Dan Hardy vs. Rory Markham
In a Welterweight matchup, England’s own Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy is set to square off with IFL veteran and Miletich Martial Arts fighter Rory Markham. Both were successful in their UFC debuts, and will be looking to continue moving up the ladder at 170 pounds.
Markham is a dangerous striker with decent submissions, but who rarely takes a fight to the ground on his own. He first made a name for himself in IFL, capturing wins over the likes of Mike Pyle, Brad Blackburn, and other quality opponents. In his first trip to the Octagon, Markham crushed Brodie Farber with a brutal head kick in the first round, proving that he is a versatile and powerful striker. He also promises excitement every time he fights, as in 20 professional contests he has never gone the distance and has only seen the third round twice.
His opponent, Briton Dan Hardy, is a jack of all trades but master at none. He is servicable in every regard but does not blow you away with any particular aspect of his fight game. In his UFC debut, he narrowly edged Akihiro Gono by split decision. While he is certainly a decent fighter, his inclusion on the televised card is probably due more to his nationality than any real merit as a fighter.
Markham, having faced better opponents and having better striking, should wind up the victor in this one. 1st round knockout.
