Britain's "Outlaw" lands in The UFC
by Ben Blackmore, 14 May 2008
British MMA fans may soon have a new icon to follow after top European and English welterweight Dan Hardy landed in The UFC and instantly told setantasports.com: “I don’t fear anyone.”
The 25-year-old kickboxing expert from Nottingham – easily recognisable by his purple Mohawk – signed a contract with The UFC after finishing seven of his last nine opponents outside of The Octagon.
He leaps into a 170lb-division already boasting fellow Brits Paul Kelly and Paul Taylor, but “The Outlaw” believes he begins his assault with a major advantage.
“I think there are expectations on me to succeed in The UFC. But no disrespect to the majority of other British fighters in The UFC, I do feel I have more experience than many of the other British fighters,” Hardy told setantasports.com upon signing his new deal.
“I think I’ve definitely got an advantage because I waited to come to The UFC when I felt I was not just ready to fight in The UFC, but come in, hit the ground running and beat ranked contenders in The UFC.
“I’ve learned some major lessons by fighting overseas. I know I am ready for this and I don’t have to fear anyone in The UFC. I have come in on my own timetable and am ready to do England proud.”
A Taekwondo black belt, Hardy is a fighter who never takes a backward step, always meets a challenge head-on, even if it means risking his UFC future by fighting two opponents in the space of a fortnight.
With a UFC contract waiting to be signed, “The Outlaw” stopped UFC veteran Chad Reiner on April 19 (the same night Georges St-Pierre regained the UFC welterweight title) and then did likewise to German submissions expert Daniel Weichel two weeks later – knowing defeat would have destroyed his UFC dream.
“After eight years of dreaming about it, I had a UFC contract waiting for me to sign and send back to Las Vegas,” Hardy explained. “I literally had my hands on it.
“But when I stepped into the arena, it suddenly occurred to me just what was on the line in this fight... I was close to getting into The UFC, but if I lost this fight I knew I could kiss that goodbye.”
Hardy does not lose often though, as his 19-6-0-1 record proves, and now he is ready to show his talents on MMA’s biggest stage – with a potential bout at UFC 87 earmarked for his debut.
“As a fighter, I needed to work on certain things before I made my UFC debut. I wanted to work on my skills, my BJJ, my wrestling.
“Reaching The UFC is an achievement in itself, of course, but after fighting in America and Japan, having fought and beaten world-ranked contenders in pressure situations, I now feel my experience and ability is at a level where I can come into The UFC and not just have a few good fights, but really do things here.”