Dan Hardy vs. Anthony Johnson

“The Outlaw” Dan Hardy(23-8) will face over-sized welterweight Anthony Johnson(8-3) at UFC Fight Night 24 according to MMAjunkie.

10th ranked welterweight Dan Hardy is coming off a stunning 1st round knockout loss to Carlos Condit. Hardy’s chin was not considered a weakness, but now one has to wonder as he faces heavy-handed Anthony “Rumble”Johnson. Hardy will have the advantage on the ground, and it should be interesting to see how Hardy responds to his KO loss.

Johnson(ranked 38th at middleweight) accepting this fight after a long layoff is quite unexpected. Johnson’s manager, Ken Pavia, previously told media that Johnson would likely return at middleweight due to the huge cut Johnson usually makes, which also explains why he is currently ranked at middleweight rather than welterweight. Johnson is known to weigh upwards of 215 pounds before making the cut to 170. His struggles with weight have drawn the ire of Joe Silva and he will have little wiggle room with the UFC’s recent cuts should he falter again.

Johnson is coming off the injury and will likely struggle with the weight cut, so he should come out swinging for the fences. The longer the fight goes, the better chances for Hardy. This is a real dangerous test for Hardy, but I think he will take Johnson down and keep him there, just like he did to Marcus Davis and Mike Swick.