Dan Hardy (2017)

Maybe you looked like to wanted a fight!

Sometimes I forget that people might recognize me and think they are eyeballing me...

I would go on again, yes. The last time I was out in the US he invited me to do Fight Companion, but I was busy at the Fox studios for the fights.

Thank you, my friend.

I think its exciting when world class combat athletes from any sport decide to cross over. There is a lot of room for improvement with MMA striking in general, and the only way to get there is to introduce a few killers from the striking world. I think women's MMA has benefited most so far, what with Joanna, Holm and Shevchenko. I'd like to see more male fighters cross over.

The full story is in my book, but basically I left a team and my old training partners were 'advised' by the coach not to train with me. I signed up to the old cagewarriors.com forum to find training partners, and used TheOutlaw as my handle, because I'd been 'outlawed' from the Nottingham MMA community as I knew it. I also liked the link with Robin Hood!

Hard to say. A veteran. Someone that has as much experience as me, and knows their game. Someone fun to fight, and easy to get motivated for in training.

Of course!

I want to see Ferguson, then Khabib, then Diaz 3, then GSP, then Mayweather.

Thanks for the tip. I haven't really figured the site out yet!

I'm glad you are enjoying the breakdowns. I would say I do about 10-15 hours per fighter, and I also like to mimic them in training to really understand how they move.

Trippy!

1. I think it helped my perspective on many things. Separating myself from the needless chatter in my mind during fighting is always difficult. That, I feel slows down my reaction time and decision making in high intensity situations, like a fight. I feel like I can tune a lot of that out now, and that is my main focus during training now. The old "too many minds" thing out of Last Samurai... kind of like that.
2. Myself and my good friend Paul Gibson worked our asses off for about eight months. It was strange reliving some of those memories in conversations with Paul, and realizing how they have influenced me as a person. That's why it would have been impossible to have written this on my own. The conversations were key.

Ha!

I think the solution to the weight cutting issue is to monitor the fighters weight closer, and to introduce more weight classes. I'd like to see 161lbs, 177lbs, 195lbs, 235lbs.

The new ownership from what I've seen, is looking at pushing the UFC globally. The Fertitta ownership was amazing and I will be forever grateful for the risk they took in the beginning, and the strong decision-making that guided the UFC through those early years. They could only take it so far though, and they were good enough to admit that. WME IMG will make the sport of MMA bigger than its ever been. Of course they will cater to the entertainment aspect of the sport, but I don't think it will change anything on a competitive level. We also have to realize that the active career of an MMA fighter is relatively short once they reach the top, and when someone like GSP returns, we should expect a few ripples in the sport. He's a superstar! I want to see the fight. Whether I want to see the Romero fight more or not, I don't know, but I know what the pay-per-view numbers will say. Nothing wrong with giving the people what they want!

It made me laugh! He's a good kid, but I have no interest in fighting him and he knows it. I will be hosting the Q&A before the weigh-ins and I'm sure we'll have some good banter, but its not a fight I'm interested in.

I've suggested the post-fight show and it looks like something that might happen if not, I'll do something myself. There will be a new UFC Breakdown out this week ahead of UFC London!

I think transitions will be smoother, conditioning with be better so the slow positions and stalling won't last as long. I also think that striking will improve massively.

Nobody will replace Rogan because he has his own style, just as all of the UFC's commentary team do. I'd certainly like to have the opportunity to pick up some of the comms jobs if he does step away, but as a fan I will miss him.

Never too late! My grandfather started Taekwondo at sixty. I didn't have my first professional fight until I was 22, and that's still really early. The prime of MMA fighters is looking like 30-35 if we look at the ages of the champions and contenders. Get stuck in!

Silva v GSP. I'm ready for Fedor to retire now.

Stock Market wins the press conference, but a sober Bisping on fight night is not so beatable.

Either beating Swick in Manchester, Ludwig in Vegas, or Sadollah in Nottingham. There have been many, many good memories though.

I will be hosting the Q&A with a rockstar list of guest fighters, then the weigh-ins, and then I'll be on the mic Octagonside the following day!

Enjoy the show! Nothing like a live UFC!

UFC 38 was awesome. As was UFC 100, but 206 had some of the best fights!

Unfortunately Johnny Depp is older than me, so logistically is probably wouldn't work... Tom Hardy would be good though!

I hadn't heard. It's a shame though. I think he offers a lot to the sport and there is definitely a market for his style of analysis. I'm sure it won't hold him back though. He will find another platform for his work.

