Welterweight Johny Hendricks (Pictured) has spent the last few months preparing for his showdown with Mike Pierce at UFC 133 “Evans vs. Ortiz 2” on Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. As he tells it in a recent interview with Sherdog.com, practice involves more than just refining technique and pulling punches. Training smarter, he says, involves fitting himself and his training partners with the best equipment available:

“People think that I have better gear than my training partners because of sponsors. I’m protecting my partners, but now I need to make sure that they are protecting me, so I try to make sure that my partners have [equipment] as good or almost as good as I do. I make sure they have soft gloves like I do, so they can throw as hard as they want and not [injure me]. Good shin guards, good headgear and a good mouthpiece -- these are things that are very important for me to stay healthy, so I expect my training partners to do the same thing.”

Johny Hendricks moved to 9-0 with an impressive second round TKO of Charlie Brenneman at UFC 117.

The previously undefeated Brenneman (12-1) got to his opponent’s chin early in round one, but was unable to recover from a series of left hands dished out by Hendricks in the second stage.

Brenneman was floored four times by left hands in just 40 seconds of round two, the final of which signaled the end as referee Josh Rosenthal saved the welterweight prospect from further punishment.

Boston’s famous Fenway Park is in the UFC’s sights, said UFC President Dana White at the post-fight press conference for UFC 101 early Sunday morning in Philadelphia. The state’s senate passed a bill on July 22 to regulate the sport, a first step that could see the Octagon makes its Massachusetts debut by next summer. White is a Boston native himself.

Meanwhile, White also mentioned that the promotion has other potential deals in play and could add another event to its October calendar in addition to UFC 104, which is scheduled for Oct. 24 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.