UFC
If Dan Hardy can get cleared, he wants to fight Diego Sanchez, "push him toward retirement"
Jul 28, 2014 - 4:10:33 PM If Dan Hardy can get cleared, he wants to fight Diego Sanchez, "push him toward retirement"

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

It's been nearly two years since Dan Hardy fought in the UFC's Octagon, as he was diagnosed with a heart condition known as Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome. There's a surgical treatment for the condition that has been pushed on Hardy by several doctors in the U.S., but as he hasn't ever experienced complications from the issue, and has lived with it essentially his entire life undiagnosed, he doesn't want to undergo the treatment.

However, he believes there may be an opening for him to return, as a doctor in the U.K. has told him it may just be a matter of seeing the right doctors who aren't trying to push a certain procedure on him.

"I spoke to the doctor that works for the UFC in the U.K., and he said he thinks it's not really much of an issue to get me cleared," Hardy said in an interview with MMAJunkie.com. "It's just a case of going through the right tests and seeing the right cardiologists, guys that aren't going to make a buck out of selling an operation to me. And that's really where I am at the moment, particularly with the U.S. doctors. They're trying to sell me a car, and I don't need it."

"I would reconsider if all of a sudden [the syndrome] became a complication for my health. But as it is right now, it's just a complication for my career, and I really feel like I'm caught in the health care system."

If he does manage to get clearance, Hardy knows who he'd like to fight upon his return: Diego Sanchez. The longtime UFC competitor is coming off a highly controversial decision over Ross Pearson, and Hardy would like to take Sanchez out himself after that fight.

"Diego Sanchez, because after Ross Pearson got robbed, that was one of the worst decisions I've ever seen," Hardy said of who he'd like to fight. "Ross Pearson won that fight clearly, and Diego accepted the win like he does... he's as crazy as he is. I'm a huge Diego fan, but for me, he is what's wrong with mixed martial arts right now. He is the 20th century bullheaded martial artist that walks forward and fights with their face, and now we've got guys like... Conor McGregor, we've got Gunnar Nelson; they've all got this very Machida-esque style where they're very mobile; they can switch stances, and they can hit with power from anywhere."

"I think Diego represents the old school, where you just walk forward in a boxing stance and see who falls over first... I'd like to get in there and maybe push him toward retirement. Get my comeback fight, give him his last fight, and see where we're at."

Penick's Analysis: If Sanchez moved back up to welterweight, that fight could be highly intriguing. Hardy's right about Sanchez's style and the decision against Pearson, and if he can get cleared to return it's a fight which could work. That's got to be the most maddening thing for Hardy to deal with right now, as he's been feeling healthy enough to compete, but can't get the medical clearance because of a medical condition which hasn't given him any legitimate symptoms or issues. Hopefully for his sake it gets cleared up so he's able to continue his fighting career.

[Dan Hardy art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]