It has been announced that former UFC welterweight title challenger Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy will serve as the color commentator for six UFC Fight Night events to be screened exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.

Hardy is well known for his devastating punching power and punk rock Mohawk hairstyle. The 31-year-old’s most significant moment fighting for the UFC was when he fought Georges St-Pierre for the welterweight championship. Unfortunately “The Outlaw” lost that bout, but gained a lot of respect from fans for his courageous effort.

Dan is set to make his first appearance in the role of a commentator at on March 8, when he will be calling the action for the UFC Fight Night event at the O2 Arena in London, which will feature a headline bout between light heavyweight contenders Alexander Gustafsson and Jimi Manuwa.

Here is what Dan Hardy had to say about his new position in the UFC:

“I’m very excited to be putting on the headset for the UFC. I’ve got the same nerves and butterflies that I had when I first signed for the company as a fighter back in 2008. I think I can bring a great perspective to the color commentator’s role. Researching and breaking down UFC fighters and fights is what I’ve been doing for over 10 years now, only now I am not just concentrating on my own division, but every division. I think I bring a different perspective to the role. Not only have I fought and trained with some of the best fighters in the world, I think I’ve had one of the most varied careers in the history of the UFC.”

Hardy is currently off the UFC’s  active roster having been diagnosed with a rare heart condition a year ago. He still trains in MMA, but has found something new to focus on with this new color commentary role.

“If we only look at my 6-4 record in the UFC, I’ve done it all. I’ve knocked people out and I’ve been knocked out. I’ve headlined huge Pay-Per-Views and I’ve fought on the prelims. I’ve fought guys I liked and respected, and I’ve fought in grudge matches. I’ve been in every high-pressure situation a fighter can find himself in, from challenging a pound-for-pound champion like Georges St-Pierre, to fighting in my hometown with all my family and friends in the front row, to fighting to stay in the UFC when I was 0-4 a couple of years ago.”

Joining “The Outlaw” Octagonside will be John Gooden, an experienced mixed martial arts play-by-play broadcaster who has competed at a national level in both judo and karate and trained for the last decade in Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Gooden is well known for his work commentating for the Cage Warriors Fighting Championships, but will now call mixed martial arts events exclusively for the UFC.

Andy Friedlander completes the lineup for the all-new broadcast team and will serve as the announcer. He has gained the majority of his experience hosting over 100 globally televised soccer matches including two UEFA Champions League finals, and has also become a regular fixture at major boxing events across the UK.

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