Dan Hardy closing in on John Wayne Parr match in ONE Championship after Tyron Woodley fight falls through

After almost a decade away from action, Dan Hardy is eager to make his comeback real soon.

While nothing is set in stone just yet, it looks like a matchup with Muay Thai legend ‘The Gunslinger’ John Wayne Parr will most likely be his first taste of action since 2012.

Dan Hardy was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in 2013, a heart issue that caused him to step away from competition. He was medically cleared by doctors to compete again as early as 2017 but was unable to get a fight that he wanted.

In mid-2021, ‘The Outlaw’ expressed interest in a caged Muay Thai bout against ‘The Gunslinger’ but seemed to turn his attention to a boxing match against Tyron Woodley.

However, with the former UFC welterweight champion now slated to face Jake Paul in a rematch, Dan Hardy recently suggested a match with John Wayne Parr makes the most sense right now. During an appearance on Submission Radio, the Englishman said:

“It’s an ideal first fight. I know John wants it. I have a lot of respect for him. It would be a really tough test if I stepped in there; it’s been a long time since I fought Muay Thai and I’ve never fought anyone on the level of John Wayne Parr.”

Catch Dan Hardy's appearance on Submission Radio below:

Meanwhile, Parr took to Twitter to voice his agreement and affirm his interest in competing against the 39-year-old by posting an excerpt of the interview, with the caption:

"At 45yo I believe I have enough in the tank for one last good fight before hanging them up for good. I couldn’t think of a better retirement fight than against a legend like @danhardymma on @onechampionship. Hopefully it’s a fight the fans want to see."

Parr last competed in a losing effort against kickboxing icon Nieky Holzken.

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ONE Championship looks like a perfect fit for Dan Hardy’s return

Despite not being able to compete actively, Dan Hardy stayed relevant in the MMA scene by becoming one of the most respected analysts in the UFC.

After officially becoming a free agent earlier this year, ‘The Outlaw’ is itching to compete against the best in the world, whether it’s in MMA, Muay Thai or kickboxing.

ONE Championship is in a unique position to offer him the option to do any of those, which he acknowledged during an interview with MMA Fighting:

“It wouldn’t surprise me at all if I fight under all three rule sets. Obviously, John Wayne Parr makes sense for Muay Thai… Then maybe after that it’s Nieky Holzken for kickboxing… Then MMA, if i’m dieting down and getting back to 170, it opens up good options. The likes of Shinya Aoki’s over there… I like the idea of switching between one rule set and the next…

I think it’s good to have the options… It’s literally the home of martial arts; it’s the celebration of all the striking arts and all the grappling arts as well.”

Catch MMA Fighting's interview with Dan Hardy below: