Dana White Responds to ESPN

UFC on Versus 5: Hardy vs. Lytle Official Weigh-in Results; Hardy did not make Weight

UFC on Versus 5: Hardy vs. Lytle is slated for the Bradley Center on Sunday night in Milwaukee. First, the fighters weighed in on Saturday afternoon outside the Harley Davidson Museum in order to make their bouts official.

Popular British welterweight Dan Hardy is fighting for his Octagon life in the main event against another fan-favorite and potential political candidate Chris Lytle. The two are known for their bell-to-bell excitement and fans are expecting nothing less when these two step in the Octagon.

The weigh-ins, however, cast a shadow over the main event when, after Lytle stepped off the scale weighing 170.5 pounds, Hardy, who stripped down naked, weighed in at 171.5 pounds. That put Hardy 0.5 pounds over the 171-pound tolerance for a welterweight non-title fight.

He was given 30 minutes following the weigh-in to drop the extra weight.

The co-main event features Jim Miller, a fighter that has had a lengthy stay on the perch of a UFC lightweight title shot. He squares off with former WEC lightweight champion Ben Henderson.

Both Miller and Henderson and the rest of the UFC on Versus 5 roster easily made weight.

(by mmaweekly.com

UFC on Versus 5 Official Weigh-in Results:

Main Bouts (On Versus):
-Dan Hardy (171.5) vs. Chris Lytle (170.5)
-Jim Miller (155.5) vs. Ben Henderson (156)
-Donald Cerrone (156) vs. Charles Oliveira (155)
-Amir Sadollah (170) vs. Duane “Bang” Ludwig (170.5)

Preliminary Bouts (On Facebook):
-CB Dollaway (186) vs. Jared Hamman (185)
-Joseph Benavidez (135.5) vs. Eddie Wineland (136)
-Ed Herman (186) vs. Kyle Noke (185)
-Karlos Vemola (205.5) vs. Ronny Markes (205)
-Alex Caceres (146) vs. Jimy Hettes (145.5)
-Cole Miller (155) vs. T.J. O’Brien (155.5)
-Jacob Volkmann (156) vs. Danny Castillo (156)
-Edwin Figueroa (136) vs. Jason Reinhardt (135)

ufc 120 results

It was a night that began in turmoil for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, but in the end, the company was glad to have preserved the contender status enjoyed by their most marketable U.K. fighter.

The group’s problems began on Saturday afternoon, when management, media, and competitors alike were left stranded in England’s capital city, when the drivers chauffeuring them to the O2 Arena failed to account for the closure of the Blackwall Tunnel. Ultimately, none of the scheduled fights had to be canceled as first feared.

In the end, though, hometown hero Michael Bisping triumphed over Yoshihiro Akiyama by unanimous decision (all three judges scored the bout 30-27) in the main event, the worst-case scenario had been avoided, meaning he remains in the mix for a shot at UFC welterweight champion Anderson Silva.

ADVERTISEMENT


Michael Bisping was bruised but victorious after his UFC 120 victory.

(AP)
The first round of the main event was largely Bisping’s, his boxing sharper and quicker off the mark, although he was caught with a left hand at the beginning of the round that he later admitted had him seeing double.

Despite being out-pointed, Akiyama, to his credit, didn’t appear to be in any danger, and in the proceeding five minutes he retaliated aggressively, catching Bisping consistently with short right hooks, rocking him again in the final 30 seconds before the bell.

The final round threatened to be marred by a brutal Bisping kick which caught the Japanese in the groin, but after several minutes of recovery, Akiyama built on his second-round performance, throwing wild hooks that his opponent evaded and countered with jabs, but it still wasn’t enough to keep Bisping from winning on all cards.

“Ultimately it’s up to the UFC, but I feel like I’m really maturing, and everything is coming together,” said Bisping of his career and future fights. “I’m ready. I feel now is my time. I want to fight the best out there, and I think with one more win against a credible opponent, I should get a title shot.”

Prior to the co-main event, to say that the ovation for Nottingham’s Dan Hardy was rapturous would be an understatement, and remarkably, the reaction remained the same even after he was knocked out in devastating fashion by Carlos Condit.

Hardy had initially done a good job of countering Condit’s strikes as he entered into range, even if a spinning backfist on the part of the former WEC welterweight champion hit the Briton’s chin hard. After 4:27 of the first round, though, both men went for simultaneous left hooks, with Condit planting his perfectly on Hardy’s chin at the very moment that “The Outlaw” over-shot by three or four inches. Hardy was knocked down and out, although Condit did sneak in a couple of punches on the ground to officially claim the victory.

“I feel comfortable on my feet,” said Condit after being asked if it was his gameplan to stand with Hardy. “But if it had gone to the ground, I would’ve done well, too.

“We (at Greg Jackson’s training camp) were worried about his left hand,” he added. “We trained for that quite a bit.”

When Hardy, who had just returned from hospital and remained quiet throughout the post-fight press conference, was asked what was next for him, he jokingly replied: “A headache.”

Mike Pyle found the element of surprise to be irresistible as he went for takedowns at the start of the first and second rounds in his match-up with the undefeated John Hathaway, whose own wrestling had dominated Diego Sanchez back in May. The benefit of the surprise really came in the second round, when Pyle had the Englishman trapped in a quasi-triangle from a side position, using the manoeuvre more for control as he rained down punches and elbows. Up until that point, Pyle’s stand-up had been sweeter, too, but in repeating in the third round the grappling dominance that he had in rounds one and two, he had Hathaway beaten on all counts, with each judging agreeing a 30-27 verdict.

Travis Browne’s good defensive footwork, by comparison at least, seemed to befuddle Cheick Kongo in the opening round of their bout, so much so that the Frenchman was tentative in spite of his usual strike-heavy style. Browne’s own punching, however, was a little wild, throwing down with so much intent that his agility was all but absent in the second round, a large portion of which saw both men battling for position against the cage. Kongo was docked a point for holding his opponent’s shorts in the third round, but even that didn’t seem to stir the Wolfslair fighter, and he was extremely lucky to escape from the fight with a rare draw.

Claude Patrick clearly had a huge strength advantage, muscling Ultimate Fighter 9 champion James Wilks to the canvas in three copycat rounds, but there was more damage done to Wilks’ ego in this unanimous decision (a 30-27 loss across the board) loss, than there was to him physically.

Cyrille Diabate and Alexander Gustafsson clearly came in with the intention of ending their bout decisively. Knocking Diabate down with a big shot in the first round, he immediately jumped on his opponent to attempt to finish, but was unable to strike there with anything like the same type of ferocity. Diabate survived that onslaught, but Gustafsson finally one via tapout at 2:41 of round two.

Known on the UK scene for his brawling brand of boxing, Rob “The Bear” Broughton did nothing to dismiss that opinion in the early going of his bout with Vinicius Queiroz. Ultimately, though, Broughton got the best of the jiu-jitsu specialist at his own game, as Broughton almost got an armbar submission, before getting the hooks for a rear naked choke, 1:46 into the third round.

Paul Sass’ first-round submission victory over Mark Holst was notable for the busy ground work of both fighters. Sass consistently looked for the triangle choke, which has become his forte on the UK scene. He eventually locked the move on, and reminiscent of Fabricio Werdum’s victory over Fedor Emelianenko in June, no amount of struggling by Holst could free him, with Sass getting the tapout with just 15 seconds remaining in the first round.

Low kicks were the order of the day for Spencer Fisher and Kurt Warburton at the beginning of their encounter, though Warburton was clearly using those to throw his opponent off-guard before attempting the takedown, which he duly got, almost finishing Fisher with a guillotine choke with two minutes remaining in the round. After some trading of knees in the second-round clinches, Fisher looked for the rear naked choke on two occasions in the third, perhaps concerned about the outcome of any judges’ decision. He needn’t have worried however, as he emerged with 29-28 scores across the board.

In the evening’s opening contest, London-born James McSweeney made his intentions for Fabio Maldonado clear in the first round, swinging wildly with punches and spinning back-fists, in addition to throwing a series of leg kicks. Unsuccessful in his attempt to grab a highlight reel finish, however, he was clearly drained come the second round, allowing Maldonado to take control, in particular using his superior grappling to good effect. Sensing his opponent’s fading cardio, Maldonado took the fight to McSweeney in at the beginning of the third round, after just a further 48 seconds, referee Marc Goddard was compelled to stop the contest after a series of hard punches against the cage

Strikeforce Nashville Brawl Jake Shields vs Jason "Mayhem" Miller / Dan Henderson vs. Jake Shields Highlights - StrikeForce Fight Results and video

During Jake Shields' post-fight interview, Jason "Mayhem" Miller, being a bully, interrupted and subsequently took a beatdown, pro wrasslin' style, by the Diaz Brothers and a fat dude whose name is yet to be determined (pictured below center). First things f-cking last, I'm a HUGE fan of Nick and Nate Diaz. Sure, they're unruly gangsta-sign-throwing mushmouths, but they're also artists of their craft, two of the most innovative and analytical fighters in all of MMA. The fact that they are both also emotionally unhinged only adds to the excitement of watching the characters that the brothers have become in MMA. But ultimately there is a line, and that line was crossed at STRIKEFORCE: NASHVILLE.

