In Hardy’s estimation, in fact, some stars were born at the event, Archie Coglan among them.

“We had some stars born tonight. I think we had some really, really strong, standout performances,” Hardy opined, speaking to media outlets including Cageside Press following the event. “For me, Archie Coglan is someone we need to keep an eye on. 9-0, undefeated, a powerhouse wrestler. The power of his shots at close range, through the fence, scary. Scary power, scary individual.”

“Slim Trebelsi as well,” added Hardy. “Gotta keep an eye on this guy. He didn’t look himself tonight, said he was injured, dealing with a few things coming into this. He’s the kind of person who has the skills to really put a cat among the pigeons in the heavyweight division.”

Overall, Hardy is of the belief that “we had a strong night tonight. I thought [Cedric] Doumbe looked good. I thought Yves Landu – I just seen him in the corridor, I said ‘dude you owned it tonight.’ The back flip into the name, flipping up to his feet, fantastic.”

Landu earned a split decision win over Jonas Bilharinho at the event. Cedric Doumbe, meanwhile, returned to form in the Bellator Paris co-headliner, stopping Jaleel Willis inside of a round.

Watch the full Bellator Paris media scrum with Dan Hardy above.

The post Dan Hardy Believes Bellator Had “Some Stars Born” in Paris appeared first on Cageside Press.

The former Veronica Macedo married ex-UFC welterweight title challenger Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy since last we saw her, which was in a losing effort in a bantamweight scrap with Bea Malecki in 2020.

The pair tied the knot this past December; if they needed another reason to celebrate, Saturday’s excursion to London certainly qualifies. Hardy looked much improved in her return to the flyweight division, easily out-working TUF 30 winner Juliana Miller on the feet, while avoiding her submission game on the ground.

Having husband Dan in her corner, who fought Georges St-Pierre for welterweight gold in 2010, “I feel like it’s like a cheat code to the game,” Hardy (7-4-1) told media outlets including Cageside Press following the fight at the O2 Arena in London, England. “In a video came, you find the cheat code, you’re like ‘this dude has all the answers!'”

“If [Dan] can’t show you the way that he wants to do it, he can find a fighter and find me an example and find me different ways that other people have applied it, even if it’s something that’s not his strong suit. Or he’ll take me to another gym.”

It’s the effort by Dan Hardy that motivates Veronica to be at her best, she explained. “He’s put so much of his life aside to help me out that it’s unbelievable, and it gave me so much strength. Because Dan doesn’t need to do this, man. He has so much more important stuff to do. And if he’s taking the time to put all this energy into me, I’m going to give it my all.”

Her three year layoff, driven in part by concussion symptoms, did come “with a lot of ups and downs,” Hardy admitted. “Especially, my track record in the UFC is pretty horrific. It was going past just looking at the results and feeling like I was capable of coming back and doing it. And realizing that it was decision making and a lot of things that I was doing incorrectly or not prepping correctly for a fight, it wasn’t my lack of ability. And having to overcome that mentally in order to be back was difficult.”

Difficult too was seeing other people fight, living the dream that she wanted for herself. “It motivated me.”

Watch the full UFC 286 post-fight media scrum with Veronica Hardy above.

The post UFC 286: Veronica Hardy Calls Husband Dan’s Presence “Like a Cheat Code to the Game” appeared first on Cageside Press.

In a press release distributed Wednesday, Professional Fighters League officials announced that Hardy will serve as Head of Fighter Operations for PFL Europe.

Hardy, a former UFC title challenger, had worked for that promotion on the broadcast side, but parted ways with the company after hitting a rocky patch that included a verbal spat with ref Herb Dean during a live event, and a dispute with a fellow employee.

“The Outlaw” dropped out of active competition in 2013 after being diagnosed with Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome, though he later announced he had been cleared to return in 2018. Despite that, Hardy has not fought since a 2012 victory against Amir Sadollah.

“I’m excited to be taking on the role as Head of Fighter Operations for PFL Europe. This will allow me to bring together the best MMA prospects from around the region, and give each of them an opportunity to establish themselves as world class talent. PFL Europe will bring stability to the opportunities available to European MMA athletes, and I’m honoured to be able to play a role in that process,” Hardy was quoted as saying in Wednesday’s press release.

The inaugural PFL Europe season kicks off in Newcastle, England on March 25.

The post UFC Vet Dan Hardy Announced at PFL Europe Head of Fighter Operations appeared first on Cageside Press.

