In the main event of UFC Fight Night 85, heavyweight head-hunter Mark Hunt welcomes dangerous submission artist and ex-champ Frank Mir to Brisbane, Australia.
There's no question those are the two most famous fighters on the card. But intrigue in Australia exists "Down Under" the main event as well, if you will. Prospects and curiosities—Rin Nakai, anyone?—add spice to the 12-fight slate.
That's according to Dan Hardy, the former UFC welterweight title contender and current color commentator who will provide studio analysis on Fox Sports 1 for all the action, which airs on Saturday in the U.S.
Hardy, who used to train with Mir in Las Vegas, said he believes Mir has rededicated himself to fighting and will be a tough out for Hunt, a man with devastating power strikes but relatively deficient grappling.
"The problem he's always had is motivation. I've seen him when he's not motivated, and I've seen him when he is," Hardy said in an exclusive interview with Bleacher Report. "From what I hear, he's very focused. He's more relaxed when he's motivated. When he gives his opponent too much respect, he doesn't perform at his best. When he feels comfortable, he performs well."
The party is warming up herein Brisbane we ready to roll https://t.co/NbdneEZrvK
— mark richard hunt (@markhunt1974) March 17, 2016
Motivation can be a nebulous term thrown around as a cliche before each bout. With Mir, though, it's a breathing entity, coming and going almost autonomously.
For the former two-time UFC heavyweight champion, proper motivation touches off a chain reaction that has very real consequences in his fights, Hardy said.
"A lot of it with Frank Mir is conditioning," he observed. "If he's prepared, strict with his diet, it gives him confidence in himself. ... That makes him more comfortable in the fight, looser. When he's loose, he fights better."
It's an interesting fight, but it's not the only one Hardy has an eye on. It turns out Hardy is an avid MMA prospect-watcher, and he's looking forward to watching one in particular in Brisbane.
"The one that stands out to me is Jake Matthews," said Hardy of the 21-year-old Australian who fights American Johnny Case on the event's main card. "He seems to have such a powerful mindset. Case is a tough test, no doubt."
If Matthews can get past Case, Hardy said he thinks the youngster will be ready for a bigger promotional push. Although UFC Fight Night 85 features several talented prospects and veterans, the card is fairly short on name recognition—particularly among local competitors.
If or when the UFC returns to Australia after this weekend, a more established Matthews could change that.
"We don't know as much about [Matthews] as we do about other young guys like Sage [Northcutt]," Hardy said. "This could be his coming-out party."
Perhaps the card's polar opposite from Matthews is Japanese women's bantamweight Rin Nakai. Nakai, who faces Leslie Smith on the undercard, has attracted scads of fans for her muscular physique and provocative photo shoots (warning: may be NSFW) but draws skepticism and even ridicule from MMA fans for a perceived lack of serious fighting chops.
In her first and only UFC bout, Nakai was dominated by Miesha Tate, now the UFC women's bantamweight champ.
Hardy pumped the brakes on the criticism of Nakai, however, and said the 29-year-old could be poised to show she's legit.
"She's only had one fight [in the UFC]," Hardy said. "She's a very strong grappler, with a really strong judo base. I'm interested to see how she matches up with Leslie Smith."
UFC Fight Night 85 begins on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. The first two bouts appear exclusively on UFC Fight Pass, the UFC's subscription streaming service. The rest of the card airs on Fox Sports 1 beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
Scott Harris writes about MMA for Bleacher Report. For more, follow Scott on Twitter. All quotes obtained firsthand.
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