There is a new contender in the UFC’s welterweight division. With a convincing win over Mike Swick at UFC 105, Dan Hardy is next in line to go toe to toe with a man who many consider to be the best pound for pound mixed martial artist in the world, Geroge St. Pierre. Even though Hardy is on a four fight win streak in the UFC, critics say Hardy has yet to prove himself enough to be the number one contender. Guys like Josh Koscheck pay Hardy little respect and feel that his title shot is a bit premature.
Hardy recently talked to the Las Vegas Review about his lack of love. Here is what he said:
“I love to upset people. I get doubted all the time. Regardless of what I do or who I beat, people always underestimate me. They’ve never given me the respect I deserve. Fighting GSP, if I can give him a good beating, people might start to change their mind.
What does Dan Hardy have to say about Josh Koscheck’s comment at UFC 106, that Hardy doesn’t deserve a title shot?
Josh Koscheck’s at the back of a long line of people that have something negative to say about me. I’ll shut them up one at a time. I understand that people are a little irked and a little surprised that I’m getting a title shot, but at the end of the day who is left? Georges St. Pierre has done a good job of clearing out the division, adding that two of the other top contenders have already lost to St. Pierre. The two top guys around are (Jon) Fitch and (Thiago) Alves, and they need a couple wins before they get back to a title shot. You don’t want to see the same guys fighting for a title over and over again.
Hardy is also know as a big time smack talker. Here is what Hardy had to say about talking smack about GSP, who is know to be very humble and quiet.
I never say anything to intentionally upset people. I’m just saying things that are going to make me laugh and make the fans laugh,” he said. “I’ve got plenty of things I’m going to be saying about (St. Pierre), definitely.”
I have to admit that Hardy has some good points about getting his title shot. He also seems very comfortable and confident that he can compete with GSP, and others in the welterweight division. It will be interesting to see if he can get GSP fired up enough to get some good smack talk going between them.