Dan Hardy’s Boxing Debut Against Diego Sanchez Dropped from Card

Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy will not be returning to combat sports after all. At least, not as planned, and possibly not ever.

Hardy recently revealed that the fight had been dropped from Saturday’s Ricky Hatton vs. Marco Antonio Barrera card, which aired on Sky Sports in the UK. In fact, it was the move to Sky Sports which Hardy believes caused the fight to be cancelled.

“So, basically the card was picked up by Sky Sports,” Hardy told Submission Radio recently (h/t MMA Mania). “And they decided that they wanted the Hatton vs. Barrera [undercard] fights off the card and to add all the rest of their own fights to it. Cause obviously they got a deal with Boxer and they’ve got loads of fighters signed to their management team.

“So yeah, they basically just took the Hatton vs. Barrera fight and they canceled the rest of the fights,” he continued. “I’ve had a bit of a chat with Diego about it. Of course, he was disappointed as well, but you know, it’s the fight game. It’s chaotic at the moment, and with new promoters getting into the businesses, I think sometimes they buy themselves a bit more than they can chew, and I think that’s what happened. I hope it goes really well. But, aside from following Ricky Hatton’s Instagram, I’m not really hearing anything about it.”

A former UFC welterweight title challenger, Hardy last competed in 2012, when he defeated Amir Sadollah via decision that September. He has not competed in any form of combat sports since. Having been diagnosed with Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome, Hardy was eventually cleared to return to competition in 2018. Instead, he focused on a broadcast career, but had a falling out with the UFC last year following an argument with a female UFC employee.

The fallout from that dispute saw Hardy released from his fight contract with the promotion — which opened the door to other promotions, including the planned boxing gig. It seems, however, that Hardy may simply walk away from actively competing for good.

“My Mum said it kind of feels like the universe is kind of telling you something here — maybe it is,” he said. “Maybe I’m just clinging onto something. But to be honest, I’m still feeling great, I still feel in good condition, my mind’s sharp, and there are a couple of options for the new year. Yeah, there’s a couple of options, couple of people’s names I’ve got in mind.”

Power Slap launch officially announced, White says he’s been working on sport since 2017

There’s no question that Dana White made a smart decision when he convinced the Fertitta brothers to scoop up the then-struggling UFC in 2001, for a cool $2 million USD. Another smart decision came in 2005 with the launch of The Ultimate Fighter, saving the promotion when it was on the brink of bankruptcy. The UFC is now a $4 billion dollar enterprise and the leading promotion in MMA. White deserves a lot of the credit.

Being honest, Power Slap is unlikely to yield similar results. Dana White has got behind the sport of “slap fighting,” in which participants wind up and slap one another in the fact, undefended.

It’s dumb. It’s a concussion waiting to happen. It’s somehow been regulated, however, and this past week, the UFC announced that Power Slap would run an eight-episode series of events on TBS starting in early 2023.

“I’m very excited for the launch of Power Slap,” Dana White was quoted as saying in a press release this past Friday. “I’ve been working on this since 2017. I saw some footage of slap fighting on social media and I was instantly hooked.  From the first day I saw it, I felt like this could be big. I knew what needed to be done to make it a real sport just like we did with MMA. We got it sanctioned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) with defined rules, rankings and weight classes. Power Slap is built for the modern sports fan.”

Sean O’Malley Gets Penile Stem Cell Injection

Welcome to sentences we never wanted to write. Sean O’Malley has always been a little off-beat, but getting stem cells injected into your penis (supposedly to increase girth) just sounds like a bad idea. A really, really bad idea, as any needle to the member should sound.

If you dare, watch the video below for more details.

Slick Submission Alert

KSW 76 on Saturday saw the first-ever Peruvian Necktie submission in the promotion, and it’s definitely worth checking out!

PERUVIAN NECKTIE!!! #KSW76

🇳🇬🇮🇪 Henry Fadipe makes KSW history!! First ever Peruvian necktie submission ever in KSW!! pic.twitter.com/JkWN15BthL

— KSW (@KSW_MMA) November 12, 2022

And a Killer Head Kick

The fun at KSW 76 didn’t stop there, as Artur Szczepaniak finished off Brian Hooi care of a head kick.

