UFC on Fuel TV 5: Dan Hardy fighting for the love of the sport
Dan Hardy was once at the top of the MMA world, facing Georges St. Pierre for the Welterweight championship in spring 2010. He lost that fight, and it caused a sort of downward spiral for the British-based striker, who would go on to lose four in a row. Where many would have hung up the gloves or downgraded to lesser organizations, Hardy took the time to re-evaluate so he could come back strongly. There has never been any doubt about Hardy’s willingness to stand and trade, and this is what keeps him in the good graces of the UFC brass. Heading into this weekend’s fight against Amir Sadollah at UFC on Fuel TV 5, Hardy is pumped up to fight in his home country:
“There have been a lot of fans waiting for me to come back to the U.K. and fight in front of my hometown crowd, and it’s just not been feasible recently. I have a lot of people that have been waiting a long time that maybe can’t travel to Vegas to watch my last fight, and I’ve got to go back and give those fans the show that they deserve for the support that they’ve given me.” – via MMAWeekly.com
Hardy shows great respect for the fans that rooted him on to the upper echelons of the sport, and knows many of them will be there cheering for him on Saturday night. In a time that may suggest fighters are in the game for the fame, recognition, and monetary gains, Hardy provides a refreshing perspective in that he loves to fight and win for his fans:
“I’m doing this sport for no other reason than I love it and that’s really the bottom line for me. If I was looking to make a load of money, I would be a boxer. Obviously, now we’re seeing Jon Jones picking up Nike sponsorships, there’s money to be made now, but when I got into it, it was because I loved the sport.”
Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy rebounded nicely from his losing streak with a knockout of Duane “Bang” Ludwig in his last bout. He will look to continue that positive momentum this weekend, but one thing is for certain-win or lose, Dan Hardy fights for the love of fighting.
Photo: CombatLifestyle.com
