Roundtables
ROUNDTABLE: What's next for Dan Hardy following a third straight loss in the UFC? Hansen, Hyden, Park, Hobaugh, Bacior, Perez, Williams, Pelkey and Penick
Mar 30, 2011 - 11:40:50 PM ROUNDTABLE: What's next for Dan Hardy following a third straight loss in the UFC? Hansen, Hyden, Park, Hobaugh, Bacior, Perez, Williams, Pelkey and Penick

DISCUSS ALL THIS IN OUR NEW MMATORCH FORUM

...OH, ONE MORE THING - PLEASE BOOKMARK US & VISIT DAILY!

What's next for Dan Hardy following his third straight loss in the Octagon? Any chance the UFC cuts him?

RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

Dan Hardy needs to wrestle.  Well, he needs to realize that not every fight is a showcase for his punching ability, and THEN learn how to wrestle.  As long as he thinks he is employed by the UPC (Ultimate Punching Championship), he's never going to improve.

FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I don't think the UFC cuts him, but it's painfully obvious how to beat him. If you can take him to the ground, you win. Hardy needs to improve his wrestling and his overall ground game. He's an exciting fighter if he's allowed to stand and trade. Otherwise, he's probably going to lose and in a boring way. However, it's Hardy's job to make sure that doesn't happen.

CHRIS PARK, MMATORCH UK SPECIALIST

There is definitely a chance that the UFC would cut Dan Hardy. A massive chance. I don't belive they will, however, as there are expections to the rule.

Dana White has expressed his feelings of Hardy and has made such exceptions to three-fight losing streaks in the past. Dan Miller? Stephan Bonner?

Hardy has as good as said 'give me another fight, and If I lose I will pack my own bag' and I can say with a lot of confidence that I belive he will be given an eighth bout in the UFC. His marketability and popularity make Hardy a huge draw for the UFC and one they will not ship him out in hast.

He has lost three fights but they are to arguably the greatest welterweight to ever pull on a pair of mitts, a former WEC champ and physically the biggest fighter in the division. I'm not making excuses for Hardy, I was very dissapointed in his performance last week, but it's all relative.

Bring on Chris Lytle with it all on the line. Fireworks!

ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I thought after this loss, he was definitely out. Dana White commented after the fight that he loved Hardy and he is not automatically out. This is what I hate about one promotion, and more specifically one person like White having the ability to cut or keep fighters just because he likes them. It weakens the sport. The bottom line is if White likes him, he will continue to fight in the UFC. The UFC will give him someone like Mike Pyle or Dennis Hallman.

MIKE BACIOR, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I do not think they will cut him, as he is a fan favorite, and a key British star. However, one more loss and they probably will. But I am guessing he will get a much less difficult opponent in his next fight. Let's not sell Anthony Johnson short, he is a very good fighter when he is on his game.
 
ANWAR PEREZ, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

The UFC won't cut Dan Hardy just yet, as he can still provide plenty of compelling slug-fests, and also, the fans really seem to love the guy.  What's next?  Right now, who knows.  Josh Koscheck is always a game fighter, and being that they have had war of words between them in the past, that's a good one right there.  Any slugger would be best, but then again, if Hardy can't fix his issues with wrestling defense (ie. none), then Koscheck will eat him up alive.

ALEX WILLIAMS, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I doubt the UFC cuts him, but the truth about Dan Hardy is that his best asset is his striking, yet he doesn't actually hit that hard and quite a few welterweights are better at that facet of the game.  It was pretty ridiculous that he ever got a title shot, but he will almost certainly never put himself in the argument for one again.

MATT PELKEY, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

No chance the UFC cuts him. They still like his brash personality, the crowds still react to him (love him or hate him), and with the exception of when he's being held down by a superior wrestler he's generally in exciting fights. I expect him to get a substantial step down in competition for his next fight in an effort to start building him back up.

JAMIE PENICK, MMATORCH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Being only a year removed from a title shot works in his favor to not get cut, and the UFC certainly likes him so he'll get another shot in the division. If the UFC decides to give him another wrestler he may find himself on his way out, but I think they'll give him a more favorable stylistic matchup his next time out. A fight against Chris Lytle, which both fighters have expressed interest in, would be highly entertaining, but Hardy's running the risk of another fighter saying they'll slug it out with him and then taking him down and ending him there. Hardy doesn't have extreme power in his strikes, and the picture painted of him as a knockout artist has never been accurate in the UFC, but he can put on entertaining fights depending on the opponent. The problem is his glaring weakness is one that's been severely exploited in two of his last three fights, and if he doesn't improve upon the wrestling aspect of this sport he's going to continue on this downward path.