UFC 105 Conf. Call Notes: Hardy Not Intimidated By Swick

Dan Hardy gained a reputation as a fiery trash talker after a successful Internet campaign leading up to his fight with Marcus Davis earlier this year. Despite his reserved nature, the British contender has not gone soft as he heads toward his welterweight title eliminator against Mike Swick.

Speaking to media on a teleconference promoting UFC 105 “Couture vs. Vera” on Nov. 14 at the MEN Arena in Manchester, England, Hardy on Thursday addressed the perception of his being outgunned against Swick and the possibility of fighting welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre should he pull off the upset.

“With all due respect to Mike,” Hardy said, “I don’t think he is better than me at any area. If anything, we’re evenly matched fighters, and I think this is my chance to prove that to people that are doubting me. The difference is Mike’s a great athlete, but I have a fighter’s mentality. I just want to get in there and start trading punches, and that’s really going to be an advantage for me.”

Hardy was originally slated to face undefeated Korean welterweight Dong Hyun Kim, who was forced to withdraw because of injury. Swick, who pulled out of a previous number one contender matchup with Martin Kampmann in September, was tabbed to replace Kim.

With a possible title shot staring him in the face, Hardy seemed unmoved by the potential opportunity to face the best fighter in his division. He claimed that fights beyond Swick matter little to him, though he would welcome the challenge to meet St. Pierre.

“It’s certainly looking that way,” Hardy said. “I’m just ingesting fighting whoever is next on the list. My job is not picking opponents; the UFC puts heads on the block, and I keep taking them off. And after Mike, if GSP comes next, then that’s the next one to go.”

Other notes from the teleconference were:

• Swick promised an exciting bout and said his preparations have gone better than ever. “As far as this fight goes, it’s going to be a very exciting fight, and I’m not just fighting to get a win, by no means. I’m going out there to make a statement. I’ve trained ridiculously hard. I’ve never been this ready for a fight, and I’m going to show it,” he said. Swick claimed fighting Hardy in the UK was of no concern to him;

• Michael Bisping, returning from a brutal knockout loss to Dan Henderson at UFC 100, will meet Denis Kang at UFC 105. He said he felt he had over-trained for the Henderson fight. Due to the long layoff between filming “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 9 and the bout, Bisping began his camp a full 15 weeks out. “I was definitely over-trained, but, obviously, that didn’t have that much impact on the final result because, as I’ve said, I got knocked out.” Bisping wants another crack at Henderson. “I would like a rematch with Dan Henderson one day. Obviously, I’m going to end that right; I am going to pursue that,” he said;

• Bisping answered a question about Kang believing he was the superior in every aspect of the game. “Obviously, he’s got to keep telling himself that, and more power to the guy. I can’t have a problem with a guy thinking that, but, obviously, I disagree,” he said;

• Kang, following Swick’s lead, shrugged off the importance of fighting Bisping in his homeland. “Most of my fights have come against guys in their hometowns,” he said. “I almost never get to fight at home.” He also commented on how much easier it was to prepare for a fight when he knows who his opponent will be more than two or three weeks out. “The thing that I like the most about the UFC is that you know your opponent two or three months in advance. I think there is a higher level of professionalism and regard for the fighters,” Kang said;

• According to UFC UK President Marshall Zelaznik, only 200-300 tickets remain for UFC 105. UFC 70 was a stunning success, but Zelaznik admitted he was not sure that would be the case leading up to the April 2007 show. After watching a Joe Calzaghe boxing match in a half-empty MEN Arena, he questioned whether organizers should curtain off the top of the arena. UFC brass, namely Lorenzo Fertitta and Dana White, decided against the idea. The show sold out.

• Zelaznik confirmed the next international UFC event would likely be held in Australia in February. He also stated the promotion was currently planning the first quarter of 2010 and holding dates all over the UK and Germany for next year.