The Ultimate Fighting Championship will continue its expansion into Europe when it presents UFC 95 at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday.
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| Hardy looks forward to a potential standup war with Markham. (UFC) |
In Michael Bisping, the UFC has its British answer to Chuck Liddell. But while the promotion has several strong fighters with ties to the U.K. on its roster, none is close to rivaling Bisping's star in the U.S. or overseas.
That could change in short order. In addition to featuring a team of U.K. fighters on the upcoming ninth season of The Ultimate Fighter, the UFC possesses a potential gem in welterweight newcomer Dan Hardy.
In addition to being a multitalented prospect, Hardy carries with him a great deal of charisma that has allowed him to already develop a sizable fan base. Now with the UFC marketing machine behind him, Hardy could give the company a dynamic 1-2 punch with Bisping when it comes to British star power.
After recording a split decision victory over Akihiro Gono at UFC 89 this past October in his Octagon debut, Hardy has received a more prominent spot on the card. Instead of a non-televised preliminary match, his next bout set for UFC 95 this Saturday vs. former IFL star Rory Markham has been green-lighted as the opener of Spike TV's broadcast (9 p.m. ET) of the event.
A prominent slot on a major UFC fight card could give Hardy the exposure he needs to become a breakout star. But in order to continue to gain momentum he must first get past Markham, an experienced veteran with one-punch knockout power.
As he made his final preparations for Markham, Hardy recently took time out of his schedule to speak with CBSSports.com.
CBSSports.com: Rory Markham has questioned your punching power. Do you feel he's trying to lure you into a standup war?
Dan Hardy: Yes, possibly. But if that's what he's looking for then that's exactly what he's got. I mean, he's disrespected my punching power and I'm not really scared of his. I think he's underestimating how hard I can punch and I think he's going to be surprised.
Q: Markham has a lot of power in his hands but when breaking down film on him, do you feel he's a versatile striker?
DH: Not really. I think his striking is really quite straightforward. I don't think he offers any new challenges. Based on what I have seen of him in the past, I think I am more proficient than him and I think I will be able to out-strike him pretty much at will.
Q: What's your assessment of Markham's ground game?
