Dan Hardy in a place that has been kinder to him than in the cage. Photo via UFC.com.
When you look back at the career of Dan Hardy up to this point, it's hard to believe he would one day be mocked the way that he has. Nobody really cares that he engaged in a war with Chris Lytle in August that was as exciting as it was brutal. What matters, at least to his critics, is that he got choked out while attempting a takedown in his fourth straight loss, illuminating a unique once-in-a-lifetime irony. An irony highlighted by Hardy's own mouth: he's always been vocal about wrestling, and his allegiance to the Nick Diaz school of pugilism.
Like Hardy's current career, it's hard to believe how fans so viciously turned on him. His style is entertaining. He's well rounded (except for his wrestling of course). He publicly, and quite eloquently defended MMA. And he doesn't come out to crap like STEMM, instead opting for the unique sound of Cock Sparrer's England Belongs to Me.
But none of that matters when you're brash, British, and got a title shot many fans look back on and scratch their heads over. Hardy was a proper contender in my opinion at a time when WW was still figuring itself out, but it doesn't change the fact that his performance did little to justify the shot in retrospect despite a supernatural display of musculoskeletal toughness.
What makes Ben Fowlkes' story on Dan Hardy so unique is that it allows readers to peer into a window many fans would have otherwise ignored, and provides a vivid look at the proverbial "fall from grace" narrative. Hardy has become a sort of pariah in the MMA world. 'What the hell is a guy that is currently 0-4 still doing in the UFC?', the critics ask.
Beneath the vitriol from fans that usually accompanies it is a completely fair question, and one Hardy himself is aware of. It calls into question consistency, 'why Hardy and not others?', and even prompts the cynical observation that it's only because Hardy "is British" that he's able to stay.
I think these criticisms ignore whether or not Hardy is worth keeping. Plenty of fighters wash out of the UFC and eventually return. But not all of them have fought for a title. Despite a record that indicates he isn't UFC-level, perhaps he deserves the benefit of the doubt. As for how Hardy feels:
"I don't feel like myself right now," Hardy says.
You look in his eyes and you know he means it. He sits slumped in a plush leather chair in the lobby of a posh downtown Toronto hotel. He speaks so softly you have to lean in close just to hear him. The last thing he wants to do these days is draw attention to himself. He knows what people are thinking. And even if they aren't thinking it, they might as well be, since he hears their accusations in the wordless glances from across the room. It's not just the fans, either.
"I start to feel like other fighters are looking at me like, why is he still in the UFC? And I don't want people looking at me like that."
Click here for the full article. Like any article by Fowlkes, it's well worth your time. He can be found at MMAFighting and on twitter @benfowlkesMMA. Previous entries after the jump.
The Best MMA Writing of 2011: Fraser Coffeen and Ben Thapa Talk Technique in the Judo Chop Series
The Best MMA Writing of 2011: Tony Loiseleur on the Woman Who Is Not Just George Lucas' Daughter
The Best MMA Writing of 2011: Brent Brookhouse on Gary Goodridge and Brain Injuries in Sports
The Best MMA Writing of 2011: Tony Loiseleur on the Shooto Tax Scandal
The Best MMA Writing of 2011: Ben Fowlkes on the Poignant Journey of Daniel Cormier
The Best MMA Writing of 2011: Michael David Smith and the CSAC's Error in Licensing Jose Figueroa
The Best MMA Writing of 2011: Daniel Herbertson on Enson Inoue's Journey to Fukushima and Beyond
The Best MMA Writing of 2011: Jordan Breen on Ian McCall Through the Lens of Shakespeare
0 recs | 69 comments
Awesome article
Despite his image as a brash, arrogant Brit, Hardy almost always comes across as very intelligent and respectful in his interviews.
YPG - January 11, 2012
100%, enjoyed his countdown shows.
It was cool seeing a young hardy training with monks. Plus his cute girlfriend.
mma.ly - January 11, 2012
Wow, great read
Can’t believe I missed it when it first got posted. I think we’ve all been there; I know I have, and seeing Dan being very honest and frank about where his career and life are is really eye-opening. I think I’m a Dan Hardy fan after reading that interview.
Tedd Welch - January 11, 2012
The Hardy hate has always mystified me. He’s very tough, fights an exciting style, and generates a reaction. Why do people hate him? Because he’s brash? Do people really believe the sport would be better off with bout after bout of boring, personality-free Ellenberger wrestleboxers?
Hutchy - January 11, 2012 via mobile
People hate on him because the cant get a straight answer as to why he is kept. He has lost 4 in a row, his wins were against sub par competition and his only saving grace is Lorenzo saying he wars.
Yet other fighters get tossed after 1 or 2 losses, the threat to mayhem being the most recent example. Also really, I mean really you are going to believe what the other fighter says before going into a match.. Come on Hardy DTA.
dandeman - January 11, 2012
But why blame Hardy for that?
