Fresh off his unanimous decision loss to UFC Welterweight Champion, Georges St. Pierre, at UFC 111, Dan Hardy talked about his future in the division. While many competitors would likely be disheartened by losing, Hardy sees the defeat as motivation to sharpen his skill set. In fact, Hardy believes that his future not only includes becoming a champion, but he’ll do so sooner than most would think.

“I know I can become a world champion within 12 months. The thing about UFC is that, unlike boxing, a defeat doesn’t put you right down at the end of the queue. This sport has many examples of fighters losing a number of bouts and then challenging for, and winning, a world title. My contest against GSP has tought me a lot and I will utilize all of the lessons I have learnt (sic) to make me an even better fighter. There are certain aspects of my game that I can change for the better. I can now go straight back into the gym and do my best to learn lessons from that latest fight of mine.”

Will one calendar year be enough for Hardy to develop a strong enough takedown defense to thwart St. Pierre’s wrestling? Who should Hardy face next? I think Thiago Alves could be interested.

(source: The Daily Record)