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Stephen Thompson puts himself in consideration for Robbie Lawler

Former champion Johny Hendricks falls in first stoppage defeat of his career

Welterweight Thompson Beats Hendricks

L.E. Baskow

Welterweight Johny Hendricks takes a shot to the chin from Stephen Thompson during their UFC Fight Night 82 match at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday, February 6 2016.

UFC Fight Night 82

Welterweight Johny Hendricks takes a shot to the chin from Stephen Thompson during their UFC Fight Night 82 match at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday, February 6 2016.  L.E. Baskow Launch slideshow »

Robbie Lawler might have the most tenacious striking style in the UFC, while Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson owns the flashiest.

Fans might soon find out what happens when the two superlative yet contrasting approaches come together. Thompson may have claimed the next fight against the welterweight champion Lawler with a first-round knockout victory over Johny Hendricks in the main event of UFC Fight Night 82 Saturday night at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

“I’m asking for the title,” Thompson declared at the post-fight news conference. “I know there’s a lot of guys in line, but I think after that performance, I deserve it.”

No one had ever stopped Hendricks, the former welterweight champion, in a fight or even come particularly close. Thompson finished him in three minutes and 31 seconds with a dazzling display of strikes.

Thompson, a karate black belt and former kickboxing world champion, maintained his preferred range by aggravating Hendricks with kicks. He flustered Hendricks enough with one flurry against the cage to create an opening for his punches, and scored the stoppage with a flush left hand.

“I just stuck to my game plan: Keep him at the end of my hands and feet,” Thompson said.

The performance would have conceivably been enough to earn a championship bout at most of the weight classes in the UFC. But the 170-pound division is mired in a traffic jam of contenders.

Lawler’s pair of title defenses, against Carlos Condit and Rory MacDonald, went down as two of the best fights in UFC history. Both matchups were thrilling enough to merit rematches.

Then there’s Tyron Woodley, who already owns a victory over Condit, and the perpetual rumors regarding a return from former champion Georges St. Pierre, who relinquished his belt to go on a hiatus more than two years ago. Calls for Thompson to face Lawler rang the loudest after UFC Fight Night 82, though.

“I know Robbie is tough,” Hendricks said. “Do I think (Thompson) could beat him? I don’t know.”

Hendricks was also in the conversation for another shot at Lawler going into the bout with Thompson, as the two have a trilogy to complete. Hendricks defeated Lawler in their first meeting for St. Pierre’s vacated belt before losing via controversial unanimous decision in the rematch.

Even that questionable verdict in December 2014 might not have frustrated Hendricks as much Thompson. Hendricks didn’t know how to respond to Thompson’s constant circling away after landing kicks and changing stances.

“Robbie is sort of the way I like to fight: You’re going to bite down on the mouthpiece, you’re coming to throw and you’re going to throw some more,” Hendricks said. “Steven, as soon as I felt like I landed something, he was like, ‘Screw that, I’m backing out.’”

Thompson has now won six in a row, with four of the victories coming by knockout. That’s the most consecutive wins in the division, even one more than Lawler’s five straight since Hendricks beat him in March 2014.

If Thompson gets his way, only one of those streaks will stand a few months from now.

“Title shot, baby,” Thompson said. “That’s what I want.”

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.

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