HEADKICK KNOCKOUT!! 💥 #KSW76

🇵🇱🇧🇪 @KingArturMMA KO's Brian Hooi! pic.twitter.com/5gEMD7N6xl

— KSW (@KSW_MMA) November 12, 2022

Mike Trizano was barred from wearing American flag cowboy hat at UFC 281 weigh-ins… on Veteran’s Day

File this under good intent gone awry… the UFC banned fighters from carrying flags after Russia invaded Ukraine. That was no doubt to avoid some hurt feelings, as a large number of Russians are under contract to the UFC, and a smaller number of Ukrainian fighters as well.

Out of sight, out of mind, right? A large number of people prefer their sports, and MMA, without a side of politics anyway.

Banning an American flag hat on Veteran’s Day, however, was an unintended side effect that swept up UFC 281 winner Mike Trinzano on weigh-in day. The TUF 27 winner has worn the hat before, but this time out — on a day to remember American troops, of all things — it was a no-go.

Mike Trizano calls it "a little ridiculous" that he was stopped from walking out with his American flag cowboy hat on Veterans Day.

Full #UFC281 post-fight scrum ▶️ https://t.co/SmW5KSMBHW pic.twitter.com/tfad512jph

— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) November 13, 2022

Valerie Loureda comments on in-ring debut for WWE

It’s been a year since what appears to have been her final Bellator MMA fight, and on Saturday, Valerie Loureda made her debut for WWE. After the match, she posted an emotional video celebrating the start of her new journey.

“I love what I do, and I was born to do it,” Loureda states in the clip.

Valerie Loureda & her gear 🤩@valerielouredaa pic.twitter.com/BxDgJEUt7W

— Sonya Bayley 🐑🌈 (@SDevilleLive) November 13, 2022

Moicano Wants Money!

In what may have been the GOAT of post-fight interviews, Renato Moicano referred to himself in third person at UFC 281, dropped more F-bombs than a George Carlin routine, kept the ESPN censors busy, and made sure to tell Joe Rogan that he wants money.

Here’s just part of it:

https://twitter.com/JustTheFights/status/1591624418568343552

The post Sunday MMA Quick Hits: Sean O’Malley Did What? Plus Killer Finishes at KSW 76 appeared first on Cageside Press.

White defends cash windfall gifted to social media standout

Whatever a NELK boy is, Dana White gifted one of them $250,000 recently — and it did not sit well with some fighters and fans of the UFC, who noted that the amount is more than some fighters will earn over the course of their career.

Not happy with the criticism he heard online, the UFC President blasted “scumbag MMA media” for driving the controversy.

“Let me set this record straight,” White said on The Pat McAfee Show last week. “First of all, all these people on the internet – go f*ck yourselves. Ok. I spend my money however the f*ck I want to spend my money. Mind your own f*cking business.

“No. 2, if you look at what Kyle and the Nelk Boys have done as far as how they’re handling and a lot of other things that they’ve done, those kids have never asked me for anything, ever. They’ve never asked me for anything, and they couldn’t be better people. Kyle has done so many things for me. Believe me, the $250,000 that I gave him for his birthday, it does not cover the amount of things that kid has done for me.”

Without clarifying exactly what the Nelk boys (is it Nelk or NELK?) have done, other than be popular on social media, White added that the money was given by him, not the UFC. And he’ll spend his money as he sees fit.

“A lot of this is driven by the scumbag MMA media,” White said. “So what happens is, they act like there’s this massive safe here at the UFC offices that says ‘fighter pay’ on it and I just go in there and grab whatever I want out of fighter pay. No, you f*cking pieces of sh*t. This is money that I have actually made over an entire career, and I will spend it however the f*ck I want.”

Someone call the cops, Dan Hardy wants to report an assassination attempt

Dan Hardy is no fan of the UFC pairing up Nate Diaz and Khamzat Chimaev, calling the booking an “assassination attempt.”

“It feels like we’re getting to the point where someone should start thinking about pressing charges,” Hardy said on The MMA Hour recently (h/t MMA Fighting). “It doesn’t feel like a fair fight. It feels like a very, very cruel thing to do to someone that is a legitimate legend. Because they’ve spoken out against the organization, they’re going to get executed live on TV. That’s kind of how it feels, and it makes me feel uncomfortable to think that’s the way it’s going to go down.”

Noting how Chimaev steamrolled the likes of Rhys McKee and John Phillips, Hardy would later add that “I just hope Nate comes through it alright, because I think he’s got good opportunities outside the UFC. It’s just a shame that they’re going to do this assassination attempt on him before he leaves.”

