DALLAS – Tonight Johny Hendricks fights for the UFC’s vacant welterweight title, and the wrestler-turned-striker said he’s taking precautions in the gym to hopefully ensure any title reign is a long and healthy one.

Hendricks (15-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) meets fellow hard-hitting 170-pounder Robbie Lawler (22-9 MMA, 7-3 UFC) in tonight’s UFC 171 pay-per-view headliner at Dallas’ American Airlines Center. Although Friday’s weigh-ins provided some drama for “Bigg Rigg,” earlier in the week, Hendricks discussed how sparring works in the gym.

“I don’t take head shots (in camp),” said Hendricks, who wears bulky head gear for the duration of his fight preparations. “The reason why is that you don’t get paid in the gym; you get training in the gym. I want to save them for in the octagon, and I think that’s what helps me a lot.”

Check out the above video as Hendricks explains why.

And for the latest on UFC 171, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.