Hardy, who defeated Rory Markham by first-round knockout, may have been the single most impressive fighter at UFC 95, an event that made up for a lack of star power with plenty of punching power. In his second UFC fight
, he needed just 69 seconds to dismantle Markham, out-boxing a good boxer and using a powerful left hook as his knockout punch.
Hardy told me last week that England is going insane over the UFC, and it sure sounded that way from the reaction of the fans at the O2 Arena. The locals loved seeing their guy whip the American Markham, and the sheer jubilation shown by Hardy as he soaked in the cheers afterward was great. Already becoming a headlining attraction with UFC fans in Europe, Hardy can be a fan favorite in North America, too. He’s a likeable guy, tough and well-spoken, and he has a personal flair that he shows off with everything from his haircut to his Web site.
Hardy has 27 fights under his belt, but the win over Markham was only the second time stepping into the Octagon, and I think he’s just scratching the surface of what he can do. He’s on a five-fight winning streak, and he’s won 10 of his last 11, with the only loss in that span coming to Yoshiyuki Yoshida in a 2007 Cage Force fight in which he was on the losing end of a questionable disqualification.
How much better can Hardy get? I’d venture to say a lot better. He spends much of his time training in the United States, and he’s fanatical about watching so much film of his opponents that he can close his eyes and picture everything they do. Hardy was submitted three times early in his career, but he has worked hard at getting better at grappling, and he says he hopes his next opponent is a jiu jitsu specialist because he wants to test his ground game.
Hardy is the first to admit that he’s not ready for a fight against one of the sport’s truly elite welterweights, like Georges St. Pierre or Jon Fitch. But even if it’s not against a world-class opponent, I’m looking forward to watching the next time Hardy steps into the Octagon. He can be a star.
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