Dan Hardy signs UFC contract

by MMAmania.com on May 14, 2008 11:39 PM EDT

Talented British mixed martial artist Dan Hardy is the latest addition to the stacked UFC welterweight division, according to several published reports.

"The Outlaw" -- who is the reigning Cage Warriors welterweight champion -- has won eight of his last nine bouts and the lone loss during that span was because of a disqualification. He is a Taekwondo black belt and "kickboxing expert" who has been competing in professional MMA since 2004.

He had this to say about the opportunity in a recent SetantaSports.com interview:

"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."

With top 170-pound fighters such as Georges St. Pierre, Jon Fitch, Thiago Alves, Matt Hughes, Karo Parisyan, Matt Serra, Josh Koscheck, Marcus Davis and others he'll certainly have his work cut out for him.

Good luck, Dan.

No date or opponent has been announced for the debut of Hardy inside the Octagon.

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Comments

Not exciting news. I have no confidence a guy who lost to Forrest Peltz recently will have any chance against the upper tier welterweights in the ufc. unfortunately this is the biggest signing the ufc has announced since soko.

by Gregg on May 15, 2008 12:02 AM EDT reply actions

good luck indeed!

by b.w. on May 15, 2008 12:05 AM EDT reply actions

WHO IS this guy, anyway?!!! don’t know’em… moving on to better known fighters… go BJ PENN!!!!!

by boardRIDER on May 15, 2008 12:06 AM EDT reply actions

Then learn some. Just because he isn’t mainstream doesn’t mean he isn’t good. Now he has been signed give the guy a chance, they have been dropping loads of fighters for not performing well so he must have something the UFC want and like.

by UKmmaBOY on May 15, 2008 4:59 AM EDT up reply actions

I’am suprised they didn’t add me to a future TUF

by braveheart on May 15, 2008 5:31 AM EDT reply actions

*add him

by braveheart on May 15, 2008 5:32 AM EDT up reply actions

Could be a number of things, he has fought more fights than usual TUF competitors (with the exception of Danzig) and also the try outs are usually based in USA.

by UKmmaBOY on May 15, 2008 5:42 AM EDT up reply actions

There’s probably no planned WW show for a while….why wait for that to sign a good fighter that as he says himself….should hit the floor running.

by ToeLock on May 15, 2008 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions

Do your research guys and go to youtube and check out his fights

He’s the number 1 WW in Europe and has retired the King of Pancrase, beat Hietaka Monma to a pulp, defeated Chad Reiner then two weeks later TKO’ed another top European fighter.

He’s twice the fighter now than back in 2006, he was robbed against Petz, in Petz’s hometown. They won’t even give Hardy a DVD of the fight and Petz and his team dont even return emails/calls for a rematch.

Hardy is the real deal and if it wasn’t for a joke of a decision in Japan he would of beaten Yoshida too

by Ian Dean on May 15, 2008 5:33 AM EDT reply actions

listen to this man he knows his mma ian dean the legend good luck dan ‘the outlaw’ hardy

by icefish on May 15, 2008 7:51 AM EDT up reply actions

i dont have to do research. if the ucs thinks he’s good enough to sign to a contract, then he’s good. thier not bringing in people who suck. i did like your info though.

by b.w. on May 15, 2008 8:50 AM EDT up reply actions

Just did….looks bloody good! Just not sure about who he was fighting in those highlight reels i watched. Either way I’m looking forward to seeing this dude!

by ToeLock on May 15, 2008 11:11 AM EDT up reply actions

do you have any idea what you are talking about? Petz outclassed him, he had a broken nose, but believe it or not that doesnt constitute a decision buddy. Forrest has never turned down a rematch. He’d be glad to put another hurting on dan. Dan has always been a bitch about the fight, thats fine, if they fight again the result will be the same except Forrest would finish him so that Hardy couldn’t wine about getting his ass handed to him.

by MuscleShark on Jun 29, 2008 1:21 AM EDT up reply actions