(“A Chippendale is one of them roided-up nude dancers wif the bow ties. Funny, innit?” - Photo courtesy Getty Images)

Add Dan Hardy to the list of Nate Marquardt detractors alongside fighters like BJ Penn and Chael Sonnen (ironic?) who don’t buy the former UFC middleweight’s claims that he needs testosterone replacement therapy to compete. Hardy spoke with ESPN.com recently and touched on Marquardt’s recent firing by the UFC for his HRT debacle, and the former welterweight contender questioned the legitimacy of “The Great’s” affliction.

“What is he, 31 or 32? I don’t want to kick a man when he’s down but what’s he doing needing testosterone therapy anyway at that age? I’m not that far behind him and I certainly don’t need any! The thing that annoyed me is that he has tested positive for nandrolone in the past, people are aware of that, and now he’s saying he needs Hormone Replacement,” Hardy points out. “Maybe he wouldn’t have needed Hormone Replacement if he hadn’t been using something in the first place. On the bright side, he’ll always have a job as a Chippendale.”

Part of the reason Hardy is blasting Marquardt is that Nate took an unsolicited shot of his own at “The Outlaw” after Hardy complained about Nick Lentz’s “lay-and-pray” tactics he employed against his teammate Andre Winner. Nate advised the British fighter to work on his wrestling and stop complaining.

Prior to that and even since the online war of words Hardy says Marquardt has been cordial whenever their paths crossed.

“It’s weird, I see him around occasionally – I saw him at the Fighter Summit in Vegas – and he always seems like a real quiet, nice, friendly guy. I don’t know what the deal is. In the build-up to my GSP fight he made some comments, fair enough, he’s GSP’s coach and best friend. But he really had no place talking all the trash he did,” Hardy says. “He wasn’t the guy getting in there and fighting me and unfortunately now it doesn’t look like he is ever going to. I was looking forward to having a scrap with him at some point because he’s another one who I think has got it coming.”

Although he is disappointed he’lll likely never get a chance to settle his differences with Marquardt in the cage since UFC president Dana White says he’ll likely never fight in the Octagon again, Hardy says he wishes him well, but offers some advice of his own.

“It’s his battle to fight now. He’s got some owning up to do and he’s got to get himself back on track. There’s nothing to say he can’t get back on track and I hope he does because he’s got a lot of talent,” he explains. “He needs to realise it’s all about hard work in the gym.”