Johny Hendricks: GSP Has My Belt, He's Just Holding on to It for Me

Upcoming UFC welterweight title challenger Johny Hendricks is oozing with confidence leading up to his showdown with champion Georges St-Pierre at UFC 167 in November. 

In an interview with MMA Fight Corner, "Bigg Rigg" says fans have yet to see him show his true potential inside the Octagon and he is completely confident he has the tools to beat his French-Canadian counterpart. 

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I want to knock him out, but I want his hands to be up. I want to punch people’s hands and I wanna lay him out the right way ... The only people who know my true power are people that I’ve wrestled and that’s about it. That’s what I’m excited to bring out is that kind of intensity, that kind of power that I haven’t shown the world yet, and I plan to do that in November ... That’s the hardest part is stepping in against a guy who’s had the belt since forever ago. The most important thing is that I believe that’s my belt. He’s just holding onto it for me.

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Hendricks made it clear that he wants a victory over GSP, who enters the bout on an 11-fight win streak, to be decisive and without controversy, unlike Chris Weidman's shocking upset over Anderson Silva this past Saturday.

While Weidman knocked out the legendary Silva with a left hook in the second round, naysayers believe "The All-American" doesn't stand a chance in a potential rematch if Silva cuts back on the showboating. 

Following the loss by the Brazilian pound-for-pound great, St-Pierre currently holds the longest active win streak in the UFC. 

Additionally, he has a realistic chance of tying Silva's record of 10 consecutive title defenses. GSP currently boasts eight title defenses in a row. 

Hendricks, who has won six fights in a row in his own right, sounds like he has other plans and will bring the fight to the long-time 170-pound kingpin. 

Will Hendricks be able to make good on his word and dethrone St-Pierre this fall or will the face of the Tristar Gym once again prove to be too much to handle? 

John Heinis is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA Editor for eDraft.com and contributes MMA videos to The Young Turks Sports Show.