ARLINGTON, Texas -- UFC welterweight champion Johny Hendricks hopes to get the brace protecting his surgically repaired torn right biceps off in three weeks and is aiming to be fully healthy by late June or early July.
Hendricks, at Globe Life Park on Monday to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, said he knew his arm didn't feel right when he attempted his first takedown in his title bout with Robbie Lawler at AT&T Stadium in Dallas in March. Hendricks told ESPN.com in March that he felt something in the arm during his last day of sparring prior to the fight. He also fractured his shin during the victory over Lawler.
"Anytime you go in a fight you try to get in there as injury-free as you can because training is so hard," Hendricks said. "Whenever you train it's not as if you go in there 100 percent; it's as close as you can get to that. Whenever you're in the fight I could tell something was wrong but you have to put that to the back of your mind.
"It's just like if a game plan fails you don't explode right there you just say, 'All right, that happened, how I modify my game plan.' "
A pitcher growing up, the left-handed Hendricks didn't have a problem throwing the first pitch to bench coach Tim Bogar on Monday.
Hendricks lives in Midlothian, Texas and has become a Rangers and Cowboys fan. His trip to Arlington was marked by a rare public appearance for his championship belt as Hendricks said he doesn't display the trophy at home, preferring to keep it in a safe instead.
He's waiting to see which contender might step up to earn a title shot against him, when he's ready to fight. Hendricks said in March he was aiming for a fall return to the Octagon, possibly as late as November.