Diaz has spent the better part of a year fighting to force the promotion to book the final fight on his current contract, having turned down multiple offers to stay with the company. Just a couple of weeks ago, he went public with his frustrations on The MMA Hour, which seemed to finally force the UFC’s hand. They almost immediately booked him into a fight with Chimaev atop UFC 279 on September 10.

Aspinall gives injury update

After falling to injury just 15 seconds into his UFC London main event last weekend, Tom Aspinall has given an update on his knee.

While the heavyweight and his doctors are waiting for swelling to subside to allow for an MRI, the British star is expecting surgery this week.

“Hello everybody. Just a quick update on the knee situation, because plenty of people are asking about the diagnosis and what happened to the knee,” Aspinall stated in a video posted on social media. “Now anybody who’s got knee problems knows that in order to have an MRI scan, an accurate MRI scan, you need to let the swelling go down. So I spoke to the surgeon, we have a rough idea of what it is, but we are currently waiting for the swelling to go down, and I will be having the MRI scan this weekend and having surgery early next week in London.”

“So I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who’s reached out,” he added. “Obviously I’ve been offline, been down in the dumps since Saturday night, but hopefully we’ll get it fixed, get surgery early next week.”

#update #UFC#ufclondon #blaydesvsaspinall @ufc pic.twitter.com/gQDRxr42lw

— Tom Aspinall (@AspinallMMA) July 28, 2022

Kamaru Usman set to appear in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

UFC welterweight champ Kamaru Usman is still chasing all-time great Georges St-Pierre, and it seems that now applies to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well. First noted by Daniel Cormier during the UFC 277 weigh-in broadcast, Usman has landed a role in the upcoming Black Panther sequel, Wakanda Forever.

The film is the second installment in the franchise, although the Black Panther character, portrayed by Chadwick Boseman, also appeared in three other Marvel films (Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers Endgame) prior to the actor’s untimely passing.

There’s no word on what Usman’s role will entail. GSP portrayed the villainous Batroc the Leaper in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and returned to the role in Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier last year.

Black Panther: Wakander Forever premieres on November 11, 2022.

Julianna Pena’s daughter wins the UFC 277 weigh-ins

Julianna Pena had some pint-sized backup at the UFC 277 ceremonial weigh-ins on Friday. That is… absolutely freakin’ adorable.

Julianna Peña's daughter had her mom's back during her face-off against Amanda Nunes 👩‍👧 #UFC277

Stream #UFC277 tomorrow night on @ESPNPlus 🔜 https://t.co/r6hi2FqlzT pic.twitter.com/w3HzIPqUUe

— espnW (@espnW) July 29, 2022

Rafael Alves Enters the Matrix

Rafael Alves did some Neo-like moves during his UFC 277 fight with Drew Dober. As good as this sequence was, he wound up stopped later in the fight care of a body shot. Still, this is very impressive, especially in slow motion.

Rafael Alves incredible defense

Drew Dober couldn’t land to the head, so he went to the body #UFC277 pic.twitter.com/a2vI1lEkoi

— Kevin Thang (@Skip2MyJays) July 31, 2022

Interviews Galore

Our Youtube Channel is a great place to check out bonus content, full-length interviews, media scrums, and more.

And finally…

After a week off, Cageside Live returned this past Monday — catch it every Monday on Youtube and Twitter.

The post Sunday MMA Quick Hits: White Blasts Critics of NELK Cash, Usman Lands Wakanda Forever Role appeared first on Cageside Press.

“Semtex” has long been one of the most explosive fighters in mixed martial arts, and a fan favorite as a result. But in spite of the anticipation from fans, Daley (43-18-2) is treating this one like any other fight.

“In all honesty, it’s just a lead-up to another fight, but I’m aware that on the night it’s going to be emotional,” Daley said during the Bellator 281 media day on Wednesday, later revealing that he intends to remove himself from the sport entirely. That, despite previously having served as an analyst for Bellator MMA.

“When I retire, I don’t want to be a guy that’s around the sport because I think those are the guys that have the temptation to get back involved. And those are the guys that come back and don’t do so well,” Daley explained. “When I remove myself from the sport, I want to be completely removed.”

“If you see me sat behind a desk talking, then it’s extremely lucrative,” he added. “Otherwise, I’m just going to sit at home and take my dog for walks and stuff like that.”

Speaking of lucrative, Daley recently let slip that he’d been offered a boxing match with Dan Hardy, only to turn it down due to their previous history. Hardy will now face off with Diego Sanchez, but it could have been “Semtex” opposite him in the ring.

