This is the UFC 181 live blog for Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler 2, a welterweight bout at Saturday night's UFC event at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Saturday night
Hendricks, who has won four of his past five fights, will face Lawler, who has won four of his past five fights, in the main event.
Check out the UFC 181 live blog below.
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Round 1: The referee in charge of the action is Herb Dean. Lawler and Hendricks are southpaw. Lawler is barnstorming with knees in the clinch and an uppercut. Hendricks shoots and it's stuffed, but now they're both trading in the clinch. Hendricks finally slows Lawler down and presses him into the fence. Hendricks attempted a single, but no dice. Lawler scores a knee to the face as he's being pressed into the fence. Hendricks lands his own knee and separates. Hendricks now throwing a series of inside and outside leg kicks. Hand-foot combo lands for Hendricks as does a double leg off the fence.
MMA Fighting scores this round 10-9 Lawler
Round 2: Hendricks scores with an inside leg kick. Lawler clips with a head kick, but Hendricks back to chipping away with his own kicks and a left hand. Lawler with a lead in elbow, but misses and eats two leg kicks to the lead leg of Lawler. Another hand-kick combo scores for Hendricks and now the champion is in on a takedown attempt against the fence. He gets it, albeit after a struggle. Knee to the body scores for Hendricks. Lawler eventually stands and they move to the center of the cage. Excellent front kick lands for Lawler, to the face. The two trade in the middle, with kicks and punches from all angles. Lawler slips on a kick at the end of the round. Hendricks jumps on a guillotine, but the bell sounds before there's any real chance for it to work or fail.
MMA Fighting scores this round 10-9 Hendricks
Round 3: Lawler throwing front kicks to the body, Hendricks going to the legs. Excellent hand-foot combo from Hendricks lands two punches and an outside leg kick. He does it again. He tries it again, but only the kicks land this time. Hendricks tries backing Lawler up and winging a left, but Lawler backs out before it can happen. Two hard punches land for Hendricks, snapping Lawler's head back, plus the finishing leg kick. Hendricks dives on a single leg and gets it. Lawler's able to stand, however, and Hendricks drives him into the fence. He finally scores it just before the end of the round.
MMA Fighting scores this round 10-9 Hednricks
Round 4: Lawler's a bit more active early, but eats a right hand and left knee to the body. Hendricks is chip shotting him and then uses a single to drive into the fence. The referee separates the position due to inactivity. Lawler whiffs on a head kick that had bad intentions on it. Lawler lands a short left, but Hendricks is moving around him. Hendricks drops for single and gets it. Lawler stands a few seconds later. Lawler is threatening, but Hendricks is doing all the activity. Hendricks is holding onto a single, but is eating a bunch of shots from Lawler in the process.
MMA Fighting scores this round 10-9 Hendricks
Round 5: Right hook scores Hendricks. He attempts a single and it fails. The two trade punches in the ensuing scramble. Hendricks drives him into the cage for a takedown, but can't get it at first. The referee separates them for inactibity. The two trade strikes in the center of the cage, both landing but Hendricks throwing a bit more volume. Hendricks in on another double attempt against the fence. He tries to switch to a single, but the referee breaks them up again. Hendricks lands a short left and is in on a single, but can't get much going while Lawler pounds on him from above. Lawler escapes and is pouring it on with a flurry.
MMA Fighting scores this round 10-9 Lawler and the fight 48-47 Hendricks
Robbie Lawler def. Johny Hendricks (48-47 Lawler, 48-47 Hendricks, 49-46 Lawler)