Dan Hardy
British former UFC welterweight, PFL commentator and former head of PFL Europe fighter operations, host of the Full Reptile podcast
Dan Hardy (British former UFC welterweight, PFL commentator and former head of PFL Europe fighter operations, host of the Full Reptile podcast) has appeared as a guest on 1 episode in TMT. Topics they speak about most include Herb Dean Fight Island stoppage controversy, Professional Fighters League, Ultimate Fighting Championship.
In their words
Positions and remarks grouped by topic, each with the exact quote and where it was said.
Herb Dean Fight Island stoppage controversy
Hardy says his main priority is protecting fighters when they can no longer defend themselves.
“I'm more interested in making sure the fighters are protected when they can't protect themselves”
The Joe Rogan Experience: JRE MMA Show #178 with Dan Hardy (May 6, 2026) · Listen from 2:45:15
Hardy argues referees should err on the side of protecting fighters from strikes rather than giving the benefit of the doubt.
“I would always rather the fighter be protected than just kind of leave it for the benefit of the doubt and just let him take it”
The Joe Rogan Experience: JRE MMA Show #178 with Dan Hardy (May 6, 2026) · Listen from 9:40
Hardy says he knew the UFC would not fire him for protecting a fighter but felt his standing was damaged from that day.
“I understand that the UFC are not going to fire me for shouting up to protect a fighter. But I knew on that day my card was marked”
The Joe Rogan Experience: JRE MMA Show #178 with Dan Hardy (May 6, 2026) · Listen from 11:57
Professional Fighters League
Hardy says his successful proposal to the PFL was adding elbows, which the promotion had previously banned.
“The one that stuck was introducing elbows. Like when I first started working with the PFL, we didn't have elbows because”
The Joe Rogan Experience: JRE MMA Show #178 with Dan Hardy (May 6, 2026) · Listen from 2:40:40
Hardy says the PFL has long been its own worst enemy, though he is positive about its new direction.
“I love the PFL, but PFL's been its own worst enemy for many, many years, right?”
The Joe Rogan Experience: JRE MMA Show #178 with Dan Hardy (May 6, 2026) · Listen from 2:37:07
Hardy says he has proposed a masters division to the PFL so veteran fighters can face fair matchups.
“You know what I've suggested, as well as a thousand other things that I've suggested to the PFL, but a master's division”
The Joe Rogan Experience: JRE MMA Show #178 with Dan Hardy (May 6, 2026) · Listen from 1:14:18
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Hardy contends the UFC is not currently acting as the custodian the sport needs and that more organizations are required.
“Unfortunately, in my opinion, the UFC is not the custodian of the sport that we need right now”
The Joe Rogan Experience: JRE MMA Show #178 with Dan Hardy (May 6, 2026) · Listen from 2:24:18
Hardy attributes the decline of MMA's grassroots growth to the UFC's control and monopolization of the sport.
“I think the control and the monopolization of the sport by the UFC, unfortunately”
The Joe Rogan Experience: JRE MMA Show #178 with Dan Hardy (May 6, 2026) · Listen from 32:28
UFC sponsorship and fighter pay
Hardy explains that UFC fees charged to sponsoring brands drove small sponsors out of the market and reduced fighter income.
“if you're a clothing brand, you have to pay $50,000 a year to sponsor UFC fighters, and that goes to the UFC”
The Joe Rogan Experience: JRE MMA Show #178 with Dan Hardy (May 6, 2026) · Listen from 2:28:22
Freedom of speech and comedy
Hardy views comedians and satire as among the last defenses against tyranny.
“I think comedians and satire is one of the last lines of defense against tyranny”
The Joe Rogan Experience: JRE MMA Show #178 with Dan Hardy (May 6, 2026) · Listen from 1:46:16
Trash talk and psychological warfare in combat sports
Hardy argues fighters should be emotionally impenetrable because being provoked is a weakness opponents can exploit.
“For me, I think fighters should be completely impenetrable. No one should be able to say anything to a fighter to upset them”
The Joe Rogan Experience: JRE MMA Show #178 with Dan Hardy (May 6, 2026) · Listen from 1:53:24
Scoring criteria in mixed martial arts
Hardy proposes that control should no longer be scored in MMA, arguing it should be its own reward like defense.
“I think we should stop scoring control in MMA. Control is scored up against the fence”
The Joe Rogan Experience: JRE MMA Show #178 with Dan Hardy (May 6, 2026) · Listen from 2:12:36
Power Slap
Hardy says the UFC is now powerful enough to promote Power Slap alongside MMA without immediate consequences, which it could not have done in 2010.
“I just think the UFC is so powerful and so strong now that they can even take a liberty and advertise power slap off the back of it”
The Joe Rogan Experience: JRE MMA Show #178 with Dan Hardy (May 6, 2026) · Listen from 38:46
Weight cutting in mixed martial arts
Hardy believes his poor weight cut in Japan cost him the power to stop Daizo Ishige, contributing to Ishige's brain injury.
“if I'd either not cut the weight or I'd cut the weight in a better way and rehydrated, I would have been able to stop him”
The Joe Rogan Experience: JRE MMA Show #178 with Dan Hardy (May 6, 2026) · Listen from 30:09
Appearances
JRE MMA Show #178 with Dan HardyThe Joe Rogan Experience · May 6, 2026 · 2 h 53 min
Joe Rogan and Dan Hardy discuss Hardy's UFC exit over a Herb Dean stoppage, weight cutting, MMA commentary, fight analysis, scoring rules and the PFL.
Often appears with
- Joe Rogan · 1 shared episode