SB Nation welterweight rankings: Should Hendricks or MacDonald get next title shot?

Does former UFC welterweight champion Johny Hendricks deserve an immediate trilogy fight against the man who lifted his title by the slimmest of margins at UFC 181, Robbie Lawler? Or should the UFC move forward with its original plan to give Rory MacDonald the next title shot?

Those are the questions upon which the entire welterweight division will hinge in 2015 (Okay, and also whether former champion Georges St-Pierre returns).

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SB Nation welterweight rankings: Should Hendricks or MacDonald get next title shot?

Rory MacDonald: "I could place anyone away in the division"

LAS VEGAS — Rory MacDonald spoke with all the media Saturday at UFC 181 and discussed his new “Red King” nickname, whether he considers Georges St-Pierre will come back to the UFC and his assurance which he could complete another combatant in the welterweight division.

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Rory MacDonald: "I could place anyone away in the division"

Dana White: Robbie Lawler vs. Johny Hendricks 3 "would not be a poor thought"

Johny Hendricks and Las Vegas judges seemingly simply do not get along. A little over annually after Hendricks fell a controversial split decision to then-champ Georges St-Pierre, history repeated itself at UFC 181 as Hendricks disappeared late and lost another contentious split decision, this time to deliver his UFC welterweight title to Robbie Lawler.

“I say to these men most of the time: do not leave this in the hands of these judges,” UFC President Dana White said of the decision on FOX Sports 1. “You’ve gotta stand up and you have gotta go for this. Hendricks believed Johny looked great standing up. Johny was getting off, he was landing some punches. But then he’d go for that shot and simply sit there and waste time.

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Dana White: Robbie Lawler vs. Johny Hendricks 3 "would not be a poor thought"

Johny Hendricks describes why he does not let common folk hold his tournament belt

LAS VEGAS — Johny Hendricks talks about his UFC 181 title fight against Robbie Lawler, whether he was hurried to come back, his time off, why he does not let individuals hold his belt, a rematch against Georges St-Pierre, and more.

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Johny Hendricks describes why he does not let common folk hold his tournament belt

Morning Report: Rory MacDonald says he had never fight Georges St-Pierre and "stab him in the back"

Although former UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre and his protege Rory MacDonald claim to have never seriously discussed the matter, the pair hasn’t wavered over refusing to fight one another.

Calling St Pierre ‘one of the more welcoming individuals’ during his 2010 move to Montreal’s Tristar Gym, MacDonald says the then-champ never handled him like a future challenge.

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Morning Report: Rory MacDonald says he had never fight Georges St-Pierre and "stab him in the back"

After scoring deal he could not refuse, Nick Diaz wonders why he accepted fights against "average degree competitors"

When Nick Diaz retired in March 2013 fresh from losing a lopsided unanimous decision to then-UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre, he told reporters that the only fights to could coax him back to the cage will be a rematch contrary to the Canadian or a superfight against Anderson Silva. At that time, Diaz’s requests were mostly scoffed at. This is a man who had lost two straight trips; he was not just in the position to barter for another huge chance.

But a funny thing occurred in the 16 months that followed that night. St Pierre retired, lifting the curtain to the sport’s drug outbreak on his way outside; Silva lost simply not once, but twice in outrageous manner; Chael Sonnen unceremoniously left the limelight; a rash of harms sailed from the other side of the UFC’s top echelon; the promotion’s fading draws disappeared only somewhat more.

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After scoring deal he could not refuse, Nick Diaz wonders why he accepted fights against "average degree competitors"

Nick Diaz wants GSP rematch, but not "in Canada where you can just be on steroids"

LAS VEGAS – Nick Diaz has it in his head that fighters can take pretty much anything they want up in Canada, without repercussion.

Diaz, who returns from his self-imposed exile to meet Anderson Silva in the main event of UFC 183, told reporters on Tuesday that he’d be down for a rematch of his last fight, a unanimous-decision loss to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 158.

