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Dan Hardy Interview
21 Sep 2009 11:15PM
Hey Guys, I caught up with Dan Hardy a while ago to see what his views are on the growing trend of MMA clothing, here you go;
Do you wear MMA clothing?
Yes, most of the time.
What do you instantly think when you see someone on the street wearing TapOut etc?
A lot of it depends on how the person carries themselves. there are a few guys that walk around with a hard man attitude and stare at people. venice beach is bad for that, we call them 'air-guitarists'... guys that look and act like they know what they are doing, but usually dont.
Do you think that MMA clothing markets itself on purpose to people who want to look hard’? (images of skulls, flames, the cage etc)
I think they are images that communicate conflict and violence, which is why they get used a lot. some brands are subtle with it but others are quite crude, with blood splattered all over them.
Do other fighters you know wear MMA brands on the street or just when training/fighting?
Most of the fighters I know do. sometimes because they are sponsored and sometimes because they want to show that they are a part of something.
Do you think people are becoming fashion conscious about what they wear in training?
I think people want to be a part of something, so they wear recognised MMA brands to be a part of the MMA community. that, to me, seems to be the reason for people wearing MMA brands to train in. you see this particularly with t shirts, people wear MMA shorts because they are the most practical for training. people can wear any t shirt to train in because they are functionally the same but people opt for the MMA branded ones.
Do you think that MMA fans/athletes are developing a ‘image’ like other extreme sports?
I think the MMA image is quite similar to most extreme sports. the style of clothing certainly has a lot of similarities. now skate and surf shops have started selling MMA brands too, the sport will grow closer to that 'extreme sports' image. there has always been a loose tie between surfing and bjj because of them both being so popular in Brazil. before MMA brands were really established, people used to train in surf shorts.
Do you think that MMA clothing manufacturers will become victims of their own success and have to tone down the look of their brand to branch out into the main stream like Howies did?
I don’t think so, I think the better designed and marketed brands will succeed and the more crude, extreme designs will fall away or stay as small companies. Tapout and Cagefighter are everywhere at the moment, in all different kinds of stores. Their designs have always been more publically acceptable though, and I think that has a lot to do with it.
Is it important for MMA to have an ‘image’ or ‘look’ to become a mainstream sport?
I’m not sure I would say its important, more unavoidable. All sports have an image that has developed with the sport and MMA is the same. The more popular the sport becomes, the more defined the image will become.
Do you thing that certain MMA brands give out different messages i.e. can wearing a certain brand of clothing have an effect on you being taken less seriously as a fan/athlete?
For an athlete, the more legitimate the sponsor, the more seriously people take you. I don’t think it works the same for fans, maybe if they are wearing the newest styles or the most popular sponsor at the time. the brands that are worn most by fighters in the UFC, usually lead the market.
How important is it to you to be recognized as an MMA fighter? Is it a big part of your identity/self image?
It’s nice to be recognized because it shows that people enjoy watching your fights. My image is my own, regardless of my career. It does pay to have a distinctive image but it has to be natural to the fighter, they can’t develop an image just to be recognized.
Thanks again Dan,
Mike
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