Mayhem Miller, from all Strikeforce official accounts thus far, including CEO Scott Coker, went into the ring uninvited and tried to interject himself into Shields' post-fight interview. Jake Shields pushed Miller, Gilbert Melendez pushed Miller, Nick Diaz punched Miller, and Nate Diaz put the boots to Miller while he was tussling with Nick and the fat dude on the ground.

Here's the funny part -- CBS could've cut away from this melee. They did momentarily cut away when Mayhem Miller first interjected, but then they went right back, and continued to air even after things got completely out of control. It was a scene totally out of the WWE, with the announcers talking over the complete chaos going on in the ring, and Mayhem being held on the ground getting stomped by Nate Diaz and punched by Nick Diaz. CBS did finally go to break, but only after everyone was pulled apart. After a lengthy commercial break, they actually replayed the opening of the ugly incident; and in the West Coast replay, CBS kept the brawl in the telecast. Seems CBS is going with the any-news-is-good-news philosophy, and I really think we needn't overreact in terms of this being a negative to MMA. The involved parties should be punished no doubt, but bench-clearing brawls are commonplace in baseball and referees stand back and watch hockey fights. Fines are levied, suspensions are handed down, and the games continue. Strikeforce staying on CBS is near completely dependent on the 18-49 ratings, and in part on Fedor Emelianenko's future with the company. If the numbers are there, so will Strikeforce be on CBS.

Dan Henderson vs. Jake Shields Highlights

Jason Mayhem Miller says "That was totally unintentional"
Nick Diaz says "It wasn't my fault. It just made me really angry, ya know"

Fans of mixed martial arts are aware that, according to the mainstream sports world, their sport lies relatively low on the totem pole of athletic legitimacy.  The sport is plagued by accusations of brutality and barbarism.  Columnists write of the gratuitous violence and bloodshed that is almost unwatchable.  Uninformed masses, unaware of the measures taken to protect fighters, predict a day that a fighter dies in the cage.  As a result of this perception, many fight fans call for the competitors to act as “good ambassadors” of the sport.  While everyone loves some good pre-fight trash talk and intense weigh-in stare downs, the majority of fans would like to see public perception of their sport elevated beyond the level of common thuggery. Yesterday’s Strikeforce event, airing live on CBS, had an opportunity to move MMA one step closer to sports legitimacy. 

The event was Strikeforce’s definition of a super card.  The list of bouts included three championship fights, consisting of five fighters considered to be among the top ten in their respective weight classes.  The fights were to air on CBS, essentially meaning that the entire country could watch the card for free.  It was a clear chance to recruit new fans to the sport and an opportunity to sway some of the media pundits who have been condemning the fledgling sport. 

It was also to be a glorious night for the promotion.  With a strong showing, Strikeforce could legitimize itself as a viable contender to the UFC.  And, for Strikeforce, the card delivered.  In many ways, it was a night of upsets, beginning with Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal shockingly outpointing heavily favored Gegard Mousasi for the promotion’s light heavyweight crown.  In the second title contest of the evening, Strikeforce Lightweight Champion, Gilbert Melendez, clinically dominated Japanese champ Shinya Aoki, a man many believed to be the top 155-pounder in the world.  And finally, in what should have been the highlight of the night, Middleweight Champion Jake Shields survived a Round One knockdown to dominate MMA legend, and recent UFC turncoat, Dan Henderson.   This victory was especially significant for Strikeforce, as many believed Henderson to be the second-best middleweight in the world, and the only legitimate threat to pound-for-pound king Anderson Silva.  With wins that can be called dominant, Shields and Melendez proved that the top competitors in Strikeforce can compete with the best that any promotion has to offer.  It was, indeed, a grand night for the promotion and the sport.  However, in a night full of upsets, the events that occurred after the final bout of the night gave the fans a lot to be upset about.

