Hardy out to prove Brits are just as good as Yanks

UFC 95 co-headliner Dan Hardy wants to prove to the World that English MMA fighters are just as good as their US counterparts.

The 26-year-old will take on US star Rory Markham at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday.

He told the Sun: “It’s very important for guys like me to establish myself in the United States.

“To a certain extent, UK fighters are looked down upon a little bit by the rest of the world.

“And particularly with the British cards, I think people look at us as space fillers on the bill.

“But now I’ve got an opportunity to fight a guy like Rory Markham who has got a lot of fans in the US and he’s got a lot of respect from the MMA community.

“So to beat him is going to raise my profile quite a lot.

“I think it’s important to take these risks and fight these highly-respected prospects and get the wins.

“Since the UFC has come to the UK I think the professionalism here has taken a leap forward.

“I think our athletes are better trained now – people like myself are travelling out to America to train at gyms over there and bringing techniques back and improving the coaching here.

“That’s important for the future of UK MMA – to keep raising that skill level and keep improving.”

Tags: Dan Hardy, UFC