Going into the 2007 national championships final match, Hendricks had a record of 34–0 for the season and had won his third straight Big 12 title along the way.

[7] Hendricks would go on to have his first career mixed martial arts (MMA) fight only seven months after his last collegiate wrestling match.

[8] Hendricks fought once more in 2007, defeating Spencer Cowley by second-round TKO at Snakebite Fight Night held in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

[11] Hendricks, Roller and Rosholt signed multi-fight deals with World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC).

[14] which was the last 170-pound bout in WEC history due to the company's decision to dissolve its welterweight division and focus on lighter weight fighters.

Hendricks continued to land punches until referee Dan Miragliotta pulled him off and ended the fight 29 seconds into the first round.

[25] Instead, Hendricks fought TJ Waldburger on March 26, 2011, at UFC Fight Night 24, replacing an injured Dennis Hallman.

[42] In addition, the site MMADecisions.com reported that every one of the sixteen MMA media members whose scores they collect declared the fight a decision victory for Hendricks.

[44] On December 13, 2013, news came that Georges St-Pierre would be taking an indefinite break from MMA and vacating his belt.

[47] Hendricks underwent surgery to repair a torn bicep that he sustained prior to his fight with Lawler.

[49] After a strong start, Hendricks slowed in the later rounds and ultimately lost the fight and the title via split decision.

[53] However, the bout was scrapped prior to the weigh-ins due to an intestinal blockage and kidney stone attack suffered by Hendricks during the weight cut.

[58] Prior to the bout, Hendricks missed weight by a quarter of a pound and therefore surrendered 20% of his purse to Gastelum.

[62] Prior to the fight, Hendricks announced his intentions to move up to middleweight after facing Magny due to the hard weight-cut.

[63] After several struggles to make the welterweight limit, Hendricks opted to move up a weight class to the middleweight division.

[66] Hendricks lost the fight via TKO due to a head kick and punches early in the second round.

[69] On June 27, 2018, Hendricks announced his retirement from competing in professional mixed martial arts and would concentrate on coaching wrestling.

[70] Only a few months after retiring from mixed martial arts, news surfaced that Hendricks would be transitioning into bare knuckle boxing.

His debut was expected to be against fellow retired mixed martial artist Brennan Ward at World Bare Knuckle Fighting Federation's inaugural event on November 9, 2018.

[71] During the fight week, Ward announced that he won't be competing at the event due to a contract dispute and was replaced by Dakota Cochrane.

[78] After retiring from mixed martial arts competition, Hendricks began working as a police officer in Texas.