Congrats, Dan Hardy, for That Double-Leg Takedown on Chris Lytle!

May Dan Hardy be spared from a “damned if you, damned if you don’t” situation, because he finally did it: shot in for a double-leg takedown that—yes!—took down Chris Lytle in the fading seconds of the last round.Never mind the p…

May Dan Hardy be spared from a “damned if you, damned if you don’t” situation, because he finally did it: shot in for a double-leg takedown that—yes!—took down Chris Lytle in the fading seconds of the last round.

Never mind the price he paid for that technical breakthrough (as far as his game is concerned).

Its success is even out of the question. As is whether Lytle intentionally countered with a butt-flop to sink in the guillotine choke. (It looked successful to me, as the recent MMA retiree seemed to struggle initially—even for just a sec—to keep his balance.)

So what if Hardy’s neck ended up sticking out like a sore thumb, with Lytle’s arm snapping up on it like a Venus Flytrap to a fat ladybug? It’s the thought that counts: “I’m all about striking, eh? Well, I’m gonna shock the world by unleashing a weapon never before seen in my arsenal!”

And that weapon is wrestling, its offensive aspect, specifically.

Whoever wasn’t surprised by that move must have slept through Round 3 or earlier, or was not familiar with the English fighter. Regardless, it was undeniable proof of Hardy’s evolution as an MMA fighter. It was—and is—another reason to anticipate his next fight.

For in the main event of UFC Live 5, Hardy showed the first step in finding and adding up his game’s missing link. On that Sunday night in Milwaukee, The Outlaw’s journey as a complete MMA fighter had just begun. And he is not yet sentenced to exile from the UFC, right?

GSP, watch out!

Now, where’s my nth cup of coffee?

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