You should direct your hate towards Joe Silva and Lorenzo then for their roster choices.
dv8shun - January 11, 2012
At least man up and say Hey Lorenzo I respect that you want to keep me but I have to work on my game let me got to Bamma for 3 fights and if I win them then allow me to come back.
dandeman - January 11, 2012
You seriously expect him to do that?
That’s idiotic!
Nanoob - January 11, 2012
Lol.
“Hey Lorenzo, I really appreciate that you keep gifting me more opportunities but I really have no business being in the top MMA organization in the world. Let me go win a few fights against opponents who are hopefully worse than me and also don’t belong in the UFC, and that will all-of-a-sudden show that I’m ready to take on the best fighters in the world again.”
Machiel Van - January 11, 2012
Lorenzo (looking like a kid who just learned there is no Santa Claus): “But I thought you liked to WAR…”
Machiel Van - January 11, 2012
LOL well when you put it that way its hella funny.. But I think confidence building could help him out a little.
dandeman - January 11, 2012
Allow me to ask: when has that ever worked? Ever? A guy going down to the minors who is on a losing streak, “gains confidence”, then comes back to the UFC and tears it up, going on a 5 fight win streak. Has that, in the history of MMA, ever happened?
Hutchy - January 11, 2012
After losing two in a row to Jose Landi-Jons and Dennis Hallman (and being cut from the UFC), Matt Hughes took on a couple easier opponents, geared up, and subsequently beat some greats of the sport like Sakurai, Sherk, Trigg, and Newton.
castleeb - January 11, 2012
do you think that part of that the fact that he hasn’t seemed to evolve much lately, mostly in terms of his ground game?
Victor Rodriguez - January 11, 2012
There's a belief he's taking up space that could be filled by a fighter that's capable of being well rounded.
It’s easy to criticise Hardy for spending too much time with Eddie Bravo, instead of a grappling coach that has a proven track record in MMA ground fighting. It’s easy to criticise Hardy for going to a camp with Roy Nelson instead of an established camp and trainer that produces results.
Of course, all of this may be true, but Hardy seems the type who has to make the mistakes and find out for himself rather than just be told what to do.
Hardy’s burned his bridges with certain camps which means doors are shut to him because of the trash talk or rivalry he has with fighters. He’s in a difficult situation compounded by his attitude to fighting. Embrace all aspects of MMA, or don’t succeed in it.
KJ Gould - January 11, 2012
Hmm…
Diz D - January 11, 2012
Don't hate, just smile.
I smiled during moments like when at the end of his fight with Lytle, after whining for so long about wrestlers, he attempted a takedown that got him subbed. Priceless.
Machiel Van - January 11, 2012
I’ve always though any hate thrown his way was not his own fault, but rather a result of the UFC’s attempt to market him as much, much more of a legitimate threat than he actually was.
Machiel Van - January 11, 2012
I agree with this, more of it seems like a backlash of the way UFC marketed him than him personally. The Lytle finish was poetic.
RagingNoodles - January 11, 2012
It’s really no different than what happened with Kimbo Slice.
Machiel Van - January 11, 2012
Dan Hardy seems like a nice guy and all. He seems super friendly towards fans. But another reason why people dislike him is this perceived idea that he is an exciting fighter. It’s built on the idea of him being this one punch knock out artist, which is also not true. It’s like UFC picked a decent fighter, and just decided to market him as a knockout artist and as one of the most exciting fighters in the game today, and a lot of people bought the gimmick (maybe even Dan Hardy).
Sure he has a nice knock out of Rock Markham, but the fight with Swick was far from exciting, the same thing with the Gono fight, and I don’t remember the Davis fight to be honest (I think I remember the drama surrounding that fight more than the actual fight). Really, the most entertaining fights that Hardy has had are the Condit fight and the Lytle fight. Condit happens to be one of the exciting fighters in MMA today, and I think all the credit for that fight being exciting goes to Condit. Secondly, the entertainment of the Lytle-Hardy fight stems from it being Lytle’s last hurrah and the almost poetic ending of Hardy, of all people, trying to take Lytle down, only to be caught in a guillotine choke.
You mention Jake Ellenberger, and you have a point that he doesn’t have the charisma of Hardy, which is true. But Ellenberger also happens to be a much more exciting fighter than Hardy. Hardy isn’t a bad or boring fighter, but he’s not exactly Rumina Sato or Nick Diaz when it comes to excitement.
RagingNoodles - January 11, 2012
My thoughts exactly.
Rahson - January 11, 2012
i never liked him because as he was coming up, i didn’t believe the hype, i thought he was incredibly arrogant and then when he started getting his ass handed to him, he was allowed to stay around when other fighters were cut and only because he is a Brit.
