Opinion: Harry Hardwick a Wake-Up Call for Future UFC Debutants

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Editor’s note: The views and opinions expressed below are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sherdog.com, its affiliates and sponsors or its parent company, Evolve Media.

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At the start of UFC Fight Night 258 on Sept. 6 in Paris, it seemed like a certainty that Losene Keita was going to have the worst first impression among fighters who were making their Ultimate Fighting Championship debuts. Though heavily hyped, Keita was pitted against four-time Bellator MMA champion Patricio Freire. He then proceeded to miss weight by four pounds, resulting in the cancellation of their scheduled bout. The snafu was bad enough that there was talk that the UFC would cut him. After all, the company recently released a talented up-and-comer in Bryan Battle for a similar failed weight cut.

To be fair to Keita, there are some circumstances surrounding the weight miss that add more understandable context. Nevertheless, by the end of the event, Keita’s first impression with UFC fans was significantly better than the impression former Cage Warriors Fighting Championship featherweight titleholder Harry Hardwick made. I’m sure Hardwick himself would give just about anything to reverse time and make just about any other impression.

Hardwick’s loss to Kaue Fernandes was embarrassing, as he joined a rather exclusive club of fighters who suffered a stoppage loss via leg kicks. Admittedly, it isn’t a club anyone is anxious to join, but fighters have been able to come out of such situations with their integrity intact. Dan Severn and Cub Swanson are highly respected within the UFC community and have fallen to leg kicks. However, it was what came after the fight that put the true dark cloud over Hardwick’s debut.

After the referee called off the fight and after a moment of exasperation, Hardwick crawled over to Fernandes to offer his congratulations on the victory. That in itself was a bad look, as he was unable to immediately get back to his feet. However, the part that has earned Hardwick eternal scorn from MMA social media has been his exit from the cage in a wheelchair.

MMA is a tough-guy’s sport, and the last thing a fighter wants to do is show weakness. Oftentimes, that’s something they take to the extreme, determined to “go out on their shield” rather than be seen as a quitter. I haven’t seen accusations of Hardwick being a quitter—he seemed to be genuinely debilitated from the leg kicks—but short of breaking a bone in one of their legs, fighters are expected to exit the cage in an upright posture. Maybe they have teammates offering physical support as they leave the arena, but they are using their legs to walk or limp out. Think back to Urijah Faber having his team literally drag him back to his corner between rounds after Jose Aldo brutalized his legs. Expectations are high in this sport.

I’m not questioning Hardwick’s toughness. The man has stepped into the cage several times and has done so successfully at an impressive level. That’s far more than I can say, not to mention the majority of those spouting harsh words on the interwebs. Unfortunately for him, his time of “weakness” came on the largest stage MMA can provide. Perhaps a wheelchair was legitimately needed, but it would have been well advised to put him in the chair after he got out of view. A fighter can have all sorts of reputations. They can be crazy. In many cases, domestic abusers still have their cheering section. However, the most damaging reputation they can have is that of a wimp or a quitter. Fair or not, Hardwick got a labeled a wimp. He didn’t do himself any favors when he got wheeled out of cage.

To be fair, it wasn’t the worst exit from a UFC cage that we’ve seen. Herbert Burns was literally carried out of the cage in the arms of his brother after he gassed against Bill Algeo, and he was never taken seriously again. It didn’t matter he had a reported knee injury. Fans didn’t see a knee injury. Fair or not, they saw a quitter, and Burns became a laughingstock. It took him almost two years before he stepped into the cage again. Was it because the experience ruined him mentally? Perhaps. After all, he never won another fight after his shameful display, which followed two impressive victories in his first two UFC appearances. Along those lines, I wouldn’t be surprised if we’ve already seen the best version of Hardwick come and go. Confidence is a major factor in fighting, and I have a hard time believing Hardwick’s confidence hasn’t been shaken.

I don’t say all this to bury Hardwick or Burns. I have sympathy for both of them. I say it as a warning for any fighter going forward. MMA fans have long memories; and even if the majority of fans were to prove to have short memories, the internet is forever. All it takes is one account with a decent following to remind everyone of a fighter’s worst moments. Given the nature of social media, Hardwick is likely to be reminded of it on a regular basis. That isn’t to say fans can’t be won over once a fighter has a sullied reputation, but it’s not an easy thing to do, especially if one’s confidence is shaken.

I know fighters tend to be too tough for their own good, but they need to be if they want to be successful. Logic dictates rational human beings don’t open themselves up to damage fighters take. Let referees protect fighters from themselves. Let their corners be the ones to protect them from themselves. I know that’s a laughable statement given how rarely corners actually protect fighters from themselves, but they need to be the ones to do so. Fighting is a sport that defines toughness, and fighters cannot display anything less than irrational toughness. If the toughness is a facade, they can’t allow it to fall until they’re out of the public eye. Have your corner help you walk out if the situation calls for it, but to show weakness to anything short of a broken leg or, God forbid, something more serious is unacceptable. It’s not because I demand it. It’s because the community—for better or worse—demands it.