During Shields’s post-fight interview with commentator, Gus Johnson, middleweight contender Jason “Mayhem” Miller entered the cage to demand a title shot.  This type of showmanship is unpopular, but not uncommon in the world of MMA.  Typically, a display like Miller’s is seen as disrespectful to the victorious fighter.  It is a brazen and arrogant attempt to disrupt a winner’s time in the spotlight.  However, this particular instance showed how ugly these situations can become.  Shields didn’t take well to Miller’s intrusion, and responded by angrily shoving the title hopeful away.  This act led to an all-out brawl, with Shields’s entourage, including Gilbert Melendez, Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz, and his brother Nate.  Miller was held to the ground as a shower of fists rained down upon him, many coming from the notorious Brothers Diaz.  And, to make matters worse, Gus Johnson, perhaps the finest play-by-play man in sports, embarrassingly suggested that these things happen in the world of mixed martial arts.

Johnson’s comments, almost certainly spoken out of humiliation and confusion, should cause distress to many fans of the sport.  In actuality, these things don’t happen in MMA, and ought not to happen in any legitimate sporting enterprise.  Episodes like this are crippling toward the goal of overcoming the public perception that the sport is merely organized bar fighting, perpetrated by a bunch of degenerates not fit for civilized society.  To an avid viewer of MMA, the sport is populated by deserving and revered gladiators, who are both respectful of the fans and their competitors.  It is routine to see pre-fight handshakes and post-fight hugs inside the cage.  But, to a common sports fan, new to the fighting game, the Miller/Shields brawl only serves to further a misinformed opinion of a truly great sport. 

Chances are that Strikeforce will consider capitalizing on this incident with a big-money title fight between Shields and Miller.  And from a business perspective, it makes sense.  In order for Strikeforce to remain a viable contender to the UFC, it needs to consistently put on matches that people want to see.  And, unfortunately, such incidents, whether a post-fight melee or a benches clearing brawl, ignite general interest from the sporting world.  However, in the grand scheme of things, it may be necessary to postpone this rematch, and impose disciplinary action on the offending parties.  For, it is ultimately necessary for professional MMA in America to prove to the world that this type of behavior, more closely associated to professional wrestling than professional athletics, is not tolerated within the sport.  Strikeforce ought to lay heavy fines, and possibly suspensions, on Miller, Melendez, and Shields, whose actions instigated the brawl.  Furthermore, in addition to fines and suspensions, both Diaz brothers should be permanently banned from ringside in all future fights, as this is not the first time their conduct has tarnished the good name of the sport.  Both brothers were a part of post-fight shenanigans following a match between K.J. Noons and Yves Edwards.  In fact, it was only a few years ago that Nick Diaz failed a drug test so impressively, that it was believed he was intoxicated during the fight.  And Nate, after winning a The Ultimate Fighter television show, has proved to be a wholly mediocre fighter, whose finest moment inside the octagon was simultaneously choking out and flipping off Kurt Pellegrino. 

While a match between Miller and Shields would certainly draw interest, ratings, and cash, it would ultimately harm the sport itself.  It would open the doors, literally and figuratively, for fighters looking for a fast track to a title shot. Thoughts ?

UFC 111 Results, Highlights and Video of the fights ......

Frank Mir: I MADE A MISTAKE I LET A SMALLER GUY THAT KNOCKS PEOPLE OUT PUNCH ME I NEED TO GET SMALLER NOW TO WIN IN THE REMATCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Full UFC 111 results are below.

Pay-Per-View Bouts
Georges St-Pierre def. Dan Hardy by unanimous decision (live blog)
Shane Carwin def. Frank Mir via first-round TKO (live blog)
Kurt Pellegrino def. Fabricio Camoes by submission (rear-naked choke) (live blog)
Jon Fitch def. Ben Saunders by unanimous decision (live blog)
Jim Miller def. Mark Bocek by unanimous decision (live blog)

Preliminary Bouts
Nate Diaz def. Rory Markham via TKO (punches) - Round 1, 2:47 (live blog)
Ricardo Almeida def. Matt Brown via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 1, 3:30 (live blog)
Rousimar Palhares def. Tomasz Drwal via submission (heel hook) - Round 1, 0:45 (live blog)
Jared Hamman def. Rodney Wallace via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) (live blog)
Matt Riddle def. Greg Soto via DQ (illegal upkick) -- Round 3, 1:30 (live blog)
Matthew Riddle d. Greg Soto via DQ

After Riddle won the first two rounds, but in the third, Soto kicked Riddle with an up kick while Riddle was down which is an illegal blow. The doctor stopped the match, because the side of Riddle's face swelled up to Elephant Man proportions.

Jared Hamann d. Rodney Wallace via decision

Boring fight, with the show off to a sluggish start with a DQ and this fight. All three judges scored it 29-28 for for Hamann. All three judges gave Wallace the first round.

