Oct 19 Interview with Dan Hardy

"To be honest, I am excited. I just want to get this started now," says Hardy.

"It is going to be a great fight. He is an aggressive fighter, he's got fast hands, he likes to stand and trade punches. I am a very similar fighter so its got all the makings to be a fight of the night."

He is mostly known for his feud with Marcus Davis. Hardy called the Irish Hand Grenade a fake Irishman amongst other comments. Davis fired back saying that Hardy was a fake punk with his mohawk. After that, Hardy posted photos on his website and asked fans to photoshop funny pictures of Davis with some of the pictures coming including homosexual images, which enraged Davis. Hardy said that it was all head games to throw off Davis and it worked as he out struck the ex boxer for the win at UFC 99 in Germany last June. While Davis wants a rematch, Hardy has moved on.

"After the fight, I went into the changing rooms and shook his hand and that was it" says Hardy.

"I hear a lot of people say he is still talking about it. He is still angry and still wants a rematch. As far as I am concerned my business with him is done. Until Joe Silva calls me up and says your fighting Marcus Davis, I got no concern about what he is doing."

While the Davis issue is behind him, the battle with Swick is close at hand. It will be the toughest test of his MMA career. Mike 'Quick' Swick, as he is known, usually ends his fights pretty fast with his punching power or his "swickotine"choke. He is, though, coming off a concussion which he got during training for his fight for UFC 103 against Martin Kampmann. Swick is at 100% now and Hardy will not be taking him lightly. Hardy has been working hard at training and some good friends can be the key to win this fight.

"I got a solid team behind me and I got a couple of guys on my team that can mimic Swick's speed," says Hardy.

"I am working with guys that are a bit taller then Mike Swick so I can prepare for the extra range. I know that he is not that much taller then me. I think there is a 1 inch height and reach difference. I am working with guys who are 3/4 inches taller. So when I get into the octagon with Mike, it shouldn't be a factor. I don't think there is anything he can bring that I have not experienced in training. If there is danger, I have solved that with bringing the right team in."

While Hardy may doing all the right things in training, there is a lot more pressure on him. The fight will be in his native country of England and Swick is believed to be the favorite going in to the fight. The fight could also have the winner facing welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre. While some fighters may cripple under that weight on their shoulders, Hardy doesn't seem to be fazed by it. He was originally supposed to face Dong Hyun Kim but Kim pulled out due to a leg injury. It seemed to be all for the best.

"To be honest, when I was offered the Kim fight was offered to me. I am not a fighter that is going to argue that I don't want to fight this guy or that guy but I wasn't excited about it," says Hardy.

" The pressure for that would have been taken off because I would be expected to win. I like going into fights where I am the underdog, where everyone thinks I am going to get knocked out or choked out. Going into a fight with a guy like Swick, it raises to stakes. It gives me a chance to move up the ranks and further me in my career. The added pressure and the fact it is in the U.K in front of the hometown fans. It just pushes me harder, work harder and makes me want it more."

While he has a fight ahead of him, Hardy is also thinking about his life after MMA. After recently departing with his management company, Warrior Promotions, he and his father have started Outlaw Sports Management to handle his career and other endeavors. Hardy is even looked in to a possible career into drag racing. He recently bought a 1971 Chevy Nova and getting it restored to drag race it near his apartment in Los Angeles where he splits times from there and England. The idea comes from a loves of American muscle cars While the world of business may be a risk at times, Hardy seems to have a good head start.

"I like to be very involved on what goes on in my career," says Hardy.

" I have never been far from the business side of it. I have always been involved in the sponsorship negotiations and all the fighter things like getting the medical stuff sorted out. I was usually doing that myself anyways. There hasn't been a great deal of difference. I am more happy that I am in control of it now. I know for sure things are getting done when they need doing. It just suits me better and I am a bit of a control freak when it comes to that."

It is hard to say what will happen on November 14th when it is all said and done. I am sure either way, Hardy won't go down without a fight.