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Nick Diaz wants GSP rematch, but not "in Canada where you can just be on steroids"

Nick Diaz fires back at ‘old Georges’ St-Pierre: He"s ‘scared’ to fight Anderson Silva

While much has changed in MMA over the past few years, at least we can take comfort in knowing that fewer things still liven up a Nick Diaz interview faster than the mention of Georges St-Pierre’s name.

In classic Diaz fashion, Stockton’s favorite son meandered through a myriad of topics during Monday’s appearance The MMA Hour, from his near two-year layoff to his upcoming return fight against Anderson Silva at UFC 183. But without a doubt, the subject that fired Diaz up the most was his old welterweight rival, St-Pierre, and the former champ’s comments that Diaz “made a mistake” by accepting the fight against Silva at 185 pounds rather than a catchweight.

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Nick Diaz fires back at ‘old Georges’ St-Pierre: He"s ‘scared’ to fight Anderson Silva

Morning Report: Georges St-Pierre still unsure of return, makes his prediction for Johny Hendricks" rematch with Robbie Lawler

It’s now been a year since Georges St-Pierre stepped into the Octagon, but the former UFC welterweight champion says he isn’t much closer to deciding his future involvement in the sport.

“I don’t know if I will go back to competition,” St-Pierre told MMA Canada this weekend in Toronto. “That’s why I didn’t call it ‘a retirement,’ I called it ‘a break’ because I don’t know. [Light heavyweight boxer] Bernard Hopkins has a good analogy. He says, ‘You can’t ask a woman who just gave birth and suffered for many hours if she will have another baby again.’ Same thing for me when I got out of competition.”

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Morning Report: Georges St-Pierre still unsure of return, makes his prediction for Johny Hendricks" rematch with Robbie Lawler

Morning Report: Stephan Bonnar denies Tito Ortiz" claims of spying, explains how disagreement with Dana White led him to Bellator

Greasin’? Fine. Questionable hand wraps? Sure. But deep cover espionage? Perhaps you were correct to balk at the notion.

After Tito Ortiz claimed earlier this week that he had not only conspired to have his Bellator 131 opponent signed by the promotion, but to have planted a mole into his training camp, Stephan Bonnar isn’t buying it.

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Morning Report: Stephan Bonnar denies Tito Ortiz" claims of spying, explains how disagreement with Dana White led him to Bellator

Georges St-Pierre"s guidance to present headliners: "You should find out your career as a company"

Few elite mixed martial artists have managed to parlay their brand as successfully as former longtime UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre.

The Montreal native evolved to the sport’s biggest draw and brought mainstream sponsorships from top mainstream sports-related products like Gatorade and Under Armour along the way.

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Georges St-Pierre"s guidance to present headliners: "You should find out your career as a company"

Georges St-Pierre"s guidance to present headliners: "You should find out your career as a company"

Few elite mixed martial artists have managed to parlay their brand as successfully as former longtime UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre.

The Montreal native evolved to the sport’s biggest draw and brought mainstream sponsorships from top mainstream sports-related products like Gatorade and Under Armour along the way.

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Georges St-Pierre"s guidance to present headliners: "You should find out your career as a company"

GSP: Nick Diaz "made a blunder" by accepting Anderson Silva fight at 185 pounds

Georges St-Pierre is as qualified as anyone to remark about the highly anticipated UFC 183 primary event between returning former longtime middleweight winner Anderson Silva and his fellow returnee, former Strikeforce welterweight winner Nick Diaz.

St-Pierre was Silva’s modern-day for a long time atop the sport’s pound-for-pound surveys, and he fought Diaz, getting the better of him via selection at UFC 158.

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GSP: Nick Diaz "made a blunder" by accepting Anderson Silva fight at 185 pounds

Georges St-Pierre medically cleared to restart MMA training

Georges St-Pierre is one step closer to fighting again.

The former UFC welterweight champ continues to be medically cleared to restart MMA preparing, in accordance with UFC president Dana White. St Pierre met along with his physician this week in La.

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Georges St-Pierre medically cleared to restart MMA training

Anderson Silva warns Nick Diaz against trash talking: "I don"t like to be disrespected"

Nick Diaz and pre-fight animosity aren’t exactly strangers. With his brazen style and tendency to speak his mind, Diaz has proven to be a master at provoking his opponents both inside and outside of the cage, even drawing the usually-reserved Georges St-Pierre into his now-infamous dark place before the pair fought at UFC 158.

