Dan Hardy undergoes fresh cardiology tests for ONE Championship comeback fight, ‘100 per cent cleared’

Dan Hardy’s proposed comeback to the cage seems to have stalled a little in recent months, with the former UFC welterweight contender and commentator seemingly turning his eyes to a boxing match with Tyron Woodley.

But “The Outlaw” still his crosshairs set on a bout in ONE Championship, and underwent cardiology tests this week at the behest of the Asian martial arts promotion, with doctors giving him a clean bill of health.

“There are lots of exciting things going on,” Hardy told Ariel Helwani in an appearance on The MMA Hour on Thursday. “I was at my cardiologists this morning, because I’ve been in conversation with ONE Championship about getting matched, and they wanted a fresh set of cardiology results. So I’ve got clearance to fight there as well.”

“I’m sending that over to them later today,” the 39-year-old Englishman added. “I did the exams this morning, and everything is on its way in emails. But I’m 100 per cent cleared to fight under any ruleset.”

Hardy (25-10, one no contest) walked away prematurely from the sport after medical tests in Las Vegas ahead of his 2013 fight with Matt Brown flagged a potential issue known as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a condition that causes the heart to beat abnormally fast for periods of time.

Though he has the pattern, Hardy said he has never been symptomatic, and the issue has not shown up in three sets of tests since the original diagnosis.

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Hardy never returned to competition, though, finding a new home as a cageside commentator on the UFC’s broadcast team. But he was fired from his role in March after an argument in Abu Dhabi with a company employee, and has since been mulling over a long-awaited comeback.

“I’m 40 next year but I’m not old by any means,” Hardy told Helwani. “I’m in really good health. If I’ve got opportunities to go and test myself … I’m not in this to prove anything to anybody, this is a forum for me to test myself.

“I’ve got opportunities like fighting John Wayne Parr or Nieky Holzken [in ONE], or [former UFC welterweight champ] Tyron Woodley. These are legitimate martial artists and good fighters and people I’ll be able to test myself against.

“I’m realistic about the people I want to fight. John Wayne Parr is older than me. Nieky Holzken is the same age as me. Tyron Woodley is the same age as me. I’m not trying to step back into the top 10 and think I’m comparable to these 30-year-olds and 28-year-olds, because of course I’m not.

“I know where I’m competitive and where I’m not. So what I’d like is to be able to step in there against highly-respectable, well-trained martial artists who will push me through a fight and a training camp. Why not give it one last little go and try and have some fun with it?”