UFC 105 Matchups: Swick vs. Hardy Odds & Picks
The co-headliner of UFC 105 is a No. 1 contender’s match in the welterweight division as Mike “Quick” Swick faces off with Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy.
Swick enters the fight as the favorite with a betting line of -200 with Hardy given a line of +160 according to online sports book SPORTSBETTING.com. Here is a closer look at both fighters heading into this bout, which will take place from the M.E.N. Arena in Manchester, England at 8PM ET on Spike TV.
Mike Swick (14-2)
Strengths: Swick is a very explosive fighter, which is why his nickname of “Quick” fits so well. Swick has won five fights in the first round in his UFC career and has won his last two by TKO from punches. Swick has long arms which allows him to have a reach advantage over most of his opponents. Swick also is a big fighter for a welterweight, as he originally fought at middleweight, but dropped down a weight class to take advantage of his size.
Weaknesses: If opponents survive his opening explosiveness, Swick tends to fade as the fight carries on. While he has just two losses in his career, Swick has had four of his last six fights go to decision where he has not looked like an elite-level fighter. Swick also doesn’t have a great ground game where he can inflict a lot of damage from the top or escape from the ground when he gets taken down.
Last Five Fights
Second round TKO win over Ben Saunders at UFC 99 on June 13, 2009
First round TKO win over Jonathan Goulet at UFC Fight for the Troops on Dec. 10, 2008
Unanimous decision win over Marcus Davis at UFC 85 on June 7, 2008
Majority decision win over Josh Burkman at UFC Fight Night 12 on Jan. 23, 2008
Unanimous decision loss to Yushin Okami at UFC 69 on April 7, 2007
Dan Hardy (22-6)
Strengths: Like Swick, Hardy has strong hands and the ability to finish fights quickly. Hardy has exhibited a good mix of striking skills, using knees and kicks to also gain an edge on his feet. Hardy likes to try to get in the heads of his opponents with a lot of verbal jabbing before fights, which helped him against Marcus Davis at UFC 99. Hardy definitely does not lack in confidence, which is important as he gets into bigger fights. Hardy will also have the home field advantage as he is an England native. Hardy has had all three of his UFC fights come in Europe.
Weaknesses: Like Swick, Davis is also not a ground specialist. He hasn’t been able to stop takedowns from his opponents. While not spectacular on the ground, he has exhibited the ability to land meaningful strikes from the ground. Hardy has continued to work to improve his ground game, and in this fight, he may have to take the fight to the ground as Swick looks to have faster hands and a significant reach advantage.
Last Five Fights
Split decision win over Marcus Davis at UFC 99 on June 13, 2009
First round KO win over Rory Markham at UFC 95 on Feb. 21, 2009
Split decision win over Akihiro Gono at UFC 89 on Oct. 18, 2008
Second round TKO win over Daniel Weichel at UF-Punishment on May 3, 2008
Third round TKO win over Chad Reiner at CWFC on April 19, 2008
Who will win: With both fighters having their boxing considered their strength, this fight will likely be decided by which fighter has more success on the ground. Typically two boxers become tentative to throw against each other as they are worried about getting knocked out. Because Swick has the length and the speed edge on Hardy, I think he will be able to mask his takedown attempts better and land more takedowns on Hardy, thus getting the edge in a close fight. Look for Swick to earn a decision win and earn a title shot against Georges St. Pierre.
Additional Line: Over/Under 13 minutes for fight length. Over and Under (-120)