and charismatic wrestlers in collegiate wrestling history. He won two individual national titles and was a three-time All-American at OSU.

But it was Hendricks’ wrestling persona that drew the most attention throughout his career. Cowboy fans loved his swagger, and rivals hated Hendricks for being too cocky. Even non-rivals vehemently booed him after wins. Why would that be the case? Hendricks had the answer.

“My attitude on the mat,” Hendricks said. “My desire to win was greater than everyone thought it was. That’s how it was – whatever it took to win.”

Now Hendricks will transfer his confidence and wrestling ability to the rapidly growing sport known as MMA. Hendricks fights for Team Takedown, an Arlington, Texas-based MMA management company specifically designed to mold former collegiate wrestlers.

Hendricks is a part of Team Takedown’s initiative of, “Turning Great Wrestlers into Ultimate Fighters.”

Hendricks said he decided to delve into MMA after his final match as a Cowboy.

“I wanted to go for the Olympics but I also wanted to fight,” Hendricks said. “This offer came up and I was like, ‘Man, this sounds like a great deal.’ I knew if I wasn’t what [Team Takedown] wanted that I could still go for the Olympics but I knew with my will and desire whatever I put my mind to that’s what I was going to be best at.”

From there, Johny experienced a crash course in all the various forms for MMA like boxing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. To get a proper education he would travel to Las Vegas to train with the very best.

Hendricks trains at Xtreme Couture Gym with a fellow former Cowboy, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight champion Randy Couture.

Hendricks, who is an avid UFC fan, said training with Couture is the perfect situation.

“[Randy’s] a great guy, the gym’s awesome and I have the greatest workout partners in the world,” Hendricks said. “New guys are coming in just wanting to train at Randy’s gym. So I feel like I’m at the best spot I can be at.”

Hendricks move to MMA is part of a growing trend of wrestlers making the move to MMA instead of competing internationally. Former Wrestlers like Couture and Josh Koscheck are stars in the UFC and Friday night’s card is stacked with former collegiate wrestlers.

OSU fans attending will also get a chance to see two other former Cowboy wrestlers. Three-time national champion Jake Rosholt and three-time All-American Shane Roller are also members of Team Takedown.

Hendricks said he expects to see a lot of orange Friday night.

“That’s the reason we’re doing [the fights] back [in Oklahoma] so we can be around OSU fans,” Hendricks said. “Not only them, but bring in Norman fans that didn’t get to support us because we went to OSU. Bring everybody together that are wrestling fans in the central area.”

With Hendricks’ wrestling credentials, he should be able to out-wrestle most opponents he faces. And to be the best, like Couture, you have to be a well-rounded fighter. To become a more multi-dimensional fighter, Hendricks said he has worked on his boxing skills five hours a day for the past three months.

Hendricks said he is confident he can box his way to victory, but said wrestling is what he knows best.

“I want to stay on my feet wit the guy but instincts are going to take over,” Hendricks said. “What I’ve done for 19 years is wrestle so if he hits me I’ll hit him back and take him down.”

The music that once blared from the speakers is now mute, and the current OSU wrestlers are now spectators. All that can be heard is the grunts and breathing of Hendricks and former Cowboy wrestler Tyrone Lewis.  Hendricks shadow boxes and grapples with the much larger, stronger Lewis.

The current wrestlers gather around the mat, watching the two as if they are studying for an exam. They eye every punch, kick and takedown. After all, this may be their future profession.

Hendricks doesn’t seem to notice, though. His focus is on Friday night, against an opponent he’s been waiting three long months for, but doesn’t really know.

“Nothing against him, I just don’t care who I’m fighting,” Hendricks said. “He probably doesn’t care who I am. I don’t care who it is, just line ‘em up.”