Forgetful UFC champ Johny Hendricks keeps his beard so fans will remember him

Johny Hendricks says the only difference between his old life and new one as UFC welterweight champion is getting recognized more often.

To a certain degree, he’s made sure of that. As he told MMAjunkie Radio, he keeps at least a small part of his most distinguishing feature so fans won’t forget him.

“I try to keep clean-shaved because it’s so hot,” Hendricks said. “Having facial hair is not fun during the summer. (But) realistically, if I go clean-shaven, nobody will recognize me. I look like I’m 18. I keep somewhat of a beard there. People can be like, ‘Is that him? Is that not him?’

“I want to make sure that the fans want to approach me how I am. We’re nothing without them, so I want to make sure they can always approach me and get a conversation or get a picture. I want to make sure the fans know I’m there for them.”

Before winning the title, Hendricks (16-2 MMA, 11-2 UFC) made a habit of growing out his facial hair in training camp. After his fights, he would get out the razor. Over time, though, his bushy beard became something of a trademark. On several sponsor-made T-shirts, it was featured more than his face.

One particular shirt simply said, “Fear the beard.”

So Hendricks, who resides within the Dallas metro area, is making the most of his image. And the 30-year-old fighter as a lot of time to talk to fans as he recovers from a torn bicep suffered in the weeks prior to his title-winning performance against Robbie Lawler at UFC 171. He expects to return by the end of the year to fight the winner of an upcoming fight between Lawler and Matt Brown.

In the meantime, the belt is a constant reminder of how far he’s come. That is, when he remembers it.

Hendricks initially planned to put the bulky item in a safe-deposit box for safe keeping. But its presence is constantly requested when he travels around the country for appearances, and the champ admits he can be absent-minded about keeping track.

“Two weeks (after I won the belt), the UFC told me, ‘You’ve got to go somewhere, and we want the belt,’” he said. “I’m like, ‘alright.’ And there are times I’ll be driving somewhere, and I’ll be like, ‘Oh my gosh, I forgot the belt.’ It’s out of sight, out of mind.

“I do have it where I never think about it, because I want more of them, but I have it where I can easily access it.”

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.