411’s UFC Primetime: GSP vs. Hardy Report 3.10.10

Posted by Daniel Bonnizzio on 03.11.2010

The countdown to GSP vs. Hardy begins…



The program starts with a nice little highlight reel thing for both fighters to start out. One key thing I'm noticing is that they seem to already be playing up the idea that GSP is a true and complete mixed martial artist, whereas Dan Hardy is a scrappy brawler from England.

"Michelangelo has said that the danger in life is not to put your goal too high and never be able to reach it, but is to put your goal too low and be able to reach it. That's the danger in life. Me, I always put my goal very high." – GSP

GSP's lead trainer says that he (GSP) will never be satisfied and because of that, he constantly needs to find a new way to challenge him. They are currently trying to add 10 slid pounds to his frame through a heavy Olympic lifting and training regimen. They showcase it with a massive vertical leap; it has to beat the BJ Penn 3-footer from a while back. GSP discusses how complete and unpredictable of a fighter he is, and how he can take one round to keep it on the feet and outstrike Hardy, then in the next round he can take him down and pound him out. His lead trainer says that GSP is so dangerous that Hardy may be killed in the process of trying to take him on.



"The key to defeating GSP is to not be afraid of GSP. There have been too many people that have stepped into the Octagon with him and given him far too much respect." – Dan Hardy

They change over to show Hardy's gym. Hardy surrounds himself with people he likes, and he likes his team because he is comfortable with them and they will push him as hard as they can. Hardy admits to being a control freak and needs someone else to take control of his training. They show a mix of him doing strength and conditioning as well as practicing his boxing. He says the best thing about RoughHouse is that everyone at the team can teach anyone else on the team. Hardy also says he enjoys being the underdog and loves proving people wrong, and he says he can't wait until the Sunday after UFC 111 so he can make all the GSP fans cry.



! ~ COMMERCIAL ~ !

The show returns showing Hardy's last day in England before making the trip out to the US before the fight. Hardy goes on to talk about how he started fighting at an extremely young age with the kids on the playground at school, and how his parents enrolled him in a martial arts school at 6. He started competing shortly after and decided that he needed something else and how, after watching old tapes of UFC 2 and 3, he was hooked on the sport of mixed martial arts.

Steve Papp – Hardy's striking coach – admits that they plan on trying to use GSP's apparent lack of ability to take a punch to beat him. He says that he knows Hardy is a better boxer and is going to use it. Hardy talks about how people think he's only fighting a mouthy British fighter who doesn't deserve the shot, and says that they are ignoring the fact that at some point in the fight he will hit GSP cleanly and it will hurt. He also says that GSP will probably try to use his superior wrestling to put him in bad positions, btu instead of thinking how bad of a position he's in, he'll be thinking of how he's going to punch him in the face next. Hardy wants to be at the top, saying to the rest of the world that he is better than them and he wants them to admit that he is better than them.

! ~ COMMERCIAL ~ !

It's currently late-night in New York City and GSP has arrived. GSP has turned in five dominant title fights and is looking to make it a sixth, cementing his status as the pound for pound king. He talks about how he needs to want to improve because otherwise he will be complacent, and he needs to stay hungry.

GSP talks about how he visited New York for the first time when he was 22 and how he, at the time, spoke no English and was basically poor. He talks about how he started training at Renzo Gracie's academy and how they kicked his ass so badly from the start that he very nearly stopped trying to fight altogether but kept on because he knew it would only help him grow. This time in New York though, he gets to train with Renzo directly to help each other train for their upcoming fights. GSP says that Renzo is an idol of his.

Renzo talks about how GSP has broken the beginner barrier and is an expert now, having paid his dues in the beginning (getting beaten by everyone in the gym) and is now a champion. After training with Renzo, GSP leaves to train his Muay Thai with Phil Nurse.

Nurse says that Hardy's best asset is his striking and they are working on neutralizing that possible advantage, because he knows how "one punch can change everything". They then play the infamous clip of Matt Serra getting the massive upset over GSP at UFC 69. GSP says that experience taught him to never take being the champion for granted and that he knows one mistake can cost him everything.

! ~ COMMERCIAL ~ !

They come back from commercial showing GSP in his home for a new week of training. GSP says he never wants something like the Serra fight to happen again. He says that Hardy is hungry, but it won't be enough because he needs the skills to back it up. His lead trainer agrees and states that although hunger goes a long way, you need to be prepared as well and on that night, nobody is coming to UFC 111 as prepared as GSP will. Hardy says that everyone – including GSP – is underestimating him.

Team Hardy has suddenly suffered a setback that they are trying to turn into an opportunity. He says that they are meeting with someone who has ‘insider info' on GSP and has experience with him. After a short phone call, Hardy rolls up to the front of Matt Serra's personal gym. As he walks to the door, fade to black.

The fact that he is in the US and asking to train with Matt Serra is a great twist and we can only wonder how it's going to affect his performance against GSP for better or worse.

Join us next week for another recap of UFC Primetime, and don't forget to follow us on Twitter!

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