Dan Hardy’s Outlaw Blog – Fight Week

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By Dan Hardy

We’re now only days from my UFC 99 fight with Marcus Davis and I’m itching to show everyone I can walk as well as I can talk on June 13. This fight has been four months in the making and I’m raring to go now. The rivalry between Marcus and I has elevated this fight into something special, a genuine attraction, and the kind of fight that gets everyone talking.

I’ve been reading all the opinions and predictions ahead of the fight and have been keeping a close eye on most of the MMA websites and forums. I’m genuinely intrigued by how people see this fight going. I noticed that only 21% of fans on UFC.com believe I will come out victorious on Saturday night. Those 21% will be proved right and the other 79% will be converted into believers.

As well as immersing myself in the hype and attention of fight week, I’m also finding time for the more simple things fight week has to offer. Aside from my UFC media schedule, I’ve found time to play plenty of Xbox, listen to some hardcore metal and chat with my girlfriend in America. My games of choice on the Xbox are UFC Undisputed (of course) and Fallout 3 and my bands of choice right now are Deicide, Municipal Waste and The Boy Will Drown. Oh, and I’m also watching a box set of Red Dwarf.

All those things help relax me and settle my mind on other things. When it comes time to focus on the fight, I focus on the fight. When it comes time to relax my mind, I’ll chat to my girlfriend or play computer games. It’s all about getting the right balance during fight week.

The fight is always at the back of my mind. No matter how much a fighter may try to blank it out, the fact that you are participating in a fight will always be with you. I embrace that feeling. I love being involved in a big event like UFC 99. I relish taking on a fighter like Marcus Davis. The last time I watched Davis in action was only 20 minutes ago. Marcus is on my mind most hours of the day to the extent that I probably know his style better than he does.

As well as watching videos of Marcus, I also watch videos of other famous southpaw fighters, whether mixed martial artists or boxers. I have been watching guys like Jens Pulver, Robbie Lawler and Manny Pacquiao during the last few days. I look for the things that make them tick and the moves they struggle with. It’s all about getting acquainted with that southpaw style and the small traits that the style presents.

Whether I’m watching videos of Marcus or whether I’m watching videos of guys that share a similar style, the fight remains constantly on my mind. I even have dreams that relate to the fight. Only last night I dreamt that I was in an Italian restaurant eating pizza and needed to get out fast. I guess that dream highlights the fact Davis is always on my mind, as is the weight making, as is my love of fresh, Italian pizza. Mmmmm. I could murder a Subway sandwich right now.

The majority of the hard work is done now. I’ve suffered for 12 grueling weeks to get to this point. I needed to suffer for those 12 weeks to feel as good as I do right now. Those 12 weeks have prepared me for 15 minutes of war and I can guarantee those 15 minutes will be easier than the 12 weeks of graft were.

In fact, those 15 minutes are my happiest 15 minutes on this earth. I wouldn’t rather be anywhere else on Saturday than in the Octagon staring across at Marcus Davis. Once we both enter the Octagon on Saturday, I imagine myself having only 15 minutes to prove myself. I imagine that I have 15 minutes left on this planet and this is my one chance to show the world what I’ve got.

On Saturday night I may require all 15 minutes or I may require only one. Whatever the length of the fight, I know my arm will be raised at the end. Marcus cannot bring anything to the table on Saturday that I haven’t already experienced or endured in training. I’ve been to places in preparation that he won’t be able to match.

Right now I don’t even feel like a fighter. It sounds a little surreal, but I feel more like a fan at this stage. I feel exactly the same as when I watch UFC Countdown shows of other fights and can’t wait to then watch the fight itself at the weekend. I’m as excited as a fan ahead of this fight on Saturday.

I see this fight as just another move on my game board. I see my career in a similar way to something like snakes and ladders. You have to have the guts to roll the dice and climb ladders. Every now and again you may hit a snake and lose a few steps, but I’m certain Marcus Davis will prove to be just another ladder in my UFC career.

79% better prepare to be shocked.

For more information on Dan Hardy, visit www.danhardymma.com

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