Rousimar Palhares d. Tomasz Drwal via submission to a heel hook

It looked like Drwal slipped throwing a kick about a minute into the first round and Palhares slapped on the heel hook immediately. Drwal tapped right away, but Palhares kept it on even after the ref tried to pry him off. Another spot that makes the sport look bad. Palhares apologized after the match.

Ricardo Almeida d. Matt Brown via submission to a triangle

Brown just danced around and didn't seem to want to do anything, as we get another boring fight. Almeida trapped him in a body triangle in the second round, got the choke and Brown tapped out.

Nate Diaz d. Rory Markham via ref stoppage

Midway through the first round, Diaz started connecting with punches. Markham got knocked down by a knee and Diaz just wailed away on him until the ref stopped it. Diaz looked like a star here, because Markham outweighed him by 30 pounds.

Jim Miller d. Mark Bocek via decision

This fight could have gone either way. A great back-and-forth fight. All three judges scored it 29-28 for Miller.

Jon Fitch d. Ben Saunders via decision

Wow, this may have been the most boring fight of the year. They both should try out for Dancing with the Stars. Yawn. All three judges scored it 30-27 for Fitch.

Kurt Pellgrino d. Fabricio Comoes via submission to a choke

In the second round, Pellegrino took Comoes down and got him in a choke. Comoes tapped.

Shane Carwin d. Frank Mir for the Interim heavyweight title

Carwin forced Mir against the cage midway through round one and just unloaded on him with punches. It was just vicious. Mir went down and Carwin didn't let up. The ref had to stop it before someone got killed. And guess who comes to the cage? Brock Lesnar. Lesnar takes the microphone and says that Carwin is wearing a phony belt and that his (Lesnar's) belt was the real title belt. Carwin actually agreed with him. It's on for July 3.

Georges St-Pierre d. Dan Hardy via unanimous decision

Judges scored it 50-43, 50-44 and 50-45.

Dan Hardy Is ready to take the title away from George St. Pierre ? & FC 111 Weigh Ins Results - Georges St-Pierre GSP RUSH (from Canada) vs Dan Hardy (from the UK). Watch Video - UFC Welterweight Championship Bout (Fight).

every day when Dan Hardy goes to the gym, he sees proof that the odds, in most places hovering around 8-1 against him capturing the Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight title, are not as great as they seem.
Hardy faces Georges St. Pierre, arguably the most complete MMA fighter on the planet, on Saturday night at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. It’s the headline event of UFC 111, which is expected to be the biggest MMA event in several months.
Most give Hardy about the same chance of winning the title as they did his recent coach, Matt Serra, when Serra earned a title shot as a stipulation for winning a tournament on The Ultimate Fighter season four reality show.

