CONTACTABOUTFACEBOOKTWITTERPODCAST IPHONE APPANDROID APPAMAZON APPWINDOWS APPRSS
NEW FORUM

GOT THE MMATORCH APP YET?
iPhone & iPad
Android
Kindle Fire
Windows Phone
MMATORCH IPHONE APP

MMATORCH

All the MMA News • Plus Intelligent, Brilliant, Addictive Points of View!
Independently Covering MMA Since 1993 • No Big Corporate Bosses

Amadi's Take
AMADI: UFC's favoritism of Dan Hardy not in line with expectations of the organization
Aug 16, 2011 - 10:20:48 AM
AMADI: UFC's favoritism of Dan Hardy not in line with expectations of the organization
DISCUSS ALL THIS IN OUR NEW MMATORCH FORUM
...OH, ONE MORE THING - PLEASE BOOKMARK US & VISIT DAILY!



By: Jason Amadi, MMATorch Columnist

Staff10Amadi_130_58.jpg
Part of the UFC's allure to casual fans is that it's seen as the major league of mixed martial arts. Generally speaking, for a fighter just to get into the UFC at this point, they have to be some sort of touted prospect, have an impressive record, already be on a lengthy winning streak, and have virtually no losses. To this point, the only way for a fighter to stay in the UFC has been to win; that of course, was until Dan Hardy.

Without even focusing too heavily on his four fight losing streak and continued employment, the UFC's handling of Dan Hardy throughout his entire run with the organization is completely incongruous with what we've come to expect from the world's premiere mixed martial arts league.

There is no denying that Dan Hardy earned his way into the UFC ranks. Not counting his DQ loss to Yoshiyuki Yoshida back in 2007, Hardy had to rattle off eight straight victories to make his way onto the big stage.

In Dan Hardy's first fight in the UFC he was awarded a split decision victory that many felt he had lost to Akihiro Gono at UFC 89. Off the heels of that type of performance, Hardy was still a relative unknown in the UFC's welterweight division. However, after knocking out Rory Markham (a man who fought Hardy with a collapsed lung) at UFC 95, the UFC touted Hardy as the biggest puncher since Mike Tyson. Of course, that fight - to this point - is still Hardy's only victory by way of stoppage in the UFC.

From there Hardy would rack up another razor close split decision against Marcus Davis before being gifted a number one contender's bout with Mike Swick.

While victories are certainly hard to come by in the UFC, and it's relatively impressive to rack up three straight, there wasn't anything about Hardy's first three fights in the UFC that warranted a number one contender's bout in what is, historically, the UFC's deepest weight class.

The UFC's welterweight class is probably home to the greatest concentration of big, strong top position grapplers in mixed martial arts, and yet three fights into the UFC, Dan Hardy managed to not only evade all of them, but secured a number one contender's bout ahead of them with two split decision wins and a knockout over Rory Markham. Of course Hardy went on to defeat Mike Swick in his most dominant UFC performance, but from there, Hardy's stock in the UFC would suffer a precipitous drop.

"The Outlaw" bit off way more than he could chew against Georges St. Pierre. Because of St. Pierre's risk averse style, Hardy was able to look like one million dollars by going the distance with one of the world's best fighters. Unfortunately for Hardy, his struggles in the welterweight kiddie pool were no aberration, as he's absolutely drowned in deeper waters.

Georges St. Pierre used him as a grappling dummy for 25 minutes, Carlos Condit brutally knocked him out, Anthony Johnson decided he could also use a grappling dummy for a while, and then Chris Lytle used him as a speed bag before Hardy decided to take the fight to the floor to score points, at which point Lytle instantly submitted him.

In the interest of full disclosure, Dan Hardy isn't the first fighter to come in to the UFC and do relatively well before hitting a wall; however, what's so vexing about Hardy's case is why the UFC has shown him so much favor every step of the way. As much as the UFC likes to promote Hardy as a fan-friendly brawler, he's only had two fights in which he's been able to live up to that billing, despite the fact that the UFC has been desperately trying to re-create the Rory Markham fight for years.

When people try to craft their ridiculous "sport vs. entertainment" arguments, most tend to focus on fighters like Jon Fitch whose unpleasing styles afford them a tougher road than more dynamic fighters. If one really wanted to broach that subject, then surely Dan Hardy would be a more interesting way to go.

There is no way around the fact that Dan Hardy didn't get where he is by being a great mixed martial artist. Quite frankly, if he weren't British, if he didn't have a cool mohawk and tattoos, it would be hard to imagine the UFC awarding him a number one contender's bout as a result of two split decision wins and a knockout over Rory Markham. It would be even harder to imagine the UFC keeping him around after dropping four straight fights.

Lorenzo Fertitta's tweet that Hardy won't be cut because he likes fighters that "WAR" is probably true, but the fact is that Hardy has been afforded more chances to "WAR" than most fighters, and has only done so a handful of times. If Dan Hardy can lose four straight fights and get to fight another day, it's hard to wrap your head around Gerald Harris twice earning "Knockout of the Night" honors, ESPN coverage, and then the axe after one slip up.

Feel free to follow me on Twitter @JasonAmadi. Let us "WAR."


DON'T GO YET... WE SUGGEST THESE MMATORCH ARTICLES, TOO!
AMADI: Proof That Friday Nights Are Toxic For the UFC on FX
AMADI: UFC 153 shows there's room for more "fun fights" in the UFC
AMADI: Fighter Injury - Not Oversaturation - to Blame for UFC's Decline in 2012

comments powered by Disqus
HERE ARE EVEN MORE ARTICLES THAT MIGHT INTEREST YOU

SELECT ARTICLES BY CATEGORY
SEARCH MMATORCH BY KEYWORD


MMATORCH CALENDAR OF EVENTS
CLICK HERE FOR LIST OF UPCOMING MMA EVENTS
CLICK TO SEE A UFC VIDEO BELOW

ARTICLES OF INTEREST ELSEWHERE
MMATORCH POLL - VOTE NOW!

Will T.J. Dillashaw and Urijah Faber eventually fight?
 
pollcode.com free polls

Do you think Daniel Cormier will defeat returning Jon Jones to legitimize UFC Light Heavyweight Title reign?
 
pollcode.com free polls

VOTE IN OR SEE RESULTS OF PREVIOUS POLLS

MMATORCH WEEKLY LIVECAST
Listen to the weekly MMATORCH LIVECAST on Blog Talk Radio


MMATORCH STAFF

EDITORS:

Wade Keller, supervising editor
(mmatorch@gmail.com)

Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)

STAFF COLUMNISTS:

Shawn Ennis - Jason Amadi
Frank Hyden - Rich Hansen
Chris Park - Matt Pelkey


Interested in joining MMATorch's writing team? Send idea for a theme to your column (for Specialist section) or area of interest (i.e. TV Reporter) along with a sample of writing to mmatorch@gmail.com.

MORE MMA SITES
CONTACTABOUTFACEBOOKTWITTERPODCAST IPHONE APPANDROID APPAMAZON APPWINDOWS APPRSS
THE TORCH: #1 IN COMBAT ENTERTAINMENT COVERAGE | © 1999-2013 TDH Communications Inc. • All rights reserved -- PRIVACY POLICY