(Video courtesy BJPenn.com)

BJPenn.com caught up with Dan Hardy recently to talk about his upcoming October 16 showdown with former WEC welterweight champ Carlos Condit and to get his thoughts on his Team Jackson-trained opponent.

"I think he’s a gamer; I think he’s tough. I enjoyed watching his fights in the WEC. Obviously, I’ve been keeping an eye on him since he came to the UFC. Just watching his fights, paying attention, making sure I’m aware of who’s in the division. He’s had a couple of tough fights but you know, he’s shown a lot of heart. I think he’s a good opponent. He comes to finish and that’s what I want. He’s not gonna be the kind of guy that’s gonna try and grind out a decision; he wants to either get a submission or a stoppage. Perfect  opponent for me because we can have a tear-up and entertain the fans."


Although he was complimentary of Condit’s accomplishments and skills (while throwing in a veiled dig at GSP), Hardy seems a bit pissed off that "The Natural Born Killer" asked UFC matchmaker Joe Silva if he could face "The Outlaw" in his next fight.

"I’m not surprised that he agreed to fight me; I’m surprised that he asked to fight me. I think that was very foolish of him. He had a tough debut in the UFC against Martin Kampmann. Kampmann’s a tough guy and that was a close decision. I was impressed with both guys in that fight. Then he’s had two performances [against] Jake Ellenberger whose a strong wrestler and then Rory MacDonald. He’s not looked particularly dangerous in either of those fights. I just think it’s a foolish thing for him to do to call me out. He’s obviously determined to get to a title shot and he thinks that I’m the right person to go through to get there so it’s going to be an interesting one for him."

I wonder if Condit knew he would be giving up home field advantage when he asked for the fight. From what I’ve heard, British fans can be brutal, especially if you’re a hat wearer.

(Video courtesy YouTube/Lookoutawhale)