Dan Hardy staredown with Chris Lytle / Photo: Josh Hedges
There’s plenty of excitement on tap for this Sunday at UFC on Versus 5 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. A one-time welterweight title challenger now coming off back to back losses, Dan Hardy will have another hard task on his hands as he faces Chris Lytle.
“I want to go in there and do what I do, and the rest will take care of itself. I think in my last fight I sort of set myself back because I worried too much. Coming off the title fight (with Saint-Pierre), I went into the fight with Condit thinking it would be the first step on my way back to the title. And after I got caught I was sort of like, ‘Wait a minute, what happened there? That’s wasn’t supposed to happen.’ I put a bit of pressure on myself in the fight with Johnson and I think I set myself back,” said Hardy, who says he’s better prepared for his fight with Lytle tonight at UFC on Versus.
Brazil’s Charles do Bronx will have a tough nut to crack in Donald Cerrone but is brimming with confidence.
“He’s taller than me, with could make it easier for him to shoot in at my legs for the takedown. I don’t think he’s that good standing, though, so we’ll see; I have to feel how the fight goes when the time comes. He’s got good grappling, with 12 submissions in 15 wins. It’ll be a tough fight and it will be crazy in there. He wants to beat me, I want to beat him, so the fight will go off.”
Charles at weight-in / Photo: Josh Hedges
Former WEC champion Ben Henderson will be looking for his second UFC win, against a Jim Miller who hasn’t lost in his last seven fights, but he feels his savvy Jiu-Jitsu skills may serve him well.
“You can expect to see the same aggressiveness and focus, that’s for sure,” said Henderson. “Something like a “tarantula submission” or something, if Jim Miller gives me room… If he gives me his neck I’ll grab it. If he’s blinded by a camera flash from the crowd and leaves his arm out, I’ll take it home with me.”
Making his promotional debut, Ronny Markes faces off with Karlos Vemola. The gentle art black belt has a win over Paulo Filho on his record and wants to start off his UFC tenure on the right foot.
“I know Vemola has octagon experience and likes to bring on the pressure to finish the fight in the first round. I’ll be on my toes from the first second of the fight on, looking to catch him off guard with counter-attacks. He has a wrestling background, has good ground and pound, but I’m well versed in Jiu-Jitsu and can capitalize on any opening he leaves when the fight hits the ground.”
So the ingredients are all on the table and the mixture promise to be explosive. Check out the card:
Dan Hardy vs. Chris Lytle
Ben Henderson vs. Jim Miller
Donald Cerrone vs. Charles Oliveira
Duane Ludwig vs. Amir Sadollah
C.B. Dollaway vs. Jared Hamman
Joseph Benavidez vs. Eddie Wineland
Ed Herman vs. Kyle Noke
Ronny Markes vs. Karlos Vemola
Alex Caceres vs. Jim Hettes
Cole Miller vs. T.J. O’Brien
Danny Castillo vs. Jacob Volkmann
Edwin Figueroa vs. Jason Reinhardt