Interview With Dan Hardy

1-Dan first of all congrats for the very impressive win against Mike Swick. What was your plan and strategy for this fight? You controlled the fight really well.

My intention was to stand right in front of him so he had no room to breathe. Then I would catch him with a counter and either hurt or drop him, take him down and TKO him.

2-What is the key to success and popularity of MMA in UK?

The exciting fighters that the country is producing. People got on board after Bisping won TUF, and then got hooked to the sport. Now it’s spreading through the media and through people talking about the fights and coming to support the rest of the UK fighters.

3-Do you hang out or train with any other UK UFC fighters?

My team has quite a few! Paul Daley, Ross Pearson, Andre Winner, Nick Osipczak and Dean Amasinger, I see them almost every day.

4-I know you have trained with Freddie Roach, how do you like the experience. Boxing and MMA are quite different, how do you apply what you learn from Roach in the octagon?

Freddie is an expert at boxing and boxing is a big part of my game, so the experience was awesome. It is just like studying gi jiu-jitsu with a BJJ coach, it has to be adapted slightly when you add all other aspects of the sport in, but Freddie knows that. He teaches you how the box correctly and leaves you to incorporate it into your game.

5-You also train with Eddie Bravo. How do you find his system comparing with other BJJ systems? Why we don't see you on your back very often?!

I can’t kick people off my back, so I spend as little time thee as possible. Eddie’s system suits me really well, it gives me the ability to control my opponent from my back, or get up. I’m sure when I start fighting more wrestlers; I will get a chance to display my ground game.

6-You played a true mental game with Marcus Davis. What do you think about that fight? Marcus was pretty upset with the decision; do you think you won the fight?

I definitely think I won, I rocked him on several occasions, i opened him up and i out struck him. Controlling someone with wrestling is only effecting if you can hurt them at the same time. Sure he took me down and held me a couple of times, but nothing that would do damage. At the end of the day, it’s a fight, if you don’t get in there to try and beat the hell out of someone; you are never going to win.

7-You would have your biggest fight of your career soon. How do you plan to fight against a well rounded fighter like GSP?

I will just be myself and take the fight to him. He is a great champion and a very good athlete, but i have a lot of fight in me. I’m going to do everything i can to take his belt, its going to be a long night for him.

8-Is the character we see on TV pretty the same as real Dan Hardy?

The real Dan Hardy is maybe a little quieter, not what most people expect. When my brain switches to fight mode and there is talk of opponents, then I change a little and become a little more aggressive and mouthy!

9-Any message for our readers and Canadians?

I’m sure you will all be supporting GSP, and that’s cool. Just make sure you tune in to watch, it will be a great show.

 Alireza Fadaie is a Vancouver Based 2X Canadian Martial Arts team member and published martial arts journalist. Visit his website at www.warriorsclub.net