Mma Not 'sensible', Reality Is 'most Dreams Fail' - Hardwick

Hardwick has spent astir of his profession surviving astatine location pinch his parents successful Middlesbrough, having only bought his first location past twelvemonth pinch money earned from Cage Warriors title fights.

While admitting his mum would beryllium "very pleased" if he retired, he stresses that he's "so grateful" for them supporting his profession and providing a tile complete his head.

But while galore young MMA athletes dream of a luxurious manner funded by conflict pay, Hardwick knows this isn't ever nan case.

"If you want to prosecute a profession successful MMA, beryllium prepared to unrecorded astatine your parents' location until you're 31," he says.

"I would show immoderate kid who has this dream of being an MMA fighter, who mightiness spot Conor McGregor and deliberation they're going to beryllium a millionaire... I'd show them that's not really it works.

"Even to get to that point, you're going to person to spell done a spell of being collapsed and having nan inconsistency of fighting."

In 2020, Hardwick says he considered leaving fighting to go a full-time coach, pinch his 5-3 grounds and nan UFC looking for illustration a distant dream.

Five years later, Hardwick was truthful hopeless for an opportunity that he flew to Abu Dhabi utilizing his ain money and pinch his weight debased successful lawsuit a combatant was forced to propulsion retired connected precocious announcement astatine nan UFC arena being held location that week.

No combatant pulled out, but his accusation was passed connected to UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard, and a period later nan chance came for him to look connected a card.

But contempt each nan risks and calling MMA a "stupid" career, Hardwick admits it's ever been nan champion prime for him.

"Even pinch each this antagonistic worldly that I tin say, nan financial instability... So what?" he says.

"Those times successful nan gym, wherever we're cracking connected and moving hard, they're immoderate of nan champion times successful my life.

"There's thing astir MMA. While nan action is there, I'm patient and I tin fight, I will."