UFC's Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy: Is He Good for the Sport?

With a nickname like “The Outlaw,” one would imagine Dan Hardy to play the role of the bad guy in MMA. The tough, Mohawk-sporting, tattooed, punk rock Brit definitely looks the part and there’s nothing good about waking up on the canvas after eating one of Hardy’s favorite dishes; a four ounce knuckle sandwich served up by a vicious left hook.

Since his UFC debut in 2008, Hardy has accumulated a record of four for seven, winning his first four bouts before securing a UFC welterweight title shot against the phenomenal champion, Georges St-Pierre.

Though losing the fight with GSP, Hardy proved just how mentally tough and physically strong he is by going all five rounds with the champ and escaping several nasty and potential fight-ending submission attempts that would have made 99 percent of fighters tap out.

Since his first UFC loss to GSP, Hardy has suffered two more losses in a row via a KO defeat by Carlos Condit and most recently a unanimous decision loss to Anthony “Rumble” Johnson at UFC Fight Night: Nogueira vs. Davis.

Now the question is: Does the UFC’s standard “three-loss rule” apply to Hardy? According to UFC president Dana White, “We’ll have to wait and see.”

The outspoken White has made it abundantly clear that he loves fighters who come to throw down and who give the fans their money’s worth time and time again. If he sees value in keeping a fighter around despite having three consecutive losses, there’s a good reason for it.

Hardy is good for the sport in many ways, not just marketing. He has the look, attitude and mental fortitude with a lethal skill set to match. After his loss to GSP, Hardy seems to have matured as an individual and is more cautious with his words leading up to a bout.

With the right camp and improvement of his ground game, Hardy can without a doubt add himself to the list of the “new breed” of mixed martial artists that are making their way through or have already reached the top of their respective divisions such as, GSP, Jon Jones, Cain Velasquez, Ryan Bader, Jose Aldo and Anthony Pettis to name a few.

Should Hardy be given another chance to prove his worth to the UFC? I believe the answer is “yes”. Regardless of the outcome of his fights, the fans love to see “The Outlaw” in action. He represents all that a true fighter should be. In his own words, Hardy’s mission in the Octagon is to “Win in a blaze of glory or go out on my shield.”

With that being said, Joe Silva and Dana White should definitely give Hardy another shot at redemption. Hardy has recently stated that he would like his next fight to be an “old school shootout with a guy that wants to throw down…”

The name Chris Lytle was Tweeted by Hardy as his possible next opponent; Lytle’s response, "I think it would be awesome…let’s do it!" With two of MMA’s most enthusiastic and entertaining fighters ready to “get out there and bang”, this potential matchup is sure to bring fireworks and quite possibly FOTN.

I have to agree with Mr. White’s UFC Fight Night 24 post-fight press conference statement…"I f***ing love that kid!” After all, what’s not to love?