British MMA star, and former UFC welterweight title-challenger Dan Hardy has revealed he’s still contemplating a return to the cage.
‘The Outlaw’ (25-10) hasn’t competed since 2012 after being diagnosed with a heart condition, and he’s since switched roles in the UFC, by becoming the co-commentator for their European events.
But the Nottingham native said at a Q&A in Ireland that he misses fighting, and still carries the desire to compete.
“I’ve just been speaking to Dana backstage and he’s trying to convince me, ‘nah, you’ve got a career in commentary,'” Hardy said. “It’s not the same, when I get in there interviewing them after their fights and I’ve got my arm around them, I’m feeling the energy they’re putting off. I miss that, I miss all of this. Honestly, I’d love to fight again, yeah. Maybe two more.”
After bursting on to the world stage with the UFC, winning his fist 4 fights, the British Welterweight fought for the title against then champion Georges St-Pierre.
After being defeated by the Canadian, things began to get difficult for Hardy as he went on a losing streak, and some suspected he could be cut after 4 consecutive defeats.
But after a vote of confidence from Dana White who backed him to come good, Hardy won his next two fights against Duane Ludwig and Amir Sadollah, and it appeared he’d steered his career back on track.
However, shortly after his last bout, he was diagnosed with Wolff–Parkinson–White Syndrome, a heart condition that causes the heart to beat irregularly, and he was forced to hang up his gloves.
But Hardy now has his eye on a return, and he’s also got a couple of opponents in mind.
“I would fight Koscheck at anything,” Hardy said. “Under any rules, any game, any sport, any how, I don’t mind. I’ve never saw eye-to-eye. I’d love to fight Koscheck. Diego Sanchez called me out the other day. There’s always someone calling me out.”
It remains to be seen whether he’ll be granted a license to fight again, but here’s hoping we see that red mohawk in the Octagon soon, once again on the receiving end of the post-fight questions.