He is obviously a bright and articulate dude, but so what?
phantom5691 - January 11, 2012
Man, I feel soo bad for Hardy...
No, Not really.
RECE ROCK - January 11, 2012
Get out Dan
Make room for someone like Woodley or Saffiedine.
menckenstein - January 11, 2012
hell no
I’d rather watch him lose 5 more times in a row than watch Woodley in his current incarnation.
Cory Braiterman - January 11, 2012
Well
I’d rather have a guy who wins at all costs instead of a guy who seems to lose at all costs in the premiere MMA organization on the planet.
Chris Groves - January 11, 2012
meh
I suppose I can always take a shit break or flip to another channel
Cory Braiterman - January 11, 2012
Woodley wins at all costs?
I think you’re thinking about someone else.
Diz D - January 11, 2012
I realized after I posted that that could be taken a different way
He’s more of a guy who goes out there and tries to get the win and nothing else.
He’s not trying to put on a good fight…he just wants the takedowns and control because that’s what gets the win…
Chris Groves - January 11, 2012
well
i’d rather see a guy lose while bringing a fight to his opponent than some dude that just throws pitter-patter punches from the dude’s guard. i want Hardy to become more well rounded, but seriously bro? Woodley?
Victor Rodriguez - January 11, 2012
+1
Diz D - January 12, 2012
Woodley has a bigger upside
We’ve already seen the best Dan Hardy we’ll ever see. Woodley is improving.
menckenstein - January 11, 2012
Nothing against him
But how many guys were kept in the UFC after 4 straight losses? I think even guys ‘That WAR’ like Jardine were cut after 4 straight losses.
I’m very curious if Dan Hardy will become the only man to lose 5 straight fights in the UFC.
More curious about who he will fight next.
I mean, you can’t give him guys with wrestling creds…and seemingly, you can’t give him strikers either. GSP and Johnson decision him, Condit KOs him, Lytle outstrikes him and subs him when HE goes for a takedown.
Also…whenever he does fight next, which likely isn’t going to be within the next 2 months or we probably would have heard something….he’s not only going to be dealing with 4 straight losses, but with a bit of a layoff as well.
Chris Groves - January 11, 2012
I guess the reasoning is..
He’s relatively exciting, and is really popular in the UK. Huge market for the UFC.
mma.ly - January 11, 2012
It's not that huge
UFC has cooled on the UK with other areas of the world opening up that would likely get them more money.
KJ Gould - January 11, 2012
his competition was stiff
i always think that should be taken into account.
but yes, 0-4 is tough. at that stage, you might as well go to BAMMA and beat up some cans. then they can let you back in with a straight face at least. and it would be better for his confidence than taking on tough fighters every time.
i like dan hardy though. for all his reputation as a shit talker he really seems like smart, honest guy. maybe it’s just time to get out of the fight game with his brains intact. it’s not like he’s ever going to win a championship.
Clifford J - January 11, 2012
I think the UFC did him no favors keeping him on after all those losses.
After the Johnson loss, he should have been let go to compete at the regional scene to build his confidence back before returning. Instead, it’s been one confidence blow after another. I think by the time Lytle came around, Hardy had nothing left and was probably hoping for a hail mary punch.
Regardless, I tend to agree that I don’t really see a future in the sport for Hardy other than eventually getting cut and fighting on the regional scene for a pittance. He really needs to think about something else. Everyone should have an exit strategy.
pud333 - January 11, 2012
Anthony Johnson off a long layoff and Chris Lytle is not "stiff competition"
And Carlos Condit was 7 seconds away from a split decision loss to Rory MacDonald.
Dan Hardy has not won a round since beating Mike Swick. Seriously. This is an actual fact I’ve looked up. Swept against GSP, KOd by Condit, swept against Rumble, and was behind on all three scorecards heading into the 3rd orund of the Lytle fight.
SSreporters - January 11, 2012
give me a break
anthony johnson is stiff competition any day of the weak, especially for a non-wrestler like hardy. and now you’re running down condit?
even lytle isn’t that bad, although certainly not great.
like i said, 0-4 is 0-4, but you’re twisting facts here.
Clifford J - January 11, 2012
I'm not running down Condit
But at the time Condit wasn’t even in the discussion as a serious title contender. He was an underdog in the fight.
Rumble was coming off a tough loss and blew out his knee. He wasn’t even in the top 20 rankings.
Lytle was retiring and even played exactly to Hardy’s strengths and Lytle still won easily.
I’m looking at how fighters were at the time of the fight, not how they are now.
SSreporters - January 11, 2012
If he loses again
It’ll be interesting whether he’ll go to SF…If he does, it will go against their statement of SF being a premiere league and confirms that its just a feeder league.
Would Bellator take him? I’m guessing BAMMA
BrandtShaft! - January 11, 2012
BAMMA would definitely take him.
