Former welterweight contender and current UFC commentator Dan Hardy wants to fight again.
After suffering Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (a heart condition), the British fighter with the colorful hair said he has renewed optimism that a ring return is possible.
“I spoke to the doctor that works for the UFC in the U.K., and he said he thinks it’s not really much of an issue to get me cleared,” Hardy, 32, told MMAjunkie Radio. “It’s just a case of going through the right tests and seeing the right cardiologists, guys that aren’t going to make a buck out of selling an operation to me. And that’s really where I am at the moment, particularly with the U.S. doctors. They’re trying to sell me a car, and I don’t need it.”
While Hardy was given the option to have surgery that would have allowed him to continue fighting, he chose to retire instead even though there is no guarantee that he will be allowed to fight without having the procedure done.
“I would reconsider if all of a sudden [the syndrome] became a complication for my health,” he said. “But as it is right now, it’s just a complication for my career, and I really feel like I’m caught in the health care system.”
If the Brit’s return is cleared, there is no doubt about who he would like his first match to be against.
“Diego Sanchez, because after Ross Pearson got robbed, that was one of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen,” he said.
The feud with Sanchez runs deep for Hardy who used to train with Pearson at Team Rough House. The fight against Sanchez would draw immediate interest while also allowing Hardy to earn a little bit of revenge for Pearson with a victory.
“Ross Pearson won that fight clearly, and Diego accepted the win like he does…he’s as crazy as he is,” Hardy said. “I’m a huge Diego fan, but for me, he is what’s wrong with mixed martial arts right now. He is the 20th century bullheaded martial artist that walks forward and fights with their face, and now we’ve got guys like … Conor McGregor, we’ve got Gunnar Nelson; they’ve all got this very Machida-esque style where they’re very mobile; they can switch stances, and they can hit with power from anywhere,” he said.