“Who was filming me? I wasn’t supposed to mention that. But yeah, I had an offer to fight Dan, I’m not even sure if Dan knows but I have e-mail proof and text proof that I was offered a very lucrative opportunity to fight a former teammate,” revealed Daley. “But I said this in interviews before as well that I wouldn’t do that, because although Dan and I are not as close as we were at this stage, when we started out in the sport, we kind of grew together to a certain stage. And it’s like, even though you grow apart, you kind of still have that bond.”

Daley likened the relationship to going to elementary school with someone. “You might not see them for a few years, but you still have that bond from early on. So I wouldn’t want to fight him, but yeah, chuck me some more names, and some more money, and have it not so serious, and there’s an opportunity that I might compete outside of MMA. But realistically, I don’t see the money or the type of names that I want to fight being thrown my way. So yeah, this will be my last fight.”

Daley also let reporters know that he’d reached out to former UFC welterweight champ Tyron Woodley about a potential boxing match-up, following his most recent bout against Jake Paul.

“I messaged Tyron directly after he got knocked out by Jake Paul, and he declined to take the fight saying that he wanted to get a rematch with Jake Paul. I don’t think he’s going to get that, but yeah I messaged him directly and he responded, he doesn’t want the fight.”

Watch the full Belltor 281 media day appearance from Paul Daley above. Daley faces Wendell Giacomo this Friday, May 13, 2022 as part of Bellator 281 at the SSE Arena, Wembley in London, England.

The post Bellator 281: Paul Daley Says He Turned Down Boxing Match with Dan Hardy, Woodley Rejected Him appeared first on Cageside Press.

Last week TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter reported that six fighters were removed from the UFC roster. The fighters cut were Luke Sanders, Anthony Birchak, Aalon Cruz, Jordan Griffin, Bartosz Fabinski, and KB Bhullar.

The promotion wasn’t done with the cuts, however. MMA Fighting has since reported that three other fighters were cut. The three others are Yorgan de Castro, Justine Kish, and Oskar Piechota. And earlier this week, Maurice Greene posted on his Instagram that he was released as well, rounding it out to an even ten.

Greene (9-6) started out winning three straight before losing four of his last five. He was most recently in action at UFC on ESPN: Rodriguez vs. Waterson and lost a lopsided unanimous decision.

de Castro (6-3) knocked out Justin Tafa in his UFC debut, winning Performance of the Night but then lost three straight, including being knocked out in his last fight.

Kish (7-4) started her octagon career winning two straight, including a win over Nina Nunes, before losing four out of her last five.

Piechota (11-3-1-1) won his first two UFC fights before getting finished in his last four.

Sanders (13-5) was the longest-tenured UFC fighter alongside Kish on the list of cut fighters. He went 4-5 with a win over former bantamweight champion Renan Barão.

Birchak (14-8) did not have any luck in his second run with the promotion, getting finished in both of his fights. This marks the second time the organization has cut him.

Cruz (8-4) won a UFC contract on season three of Dana White’s Contender Series but could not find the same success in the UFC as he was finished in both of his fights in the first round.

Griffin (18-9) went 1-4 inside the big show after winning a contract on season two of Dana White’s Contender Series. Many media think he won his last fight against Luis Saldana.

Fabinski (15-5) started his UFC career, winning his first three fights. However, the Polish fighter would lose three of his last four, getting finished in all three.

Bhullar (8-2) would lose his only two fights in the UFC after leapfrogging competing on Dana White’s Contender Series.

In addition, after losing his broadcasting gig with the promotion, Dan Hardy appears to have been released from his fight contract with the organization. MMA Fighting first reported the news, citing Hardy himself as the source. Hardy spoke out on his issues with the promotion earlier this year.

The post UFC Cuts Ten Fighters, Dan Hardy Also Released appeared first on Cageside Press.

And for now, at least, Hardy is no longer part of the UFC. Though reconciliation may be possible.

Word of Hardy’s unceremonious exit from the promotion first began with a report by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Hardy then replied to a report by BJPenn.com that suggested a dispute with a female UFC employee was to blame.

“I am no longer working directly with the UFC,” Hardy stated on social media. “The ‘female’ part is irrelevant. It was a disagreement over an opportunity missed, or withheld, and I’d love some answers but can’t get any.”

On the official website of Full Reptile, Hardy’s own News/Media company, “The Outlaw” addressed the situation that had been brewing for some time, and kept him off UFC events since January.

Apologies for my silence on this current situation. I’m still chasing answers privately, and it’s taking some time. This is what I can say, at this point.