I’d like to see him stay in the states and go to one of the up and comer organizations. ProElite anyone?
mma.ly - January 11, 2012
He would sign with BAMMA
Or retire
I sincerely doubt he’d go to ProElite after the money he was making in the UFC
Hashmo - January 11, 2012
Ben Fowlkes = Best writer in the sport, hands-down
mthom - January 11, 2012 via mobile
Hilarious “stock photos” on the MMA Hour.
Machiel Van - January 11, 2012
Who can forget this?
http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/11/23/the-indestructible-man/
mma.ly - January 11, 2012
I hadn’t read that before. Thanks!
Machiel Van - January 11, 2012
It was
covered in this series. Like I said, links to previous entries ‘after the jump’.
David Castillo - January 11, 2012
I think Dan is a solid dude
I hope he can get his shit together.
Earl Montclair - January 11, 2012
Yeah, I like Dan.
But he’s in way over his head it seems. He needs a confidence booster, but who would they match him up against? Still, at this point, it makes sense for Dan to fight lesser competition. If Dan had been given a gimmie fight after the GSP loss or even the Condit loss, people would see right through it, but it makes sense now for him to have an easier fight. He’ll still get ragged on for it though.
pud333 - January 11, 2012
if you like him
do you really want to see him get knocked out?
maybe he should just pursue another career. i’m not sure being a pro fighter is a good life unless you’re one of about ten guys at the very top.
Clifford J - January 11, 2012
It is a good life if it makes him happy. If it doesn’t he should stop.
Earl Montclair - January 11, 2012
I can't get used to Earl Montclair.
MicahtheCynic - January 11, 2012
Neither can I. I keep thinking, "Who the fuck is this guy?"
pud333 - January 11, 2012
Earl Montclair.. what the fuck?
Horselover Fat - January 11, 2012
what dude?
I can’t think Dan Hardy is okay?
Earl Montclair - January 11, 2012
What’s with the name? This is a horrible mistake.
Horselover Fat - January 11, 2012
I had to go with the old government name.
Kid Nate’s orders.
Earl Montclair - January 11, 2012
But this is an obvious fake name
You’re a Jardine, dammit!
Horselover Fat - January 11, 2012
eh, i guess
Earl Montclair - January 11, 2012
I also never understood the hate this guy gets. Is it wrong that he should be kept after going on a 4 fight losing streak? I think so, but it’s not his fault. He even said he was expecting to get cut after losing 3 in a row. Is he taking someone elses spot on the WW roster? Nope. What the UFC only has so many spots that they can’t acquire new talent as long as Hardy is there?
I like watching him fight. I hope he can turn it around.
M C M - January 11, 2012
I've thrown rocks Hardy's way enough times in the past
so I’m not gonna pile it on, as I do like the guy. I feel bad for him. I can relate. Sure I’m not a fighter, but I understand when things start to pile up. It could be work problems, it could be relationship problems, it could be one setback after another until something as simple as one’s car breaking down, as Hardy said, can feel like the end of the world. Everyone has a breaking point, and when setbacks happen – especially setbacks to the job that you see as your identity, where it starts to break you down as who you are, it’s really tough. I find you only have two options at that point: keep going and hope things get better, or you leave it behind and start fresh, build a new identity and try to find joy in something else. I just feel bad for the guy. He may have to start looking at other non combat options if he loses his next fight, especially if it is to lower tier competition.
pud333 - January 11, 2012
Great article. I like Hardy, he’s got a great personailty, he puts on good fights, is always prepared to stand and bang, and not to mention he is a huge marketable commodity in the UK for the UFC
I wouldn’t be suprised to see him face Matt Hughes next. Although if he does, Hughes will just want to drag this fight to the ground.
@KatanaClothing - January 11, 2012
I'd like his comeback fight to be against Sadollah
invinciblearmour. - January 11, 2012
not a bad idea
RandyCouture'sDivorceLawyer - January 11, 2012 via mobile
Dan Hardy is a great person but a horrible fighter.
I would like to see him get a real camp, maybe he doesnt have the money, but it’d be nice to see him at Greg Jacksons or ATT since he really has no chance of a title shot over the next 2 years.
DirtyML - January 11, 2012
He's a nice person
I just don’t think he is UFC contender calibre. UFC pushed him as a contender due to a lack of challengers for GSP, and he’s suffered for it as he hasn’t had an easy time matchup wise. He’s under so much pressure now to get a W (and has been for a couple of fights) you would think he’d have been better being cut and getting some wins/confidence on regional shows before returning. They should match him up with someone at the bottom of the W ranks for his next fight and see how that goes.
taptomyarmbar - January 11, 2012
Hardy is nice, "intellegent", well-spoken, and a great ambassador for the sport
The problem – He’s not very good at his job.
I think he’d be a great analyst, but there’s no other reason to keep him in the UFC.
SSreporters - January 11, 2012
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