Johny Hendricks has definitely made a name for himself in the octagon fighting in the UFC. He is a mixed martial artist and an accomplished former collegiate wrestler. This month he will be taking on Matt Brown at the UFC 185 on March 14th. Thanks to Reebok I was able to chat with Johny about training for the fight in March, what he is doing differently for this match, fatherhood, and how the Reebok “Be More Human” campaign has helped him train for UFC 185.
For the “Be More Human” campaign well to all the athletes out there who spend their days bloody, muddy, and sore, not for bright lights or money, but to simply be the best version of themselves: This is for you.
Art Eddy: I am digging the new Reebok “Be More Human” campaign. You work with Reebok. What are your thoughts on Reebok’s idea of being more human?
Johny Hendricks: I love it. I love that Reebok is saying that you don’t have to go to the gym. They are saying get out there and get some fresh air and work. Sometimes that is the best way. When you get so caught up in working inside it seems like you are on repeat. It is like oh we are in the gym again.
It is nice to get out there and throw some stones, flip some tires, and pump some iron. Being outside is great. It is not like the same scenery over and over again. It is nice to let the sunshine hit you with a little bit of cold air while you are pumping some iron.
AE: March 14th you will face Matt Brown at UFC 185. How has training been going so far? 
JH: It has been a little different. I have been fighting a southpaw for the last year. Now I am going back to right handers. Matt is a tough guy. He is a guy that will come forward. So it will be an opportunity for me to get back to the old Johny. I have been lifting weights. I have kept my weight down. I never got over 200 pounds and I feel like I have never been stronger.
I am going to be able to lift weights all the way up to my fight. I am only walking around at 195, which is what I usually am during the week of the fight. I am actually getting to lift weights, pump iron, and do all of those things. I also get to stay in the comfort of my own house. I get to fight in Dallas which is going to be awesome.
AE: When you are walking to the octagon what is going through your mind?
JH: There are a couple of things. One is don’t do anything stupid. (Both laugh.) Two enjoy the moment. How many people get to walk down that aisle and have thousands of people cheering for you? That is what I am thinking about. At that time I am not really thinking of the fight. I try to enjoy that moment. I tell my coaches that when this gets old is when it is time to retire. There is nothing old about walking out to have people cheering for you.
When I am in the octagon is when I think about how I am going to start this fight. Once the ref asks if I am ready is when everything goes out the window. I become a complete blank screen. The reason why I do that is that if I think about stuff I hesitate. I say that I should be like water. Don’t think about anything and just flow. That is the way I want to be.
AE: In other sports I know that athletes look at a lot of video on their opponents. How much of video do you watch when scouting your next opponent?
JH: My coaches will scout for me. They will watch hours and hours of video. Then they will tell me what they think I should work on. Then we will watch the video and they will tell me why they want me to fight a certain way. While we watch the video I might say why not do this or this.
We will sit there and bounce ideas off each other. We start developing a game plan. When I spar we have my opponent mimic the best they can on who I am training for. I will try new combinations. If it doesn’t go well we will adapt it and change it until we are satisfied.
AE: What type of music do you listen to right before a fight?
JH: I listen to country. Right now I listen to Kevin Fowler and Aaron Watson. That is what is on my iPod. People hate it at our gym. Whosever camp it is at the gym gets to pick the music. Whenever it is my camp there at the gym I will throw on my country. People will say that it is so slow, but I am loving it. I am sitting there singing and training and just flowing.
The reason why I like country music is that I am singing. I am not thinking about throwing punches. It translates really well with fighting because I am focused on my music then what I am supposed to actually be doing. The training comes out with my music and my flow to the music. It helps with landing a punch or a kick.
AE: You and I got to talk about fatherhood last year. This time as we talk about fatherhood I would like to know how you balance work and family?
JH: Sometimes you got to suck it up and even though I am tired and exhausted I still say, ‘What do you want to honey?’ Family is a big part of my life. I love my kids. I love my wife. So even though I am tired I want to be there for them.
My philosophy is this; God, family, country, job. I want to make sure that if I dedicate this much time to my job then I got to make sure that I dedicate that same amount of time to my wife and my kids no matter the cost..
AE: What traits do your children get from you? 
JH: Right now they are punching, kicking, and wrestling. They will sit there and try a sneak attack. It is pretty funny. I sometime will say yep those are my kids. I’m sorry. (Both laugh.)
AE: What advice do you have for new dads out there?
JH: New dads, there are a couple of things. If they don’t come to you right off the bat don’t get too scared. Mama usually does everything right and it is going to be hard to pull away from mama. Whenever you get the time make sure you love them and care for them.
I would take a bullet for them. I would die for my kids. When my kids were first born my wife didn’t know if I was going to be a good dad. I told her that I couldn’t get them away from her. (Both laugh.) They wanted nothing but her. It sucked. I would want to take a nap with them or do this or that and my kids didn’t want that at that time. Yet I kept at it. I kept at it and at it. The next thing I knew I could do anything for them. They would want to do anything for me. That is what I would say. It is like anything in life. You got to work at it. The harder you work at it the more you get out of it.
Life of Dad Quick Five
AE: What is your favorite family movie you guys like to watch together?
JH: My kids love the Spider-Man movies. It is great. I get to watch it with them.
AE: Do you guys have a favorite song that you all like to sing and dance to as a family?
JH: (Laughs.) “Girl in a Truck.” My five year old loves that song. It is by Kevin Fowler.
AE: Describe the perfect family vacation.
JH: Take the camper out. Go out for four or five days. When we are in the camper my girls get to stay up late with me. We will watch movies. That is pretty much my favorite.
AE: What has been the most memorable moment so far in your UFC career?
JH: Definitely getting the title, but I have to go a little deeper than that. I would probably say when I lost the title. The reason why is the support that my wife gave me. To see her and my kids. You are so mad. You are so this and that, but it all went away as soon as I saw my kids. Life goes on. We can pick ourselves up.
AE: Out of the many Reebok kicks you own, which is your favorite?
JH: I have a bunch of them, but one stands out as the best. It is the Sharks. It’s the all-around shoe for me. I can play softball in them. I can run long distance in them. I can work day in and day out.