I'm healthy! I am picking up training to see how my body responds and will go from there. I have paperwork needed to get clearance though.
I've fortunately only been knocked out twice. Once in training at ATT and once in competition. I don't think it affected me at all. There certainly seems to be a connection with fighters that get rocked a lot and a diminishing ability to take punishment. I think the bottom line is to not get hit as much as possible, and the main focus there should be in training. If you spar hard all the time, don't expect your chin to last your career.

Probably in the locker room after the Anthony Johnson fight. I was sat icing my dislocated thumb and thinking that my career was over. I hadn't felt defeated until that point.

Not sure mate... you will know when it happens though.

Maia is a very intelligent fighter, as is Gegard Mousasi and Mike Pyle. Frank Mir is also very sharp, and would be a good analyst.

I would, and I might!

hahaha! No, I wish I could get to everyone but its impossible!

Not that I've heard. I think DC, Cruz and Stann have the PPV spot on lockdown for the moment.

I am very tempted. At the moment my schedule is so busy that I don't see a window, but I am still working with Clipper to prepare the next lot of competitors, so there's always a chance I might jump onboard!

1. The idea of constant self-improvement is something that is innate. It's always been in my nature, and as I get older I realize that its likely because I'm competitive, and because I want to be recognized as someone that made an effort. There are a lot of people that make little or no effort, and I see how poor their human experience is. I loved the martial arts because it seemed almost supernatural when I was a kid. That fight feeling was always a terrifying panic, and at six years old I think I just wanted to feel safe in any situation. Later I realized that the self confidence I got from having martial arts skills allowed me to walk into any room with my head high, and that affects every interaction you have.
2. Mike Tyson.

1. I'd go with Fear and Loathing by HS Thompson, Walden by HD Thoreau and A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines.
2. Having lots of conversation with Paul Gibson. Because we didn't know each other before starting work on the book, he questioned everything about me and my life. I talked about things that I'd not thought about since they happened many years before. I also had conversations with old friends and family, looked through a lot of old photos and watched all of my fights in order. They are a good record because I can connect with how I felt at the time.

I do know most of the fighters, but I like to feel I am fair and honest in everything I do. If you hear me say it, then believe I would say it to the person I'm referring to. If we can't take objecting criticism then we are never going to reach our true potential. I respect everyone that steps into the arena, whether I know them or not I'm there to discuss and analyze their skillset as honestly and impartially as possible.

John is an awesome partner on the mic. He is prepared, organized and researched, and you can always rely on him showing up. We had to find a rhythm with each other but it didn't take us long. My evolution from fighter to analyst really just involved more research and a more conscious approach to speaking. I tend to get excited and talk too fast, and I'm learning to slow it down a little and enunciate better.

I'm not against the idea, I used to enjoy the ten minute round in Pride. There is a lot of insight given and adjustments made between rounds, that can make the fight more interesting and entertaining. They would also be a nightmare to score if they weren't divided up!

It's more likely that if I fight again it will be at lightweight. It depends on the opponent though really.

It's been mentioned but nothing confirmed yet!

I think we need to better understand the risks and communicate them to the athletes. Combat sports aren't going to go away. They are an integral part of our self expression as human beings. The only solution is to help prevent it as much as possible. At the end of the day we all know the risks and make the choice to compete anyway. Fear of damage or injury would stop us doing most things in life. Research and education is the key. In my opinion a lot of the risk is in sparring and training, and if that can be addressed then we will see healthier, safe fighters in the future.

The hair cut was always a ritual for me. I also used to draw a skull and crossed bones on my handwraps before the fight. Nothing that stayed with me throughout my career though.

No mate, I wasn't close to tapping. The kimura was worse than the armbar though!

Not sure

Gonna do half a camp and see how my body feels first.

Have a look a bit higher up mate. There's a more in-depth answer there. Basically, monitoring fighters weight better between fights, and more weight divisions.

Kickboxing, professional grappling and ice hockey.

Run laps until hes tired.

I would, because I'm happy, but I know I could have given a better showing of my skills.

I understand it and I do want to see Bisping defend against Romero. I can't pretend I won't be looking forward to the GSP fight though!

Rory is a whole other level to the rest of the Bellator, but Paul has a left hook like no other. We don't know how Rory will look after this time off, or if his nose will hold up, and I know Paul will test it. I think its a fascinating fight and am glad its in the main event position.

I'm a lot smarter and a lot more well rounded now. I think this job has added a lot to my game. It's allowed me to sit and absorb hours and hours of fighting.