But Serra is living proof of the axiom a punchers’ chance, or that on any given day in this sport, anything can happen. In the last five years, St. Pierre has physically dominated everyone he’s been in the cage with, a run unprecedented in the promotion’s history.
In his 12 wins in his last 13 fights, he won 31 of 33 rounds, including his current string of 19 straight, a UFC record.
But in the middle of some of the most talented fighters in the world, from Jon Fitch to Thiago Alves to Matt Hughes (twice) to Penn to Josh Koscheck, not even putting him in any danger, there was one loss.
On April 7, 2007, Serra, an 8-1 underdog, caught St. Pierre with a hard right behind the ear, and stayed on him, keeping St. Pierre from regaining his bearings before finishing him with punches on the ground in the first round.
“You can’t put muscles here (pointing to his face),” Hardy said during the “Primetime” series on Spike TV that is hyping the event. “And that’s all I’m aiming for…He can jump higher than me. He can lift trucks. It makes no difference to me. When I connect on his chin, he can lift all he wants… he’s still going down.”
But it’s easy to look at film of that one night and come up with the strategy of cracking St. Pierre with the perfect punch. It’s a lot harder to do it from your back, which is where every one of St. Pierre’s opponents since the Serra loss have spent the majority of the match.
Hardy has punching power, he’s 23-6 with one no contest, with 11 of those wins via knockout. But Alves was supposed to be almost impossible to take down and a better striker than St. Pierre, and once the match started, neither ended up being the case. B.J. Penn and Serra in the rematch talked a similar tone, to the point St. Pierre has talked of his opponents being like comedians who have run out of material.
Hardy himself thought Alves would do a lot better.
“I think the problem is Alves was so afraid of being taken down that he didn’t show his best stuff standing,” he said. “With me, I know that I’m going to be taken down at some point. And I’m not afraid of being on my back.”
“I have a lot of guys in England working on my takedown defense,” he said. “I have a guy in Los Angeles who was a Division I wrestler, a guy on the British Olympic team. It’s not because I’m fighting Georges, but it’s an area of my game I want to work on.
At the Serra Jiu Jitsu Academy on Long Island, one of the main aspects of Hardy’s training the past few weeks has been fighting from his back with training partners who are 200 pounds and more, bigger than St. Pierre, and working on ways to get back to his feet, figuring he’s got 25 minutes to connect with a punch.
Obviously that’s easier said than done. Serra himself had little luck getting back to his feet after being taken down in their rematch in Montreal. That aspect may be the key factor in the fight, whether he can get off his back on a regular basis. There is no guarantee Hardy wins if it becomes a striking battle, but his game plan is no secret, to try to make it as much of one as possible.
“Matt’s been in there twice with Georges, won one and lost one,” said Hardy. “Some of the mistakes he made in his second fight, he can relate to me so I don’t make those mistakes. My situation is the exact situation he was in in his first fight.”
“Not a lot of guys give Dan a chance,” said Serra. “I know what that feels like. I know what it’s like to prove people wrong. There are a lot of people you are going to give a big F.U. to when you win this fight.”
Hardy said he’s not mad about the odds makers and many fans giving him little respect, noting that it’s a conclusion you can come to when looking at the fight on paper.
“If I was looking at if from a fan perspective or a bettors’ perspective, that’s what it would look like,” he said. “When people doubt me, it gets me more excited for the fight. I think people are ready for a change in the division. I think people are more excited about what can happen in the division if I win the belt. I know a lot of people are doubting me, but that will change after the fight on the 27th.”
While St. Pierre has tried to paint a picture that it’s a martial artist, himself, against a brawler, and that once the fight starts, the difference in skill level will be obvious, Hardy, 27, is hardly a stranger to traditional martial arts.
Hardy started in taekwondo at the age of six. When he was 19, he ventured to northern China to train with Shaolin monks. For two months, his life consisted of all-day training at a level he said was the toughest thing he’s ever done in his life. It would be six days a week, and the seventh day he had no energy to do anything but rest. When he returned, he decided to become a fighter, and a traveler, noting after that experience he gained confidence to go places to learn, including frequent trips to the U.S., gaining a wide variety of training that has shaped him into the fighter he’s become.
A lot of people expected Hardy to play the villain role to hype the fight. Billed as “The Outlaw,” stemming from growing up in Nottingham, the home of Robin Hood, Hardy made his first impression almost as much with his mouth as his fists, particularly in building up a June 13, 2009, win over Marcus Davis, where he called Davis, who lives in Maine but is of Irish ancestry and had become a fixture on UFC shows in the U.K., a “fake Irishman.” Hardy never let up, and the talking may have gotten to Davis, who to this day still seems upset when Hardy’s name is mentioned.
But aside from remarks questioning St. Pierre’s chin, the same thing every opponent does since you can’t question is athletic ability, conditioning or wrestling game, Hardy has in recent weeks come across almost as a likeable Rocky Balboa.
He’s somewhat unknown as compared to most UFC main eventers. He’s being given little chance, but he’s trained hard his entire life for a title shot against a champion who will go down as an all-time great.
Hardy is coming off four straight UFC wins in the 19 months since he debuted at UFC 89 in Birmingham, U.K., with a close decision win over Akihiro Gono. He was quickly pushed by the UFC’s U.K. promotional office as a local star, both due to his color, his red Mohawk haircut and gift of gab, along with his knockout power. A quick knockout of Rory Markham was the match that established him as more than just hype. He got the title shot with an upset of Mike Swick on Nov. 14., in Manchester, U.K.
Hardy, whose fight Saturday will be his first in the U.S. in four years, outstruck Swick for three rounds, hurting him in the first. He was able to keep Swick from taking him down, and handily took the decision. But St. Pierre’s takedowns and ground control are at a different level.
The Prudential Center sold out for UFC 111 well in advance, and it will be the first UFC event that airs not only on pay-per-view, but also in 300 movie theaters across North America. It will almost assuredly be the biggest UFC pay-per-view event since December, when stars B.J. Penn and Frank Mir co-headlined UFC 107 and perhaps since August, with the loaded Penn-Ken Florian and Anderson Silva-Forrest Griffin double bill.yahoo.com