Tuesday, 29 September 2009 13:01
by Dallas Winston

The cancellation of the Swick and Kampmann fight to determine the #1 contender slot at UFC 103 has left the welterweight division barren of clear challengers to GSP's throne. UK newcomer Paul "Semtex" Daley also threw a wrench into the plans by filling in for Swick and knocking out Kampmann in the first round, erasing or delaying any hopes Kampmann had of challenging for the title.
Mike Swick is recovered and ready for action, so the UFC has selected another UK slugger in Dan Hardy to square off with Swick at UFC 105 in November. Hardy is a 22-6 fighter who is 3-0 in the UFC against respectable WW competition like Akihiro Gono, Rory Markham, and Marcus Davis. Hardy turned Markham's lights off with a vicious KO, but eeded out close split-decisions with Gono and Davis.
Swick and Hardy share many similar attributes, the most significant being that they are tall for the weight class at just over 6'0", they are long-limbed strikers who prefer to find their range on the feet, both use a western boxing based style without throwing many kicks, and both wield the power to end fights when their punches find their mark.
It is unknown whether this is a newly revised battle for top contendership, or if only Swick would avance to a GSP fight should he win. UFC 105 takes place in Manchester, and will cater to the UK crowd with several English fighters. The line-up so far includes:
Randy Couture x Brandon Vera
Michael Bisping x Denis Kang
Mike Swick x Dan Hardy
James Wilks x Matt Brown
Ross Pearson x Aaron Riley
Terry Etim x Shannon Gugerty
Paul Taylor x John Hathaway
Nick Osipczak x Matt Riddle
Alexander Gustaffson x Jared Hamman
Andre Winner x Roli Delgado

Add comment