UFC’s Georges St-Pierre to defend belt against Johny Hendricks

Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre will defend his belt Nov. 16 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas against hard-hitting Johny Hendricks, UFC President Dana White told The Times on Wednesday.

St-Pierre (24-2) will seek to defend his belt successfully for the 10th consecutive time after recapturing it in 2007 following a loss earlier that year to Matt Serra.

The main event of the UFC 167 card will coincide with planned festivities to commemorate the organization’s 20th anniversary.

“I’m ready to go,” St-Pierre said. “He’s a big puncher, with big hands, but I’m ready for it. I’ve fought guys before with knockout power; it’s not my first time.

“Everyone is different. He brings a different arsenal than most guys I’ve fought. But everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. I’ll work on that, and I’ll be ready.”

St-Pierre told The Times on Tuesday that following a Fox Sports commercial shoot at the Los Angeles Sports Arena he was planning to train at famed boxing trainer Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood.

“I’m going to make the fight my fight and try to take him out,” St-Pierre, 32, said.

The 29-year-old Hendricks (15-1) most recently fought in March, beating former welterweight title challenger Carlos Condit by decision to extend an impressive run of victories over fighters including Martin Kampmann, Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch.

The Oklahoma State product has five knockout wins in 11 UFC fights.

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