MMA expert Dan Hardy is convinced that numerous top athletes from the Professional Fighters League (PFL) possess the skills to be competitive in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Hardy, a PFL commentator, specifically pointed to Usman Nurmagomedov`s successful Bellator lightweight title defense against Paul Hughes at the PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series in January. He noted that this bout was among the most thrilling and closely contested matches witnessed this year.
Hardy also expressed strong belief in the undefeated Bellator champion Johnny Eblen`s ability to challenge any middleweight fighter in the UFC.
“The UFC`s brand recognition is incredibly powerful, and it undeniably dominates the mixed martial arts landscape,” Hardy stated in an interview. “It`s easy for fans to dismiss fighters outside of the UFC, assuming they aren`t skilled enough to compete there. However, we know this isn`t always true. We`ve seen Paul Hughes, who recently joined PFL, deliver an outstanding performance against Usman Nurmagomedov. In my opinion, both of these athletes could perform at a comparable level in the UFC, and I extend that sentiment to many champions across both PFL and Bellator.”
“Johnny Eblen, in my view, could pose a significant threat to any middleweight fighter globally, regardless of their promotional affiliation. It`s exciting to see fighters like Kayla Harrison, who achieved dominance in the PFL, transition and make a similar impact elsewhere. Greater collaboration between promotions could lead to more of these success stories. However, the lack of cross-promotion fights exists for a reason. There were risks involved when they collaborated with Pride in the past, as it didn`t always yield favorable outcomes for them.”
The PFL`s welterweight and featherweight divisions are set to commence their season this Thursday at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. PFL Week 1 will be headlined by a welterweight clash between Jason Jackson and Andrey Koreshkov. The main card will also feature a match between Logan Storley and Magomed Umalatov.
Hardy emphasized the high caliber of fighters participating in the PFL tournaments.
“The reality is that the fighters in these world tournaments are world-class and can compete with anyone, particularly in the lightweight and welterweight categories,” Hardy added. “These tournaments feature incredibly deep talent pools, and we anticipate seeing top-tier fights come April.”