It was a verbal disagreement between myself and a member of the UFC staff. It was forthright but not aggressive, and specific to work.

I have apologized to the individual, for the embarrassment they must have felt, as a small handful of our colleagues from the British media were present. We were taking a brief break from recording UFC 258 content, a few hours after the Holloway Kattar event had concluded, when the disagreement occurred. The conversation could have definitely taken place in a better location, and under better circumstances.

BT Sport have not fired me, and are still keen on working with me in some capacity. I’m appreciative of their interest in a continued collaboration. Thank you all for the support in the comments across their accounts. They are paying attention and making efforts, although there is pressure to push me out entirely.

The Raptors were quarantined for three weeks in order to attend UFC 259, but had their credentials revoked, so we’re diversifying our content a little, and appreciate your subs and support.

It has been suggested that a reconciliation between myself and the UFC is possible, and of course, I hope that is the case. I have yet to speak to, or hear from Dana, and get a better understanding of his perspective on the situation.

The result of their brief and private investigation has left me with little closure, and hope that at some point I’m able to get more information of what I’ve actually been accused.

I’m forever a fan of the UFC, and dedicated in service of MMA. I appreciate all of your kind words and support, both privately and publicly, and have lots of exciting offers to consider.

With respect and gratitude,

The Outlaw

Hardy has been known for his outspoken nature, and infamously engaged in a verbal confrontation with referee Herb Dean while on active duty as a UFC commentator last year.

A former welterweight title challenger, Hardy (25-10, 1NC) has not fought since 2012 after being diagnosed with Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome. Of late, the British fighter has discussed returning to the cage, but no opponent or date appear close to being set — and this latest incident likely won’t help.

The post Dan Hardy Confirms Departure from UFC Broadcast Duties, Expands on Reason appeared first on Cageside Press.

At the end of the Francisco Trinaldo-Jai Herbert preliminary card bout at UFC Fight Island 3, ref Herb Dean was ridiculously slow to wave off the fight. Herbert had been knocked down, frankly knocked senseless, and was barely defending himself. Certainly not very intelligently. The powerful blow from Trinaldo had seemingly won him the fight. Even he knew any more damage to Herbert was unnecessary, and pulled back.

Dean, generally one of the better MMA refs, for some reason did not agree. He allowed the fight to continue, refusing to intervene until Trinaldo reluctantly landed a couple of extra, wholly unnecessary blows to the still-dazed Herbert.

If ever there was a late stoppage, it was that one. And it left UFC analyst and former fighter Dan Hardy incensed enough to exchange words with Dean after the bout — a scene caught on camera.

Dan Hardy rippin Herb Dean a new one pic.twitter.com/uzpfwQzFcf

— MMA Gone Wild🥋 (@mmagonewild) July 26, 2020

UFC Senior VP of International and Content David Shaw said during the event’s post-fight press conference that the promotion would look into the matter. Mainly due to the fact that only their Regulatory Affairs group, led by Marc Ratner, is supposed to be in contact with officials during the event.

Meanwhile, Hardy himself addressed the issue in a statement posted to social media. The full text can be found below.

I love Mixed Martial Arts. Sometimes it doesn’t love me back though, and that’s alright. Regardless, I’ll always do everything in my power to protect it, and those dedicating themselves to it.

Sometimes you may disagree with me, and that’s alright as well. I’m always going to speak my mind, and it will always be backed by what I feel in my heart.

If you understand what it takes to get in there, then you understand my passion and anger when I see a fighter left unprotected. It isn’t the first time it’s happened, and twice in a night is clear negligence, in my opinion.

The referees job is more important than any other person in that building. It is on their shoulders to protect fighters from getting seriously hurt when they are unable to protect themselves.

You may just see UFC fighters in there, but I see friends, teammates, sons, daughters, mothers and fathers, competing in the sport that they love.

When I make a mistake, I look stupid on live TV. When a referee makes a mistake, people are left vulnerable and can be seriously damaged. That can be life-changing, and we all have someone to go home to, that loves us and wants us back in one piece.

Thank you for all of the kind words and messages I’ve received. I am truly grateful. I’ll see you all around…

Plenty in the MMA community have come to Hardy’s defense. Including broadcast partner Jon Anik and numerous others. Give your thoughts on the call in the comment section below!

The post Dan Hardy Issues Statement on Confrontation with Herb Dean at UFC Fight Island 3 appeared first on Cageside Press.