• UFC

Zelaznik defends Hardy from Koscheck criticisms

Dan Hardy has earned his shot © UFC

Enlarge

Related Links

• Features: It's time for a British treble in Abu Dhabi - Etim
  
• News: GSP rubbishes Olympics claims and 'chinny' jibes
  
• News: Hardy's the 'most dangerous' I've faced - St-Pierre
  
• News: A fighter always beats an athlete - Hardy
  
• News: Hardy has secret weapon in store for GSP title fight
  
• News: Hardy accepts Swick apology, promises to finish GSP
  
• News: Hardy's built a 'great game plan' to beat GSP - Bisping
  
• News: Hardy's hooks can 'seriously hurt' GSP - Swick
  
• News: Etim could be 'two fights' from a title shot - Zelaznik
  
• News: Hardy will be forced to face Daley as champion - Zelaznik
  
• Features: Injury-free and ready to ambush Georges St-Pierre
  
• News: The longer we fight, the less chance GSP has - Hardy
  
• Features: The time for GSP talk is over, let's fight - Hardy
  
• Features: UFC 111: St-Pierre vs Hardy - Fight card
  

Marshall Zelaznik, the UFC's UK president, insists Dan Hardy is more worthy of a title shot than any other fighter in the welterweight division, despite the fact he has written off "The Outlaw" himself on several occasions in the past.

Hardy enters his March 27 title bout against Georges St-Pierre against a backdrop of criticism from his fellow peers, who believe the Briton has queue-jumped to GSP's doorstep. American Kickboxing Academy fighters Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch have both been vocal against Hardy, as has St-Pierre's team-mate Nate Marquardt.

Hardy recently responded by telling the Nottinghamshire Evening Post: " I am very amused Josh Koscheck is still bitching his lungs out that he deserves a title shot, not me. Koscheck says I have beaten nobodies but my latest win was over his supposed friend and team-mate in [Mike] Swick. How loyal."

Zelaznik has watched Hardy develop a 4-0 record in the UFC, beating Akihiro Gono, Rory Markham, Marcus Davis and Mike Swick to earn his shot, and the UFC figurehead admits he has made the mistake of writing off the Team Rough House fighter in every one of those bouts.

"Both myself and Dana recently agreed that we've looked at every one of Dan's fights and thought 'he's going to struggle here'," Zelaznik told Espn.co.uk. "If forced to bet my house on the fights, I would have gone against Dan.

"I'm not sure how many people he has to beat to prove he's legitimate, or to prove he deserves this title shot. People who have that opinion really haven't focused in on the sport or paid any attention to what Dan's done. You look at what Dan's done in his career, it's almost impossible to go 4-0 in the UFC.

"Look at the opponents he's faced in the UFC. He's probably been the underdog in every one of them, yet he's come out and surprised people every time. If people opened their eyes and ears they would see he's definitely worthy of this title shot."

While certain fighters may not think much of the event, it certainly appears to be pulling in UFC fans, who are ready to fill out the Prudential Center at UFC 111.

"We've got 50 tickets left, on last check. It's been more-or-less sold out for a month now," revealed Zelaznik.

"This is the classic match-up of a strong stand-up striker against a powerful wrestler. That's not to say either fighter is one dimensional, but it's the classic question of whether Dan can keep the fight standing. Contrastingly, can Georges take the fight wherever he wants - as he has done in recent fights?"

As for Koscheck, Fitch and co, Zelaznik advised them just to knuckle down and take a leaf out of Hardy's book.

"They've all had their opportunities to win the title and, while they're all great competitors, anyone who is slagging off Dan needs to realise there needs to be constant new blood challenging for the title. That's not to say they won't get a second chance at the belt, but this is Dan's time."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.