Dan Hardy: PFL Europe chief backs Bellator partnership idea and plans 'MMA Champions League'
- Published
Ngannou was stripped of the UFC heavyweight title in January, which Jones now holds.
Former UFC star Dan Hardy is tired of fights not happening when they should.
"I'm a big fan of boxing but sometimes, the problem is you don't get champions against champions because of politics," he tells BBC Sport.
Hardy is referring to the heavyweight division, where over the last few months, blockbuster bouts involving Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua have failed to materialise.
But it's not just boxing which is guilty of letting mouth-watering fights slip through its fingers - the same thing happens in MMA.
Last month, UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former champion Francis Ngannou, who is now with the Professional Fighters League (PFL), came face to face at an event in Atlanta which led fans to wonder what might happen if they clashed in the cage.
With both athletes under contract with separate promotions, however, it is highly unlikely any bout will come to fruition.
"The thing that's disappointing is that everyone, including me, wants to see Ngannou versus Jones," Hardy says.
"But it's politics - it doesn't happen they don't want to fight one another. Everything seems to get in the way of the fans."
This is something Hardy hopes changes in the future and he says the PFL, for whom he serves as head of operations in Europe, is open to forging closer ties.
Hardy has revealed plans for his organisation to create "the Champions League" of MMA, and opened the door to joining forces with other "incredible" MMA promotions such as Bellator.
Recently, Bellator president Scott Coker confirmed reports that the PFL and Bellator are "in conversation", external over a potential partnership.
'I can see the PFL and Bellator working together'
Hardy (right) won six of his 10 fights in the UFC
The PFL has been open about its intentions to work with other promotions, with fighters like Claressa Shields and Jake Paul remaining on its roster while also boxing professionally.
Reacting to the news that Bellator's parent company Viacom is exploring options for potential business partners, including the PFL, Hardy expressed his excitement.
"Bellator have done wonderful things over the past few years. You look at their champions, the likes of [Vadim] Nemkov, Ryan Bader - bring him over here and fight Ngannou - it would be an incredible partnership," said Hardy.
"Ultimately I can see us [PFL and Bellator] working together at some point in the future.
"Those conversations are above my pay grade, which I think is a good thing because I'd be too excited, sat in the corner clapping my hands, but the idea of being able to match the PFL guys with the Bellator guys is huge."
Nottingham's Hardy, 41, was the first English fighter to challenge for a UFC title when he suffered defeat to all-time great Georges St-Pierre in 2010, with the final bout of his eight-year career coming in 2012.
He worked for the UFC until 2021, spending time on the broadcast team as a commentator and analyst, but left after his relationship with the promotion turned sour.
Hardy says he still "loves the UFC" and praises the promotion for how it operates, but says the barriers to finalising cross-brand fights like Ngannou versus Jones are upheld by the organisation.
"The UFC have tried these collaborations back in the day. I remember when they took Chuck Liddell over to [for Japanese promotion] Pride and Rampage [Quinton Jackson] beat him up," said Hardy.
"That was a big lesson to [UFC president] Dana White because he felt like the UFC brand was getting beaten up. I think that scared him and he now won't take those risks.
"The UFC have done such a good job of branding themselves. We have people coming into the gym asking if they can 'do UFC here'. You can't, but you can do MMA.
"I understand the situation they're in, they are protecting their brand, but the fans don't get to see what they want to see."
Hardy argues a defeat in a cross-promotion bout for a fighter like Ngannou would not affect the PFL brand.
"It would show the PFL can play well with others, we'll allow our champions to take these risks and if it doesn't pay off, it doesn't pay off," said Hardy.
"But it's about the individual having these opportunities. I don't think it would affect the PFL brand."
'The Champions League of MMA'
The second leg of the PFL's European league takes place in Berlin on Saturday, with eventual winners claiming $100,000 (£79,000) and advancing to its global platform, where a $1m (£787,530) prize is on the line.
The organisation has announced plans to also launch leagues in Asia and Africa in the next three years.
"We're planning on these fighters at one point growing into world champions. We'll feed the champions in from around the world into a main league so ultimately we'll have like a Champions League," said Hardy.
Hardy has earmarked two fighters, Britain's Connor Hughes and Lewis McGrillen, as ones with exciting potential.
"Hughes is seven and zero, undefeated with a good amateur career. And then we have Lewis McGrillen - he's really the one everyone is keeping their eye on right now," said Hardy.
"He's unbeaten in eight, very brash, a fiery southpaw like Conor McGregor and trash talks his opponents into a position where they don't react very well to his pressure."
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