UFC: Dan Hardy Wants ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone In Comeback Fight
Dan Hardy’s fighting career appeared to come to an end in 2013, when he was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. This is a condition in which there is an extra electrical pathway in the heart and can lead to periods of rapid heart rate.
Hardy’s last fight came on September 29th, 2012, against Amir Sadollah, where he won a unanimous decision.
Almost eight years on, the 38-year-old is now calling for a return to the Octagon, and wants to fight Donald ‘Cowboy” Cerrone.
In August of 2019, the former UFC welterweight went on the Joe Rogan MMA Show to announce that he was re-entering the USADA testing pool, having been cleared to fight again.
Speaking to Mike Swick on the Real Quick with Mike Swick Podcast (as transcribed by BJPenn.com), Hardy revealed that ‘Cowboy’ would be an ideal matchup for his return.
“I think ‘Cowboy’ would be a great matchup for me. He’s a veteran,” Hardy said.
“The reality is he’s at the end of his career. That’s four losses in a row. I’ve been there myself. And I’m not saying that he can’t turn it around and pick up a couple of wins and stuff. But he’s far enough away from a title shot now to just kind of pick and choose and have fun fights that make sense to him. And I think I make sense, I think it’d be a fun fight,” Hardy told Swick.
As Hardy pointed out, Cerrone has lost four fights in a row, with the most recent being a decision loss to Anthony Pettis at UFC 249. ‘Cowboy’ however is the UFC’s leader for most wins and finishes and has had an incredible 28 fights since the last time Hardy fought.
“He’s had a lot of fights since the last time I’ve fought, he’s got a lot of experience, he’s also taken a lot of wear and tear. I feel like I know his game very well because I’ve watched his fights over and over again. I just think it’d be a fun one. Maybe [the] loser leaves town. Maybe we’d fight for pink slips. Loser retires.”
‘Cowboy’ isn’t the only name that Hardy has called out. ‘The Outlaw’ has also expressed an interest in fighting Nate Diaz and Anthony Pettis.
Would you like to see Dan Hardy return against ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone?
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