And while Diaz has remained largely silent since his blockbuster return bout against former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva was scheduled for early 2015, that didn’t happen to be the case when the fighting pride of Stockton was still angling for the fight earlier this summer while Silva was rehabilitating his badly broken left leg.

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Anderson Silva warns Nick Diaz against trash talking: "I don"t like to be disrespected"

Daron Cruickshank vs. K.J. Noons announced for TUF 20 Finale

A lightweight battle was added to the upcoming The Ultimate Fighter 20 Finale card in Las Vegas. UFC officially announced that Daron Cruickshank will take on former Strikeforce star K.J. Noons at the Nevada’s Palms Casino Resort on Dec. 12.

Fresh off a decision victory over Anthony Njokuani, Cruickshank (16-5) improved to 3-1 in his past four bouts inside the Octagon. Noons (13-7), who looked impressive in his last UFC bout with a 30-second win over Sam Stout in April, enters the bout on a two-fight winning streak with a decision win over George Sotiropoulos in late 2013.

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Daron Cruickshank vs. K.J. Noons announced for TUF 20 Finale

Firas Zahabi believes Georges St-Pierre will ultimately return to the UFC: ‘It’s who he is’

Speculation continues to swirl regarding former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and a possible comeback to mixed martial arts, as St-Pierre is scheduled to ease back into training at the end of October following a lengthy rehabilitation period from surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee.

St-Pierre vacated his long-held UFC title last December after announcing his indefinite hiatus from the sport that catapulted him into global prominence. In the time since, UFC President Dana White has continued to insist that St-Pierre will return, while St-Pierre’s former manager Stephane Patry reported last week that the Canadian star had officially made his decision.

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Firas Zahabi believes Georges St-Pierre will ultimately return to the UFC: ‘It’s who he is’

Georges St-Pierre refutes report claiming he is returning to fighting

Earlier this week, Renzo Gracie said on “The MMA Hour” that he was certain Georges St-Pierre would return to fighting in the future. On Wednesday, St-Pierre’s former manager Stephane Patry reported on RDS that St-Pierre had officially decided to come back, as well.

The whispers continue to get louder and louder about the former welterweight king’s return.

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Georges St-Pierre refutes report claiming he is returning to fighting

Bellator 125 live stream online

Watch Bellator 125 live stream online on MMA Fighting for the preliminary card at 7 p.m. ET. The fight card for this particular part of the occasion is as follows:Ron Keslar vs. Jesse JuarezAaron Wilkinson vs. Chris HoneycuttJulio Cesar Neves vs. Poppies MartinezGranson Clark vs. George ZunigaJonny Bonilla-Bowman vs. Art BecerraOscar Ramirez vs. Matt RamirezJoe Neal vs. Paul Ruiz Nate James vs. Anthony RuizBellator 125 takes place at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif. Bellator middleweights Dough Marshall and Melvin Manhoef will collide in the primary event.

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Bellator 125 live stream online

Bellator 125 Results: Marshall vs. Manhoef

MMA Fighting has Bellator 125 results for the Marshall vs. Manhoef fight card Friday night from the Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif.In the primary event, Melvin Manhoef will make his Bellator introduction against Doug Marshall in a middleweight competition. Check out the Bellator 125 results under. Primary Card (Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET)Doug Marshall vs. Melvin ManhoefRafael Carvalho vs. Brian RogersMartin Stapleton vs. Goiti YamauchiJavy Ayala vs. Raphael ButlerUndercard (View Live on MMA Fighting at 7 p.m. ET)Ron Keslar vs. Jesse JuarezAaron Wilkinson vs. Chris HoneycuttJulio Cesar Neves vs. Poppies MartinezGranson Clark vs. George ZunigaJonny Bonilla-Bowman vs. Art BecerraOscar Ramirez vs. Matt RamirezJoe Neal vs. Paul Ruiz Nate James vs. Anthony Ruiz

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Bellator 125 Results: Marshall vs. Manhoef