MMA not ‘sensible’, reality is ‘most dreams fail’ – Hardwick

When Harry Hardwick was working at his dad’s cafe in Middlesbrough to fund his dream of becoming a UFC fighter, the bright lights of Las Vegas felt a world away.

“It’s not a sensible idea, pursuing MMA,” he says.

But in September 2025, on just five days’ notice Hardwick stepped in to face Brazil’s Kaue Fernandes for his UFC debut – over 10 years after his first professional MMA fight.

Unfortunately for Hardwick, the fight didn’t go to plan – he suffered a painful first-round loss and left the octagon in a wheelchair.

Now the 31-year-old has a second chance to prove himself as he faces the undefeated Marwan Rahiki on Saturday at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas.

After a full camp and back at his preferred weight class of featherweight, Hardwick is expecting a better performance this time round.

A second defeat could see him cut from the UFC – but after a career filled with highs and lows, he still feels thankful to be “one of the few MMA fighters that has escaped the rat race”.

“I pinch myself because I’m very fortunate to be where I am,” Hardwick tellsBBC Sport.

“I’ve still got a lot I want to do, and I’m still very much looking forward, but this is mad.

Hardwick is a former Cage Warriors featherweight champion and entered his UFC debut undefeated in his last nine fights, with eight wins and one draw.

He’s spent most of his career fighting alongside part-time jobs, including night shifts as a support worker and in his dad’s local cafe.

In the early days, Hardwick would often turn up to training without any sleep, and admits that at times the experience could be “miserable”.

“I had to be part-time on the job. But it wasn’t as if I was getting money to compensate for that through fighting, so I was essentially just on a part-time wage struggling along, doing weird shifts here and there,” says Hardwick.

“Sometimes I’d train on the night, do a night shift, not sleep, get home, get my kit on and go to the gym. How did I do that?

Hardwick has spent most of his career living at home with his parents in Middlesbrough, having only bought his first house last year with money earned from Cage Warriors title fights.

While admitting his mum would be “very pleased” if he retired, he stresses that he’s “so grateful” for them supporting his career and providing a roof over his head.

But while many young MMA athletes dream of a luxurious lifestyle funded by fight pay, Hardwick knows this isn’t always the case.

“If you want to pursue a career in MMA, be prepared to live at your parents’ house until you’re 31,” he says.

“I would tell any kid who has this dream of being an MMA fighter, who might see Conor McGregor and think they’re going to be a millionaire… I’d tell them that’s not how it works.

“Even to get to that point, you’re going to have to go through a spell of being broke and having the inconsistency of fighting.”

In 2020, Hardwick says he considered leaving fighting to become a full-time coach, with his 5-3 record and the UFC looking like a distant dream.

Five years later, Hardwick was so desperate for an opportunity that he flew to Abu Dhabi using his own money and with his weight low in case a fighter was forced to pull out on late notice at the UFC event being held there that week.

No fighter pulled out, but his information was passed on to UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard, and a month later the chance came for him to appear on a card.

But despite all the risks and calling MMA a “stupid” career, Hardwick admits it’s always been the best choice for him.

“Even with all this negative stuff that I can say, the financial instability… So what?” he says.

“Those times in the gym, where we’re cracking on and working hard, they’re some of the best times in my life.