Dan Hardy Keen On A Return Fight At Madison Square Garden Later This Year
The long awaited return of Dan Hardy still isn’t set, but “The Outlaw” would consider taking a fight this year at the UFC’s next show at Madison Square Garden circumstances permitting.
Hardy was present this past weekend on the ground in Gothenburg, Sweden working as an analyst for Cage Warriors 93.
Speaking backstage to MMANytt reporter Sebastian Vendel-Martinez, Hardy said that he was still fully intending on taking one last fight in the Octagon and that it was his schedule currently blocking it from taking place.
“Honestly, I’m just incredibly busy, that’s the truth,” Hardy said.
“I’ve not been able to put a consistent month of training together, or what I would consider to be a full month of training.
“I’m training five days a week, but not a the level where I can see where my body is that so I can test it.”
That said, if Hardy did get his training lined up he doesn’t believe there would be any issues slipping into a fight camp.
“I’m a lot closer to my weight than I used to be and I walk around at 82-kilos now,” Hardy added.
“I need to do the four month USADA testing pool and the likelihood is I got one more fight so I’m in no massive rush to get back into that.
“It’s a very intrusive program which I like as a fan, as an analyst and as a UFC member of the staff I like, but as a fighter I don’t need people knocking on my door at five in the morning.
“I’ll do it for one fight and when the times right, but for me the focus is getting my new gym setup with Jimi Wallhead and my academy. It will be a good home for my camp.”
While that maybe Hardy’s short term plan, later this year he said there’s one card in particular he would like to fight on. The UFC’s two previous visits to Madison Square Garden have been historic nights in their history and Hardy said he’d would love to be a part of their third event there.
“I like Madison Square Garden, there’s a November card coming up and there’s still time to get on that,” Hardy said.
“If they came to me with the right fight, the right opponent, things could move in that direction.
“If not then next year.”
Watch the full interview with Hardy talking about his potential return here:
