When last we heard from Johny Hendricks, the former NCAA Champion wrestler from Oklahoma State intended to wait in line for his shot at the UFC Welterweight Championship, which he had unofficially earned by beating Josh Koscheck at the UFC on Fox 3 fight card in May.

That appears to not be the case, however, as Hendricks is being lined up to fight Martin "Hitman" Kampmann at UFC 154 in November in Montreal. That same fight card is being targeted as the return date of the UFC Welterweight Champion, Georges St-Pierre, who would face interim champion Carlos Condit in a bout to determine the undisputed champion.

It may be a risky move for Hendricks, who will effectively be putting his title shot on the line against a dangerous opponent on a three-fight win streak, but it's also the right move, for both Hendricks and the UFC.

As dangerous as a battle with "the Hitman" will be, sitting on the sidelines and awaiting a title shot is no safe bet; just ask Rashad Evans. By taking on Kampmann, Hendricks stays active, giving him an opportunity to keep building momentum heading into that expected title shot.

At the same time, a battle with Kampmann represents the greatest striking challenge that Hendricks has ever faced in the UFC.  While Hendricks' 13-1 career record is impressive, he's never faced a truly feared striker like Kampmann, who, it must be said, is also a dangerous submission artist. In Kampmann, Hendricks has an opponent who can help prepare him for an eventual title shot, whether it's against GSP or the "Natural Born Killer."

Meanwhile, the UFC gets a chance to keep building up Hendricks. While Hendricks has beaten a pair of former No. 1 contenders in his last two outings in Koscheck and Jon Fitch, he's still building name recognition amongst more casual UFC fans. A win over Kampmann, who's fought in the main event in three of his last four appearances, builds Hendricks' credentials for that eventual title shot.

Of course, he has to beat Kampmann first, and that's no easy task. In the end, Hendricks could wind up losing to Kampmann, and while that would be a tough blow for the former national champion wrestler, at the age of 28, he would still have time to learn and grow from the experience, while Kampmann would certainly make a viable No. 1 contender.

In short, it's an acceptable risk for Hendricks, and a win-win for the UFC.