Veronica Hardy is riding high on the best win streak of her career, and as she prepares to face Eduarda Moura on November 16 at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, she’s bringing more than just technical skill into the Octagon.
In an exclusive interview with Combat Sports UK, Hardy shared the challenges, sacrifices, and personal evolution that have fuelled her recent success. From overcoming concussions to refining her training, Hardy is focused and driven as she heads into one of the biggest nights of her career.
When asked about fighting on the UFC 309 card, Hardy’s excitement was unmistakable, and she revealed she was rather annoying towards the UFC matchmakers in being so eager to secure a spot on this iconic fight card:
“Well, I was very annoying about being on the card,” she laughed, reflecting on her relentless approach. “I messaged Mick [Maynard] and tagged him in about 8,000 photos. It was more like, ‘please,’ and him being like, ‘there’s no space,’ and ‘it’s already booked.’” Luckily for Hardy, her persistence paid off, and the opportunity to fight at Madison Square Garden became reality.
Veronica Hardy Ready to Win at UFC 309 Against Eduarda Moura
Hardy’s opponent, Eduarda Moura, brings an impressive 10-1 record and a style honed under the guidance of Jailton Almeida’s gym, known for takedown-focused, ground-and-pound tactics. Hardy commented:
“There’s not much video footage of her fights before, but you know, she’s from Almeida’s team… it’s straight takedown to ground and pound to submission.” This insight is shaping Hardy’s approach to the fight, especially as she prepares grappling wise in New York, a city synonymous with her grappling training.
Reflecting on her recent career resurgence, Hardy pointed to a pivotal change in her personal life: removing negative influences and focusing on those who genuinely support her:
“I think everything in my life has changed. It’s like a whole 180… I was quite ruthless at taking [negative people] out because it’s been so many years where I hadn’t.” She credits her husband, Dan Hardy, with being an instrumental part of her transformation. “He’s changed my life in ways way beyond MMA… someone who’s helped me as a person improve, and I’m just so grateful for him.”
The Turning Point for Veronica Hardy
Veronica Hardy didn’t plan to step away from the Octagon for three years prior to her current win streak, but a series of concussions forced her into an extended break:
“I had really bad concussions, so it was a forced break where I couldn’t train. I couldn’t really do anything physically for quite a while,” she explained. The time off gave her a chance to reset mentally and re-evaluate her approach to training.
“It helped me understand myself and get my priorities straight… I didn’t really understand before. It’s not like I didn’t train hard… but I was training wrong.”
Performance Over Wins?
When asked about her future, Hardy emphasized that success in the UFC isn’t only about racking up wins; it’s about performance:
“You’d have to be on, like, a super long win streak, like Merab [Dvalishvili], to start getting the attention… But I believe that if you… it’s not only about the win streak, but it’s also about your performance.”
Reflecting on her previous fight, Hardy was honest with herself, meanwhile some may disagree:
“It wasn’t the greatest; it was a bit boring… I had to play… on an eggshell-type of game.” But she’s hopeful that a strong showing at UFC 309 will propel her forward.“I think it would depend a lot on how this fight plays out… to where I go from there.”
Coming to Win
Despite questions about making a statement in her fight against Moura, Hardy’s focus is crystal clear:
“I’m coming to win. If the statement comes it comes. Because if you lose, you’re way below if you’re just trying to make a statement.” Her goal is simple: to leave with the win, however it may come.
This interview was conducted by Combat Sports UK. Any quotes or excerpts must be credited to Combat Sports UK.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
