Dan Hardy brands PFL signing Cedric Doumbe a ‘legitimate superstar’ ahead of his debut on Saturday… as the ex-UFC title contender admits his own ‘fire to compete’ endures more than a decade after he last fought

• Dan Hardy heaped praise on Cedric Doumbe ahead of his PFL debut on Saturday
• Doumbe follows Israel Adesanya as successful kickboxer transitioning into MMA
• Hardy also spoke of the bittersweet ending to his own career in the cage in 2012

PFL chief Dan Hardy has hailed the promotion’s signing of former kickboxing world champion Cedric Doumbe ahead of his debut on Saturday.

Thanks to the successes of former UFC champions Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira, a transition to the lucrative landscape of MMA has become an increasingly enticing prospect for many of the world’s top kickboxing talents in recent years.

Doumbe had initially appeared set to follow the former GLORY Kickboxing veterans into the UFC, and was scheduled to make his debut with the promotion before returning to the French regional scene to increase his record inside the cage to a perfect 4-0, with all wins coming by way of knockout.

After signing with the PFL, Doumbe was first booked to make his debut in June before a wrist injury delayed his maiden outing with the promotion until Saturday’s PFL Europe card on home soil.

Speaking exclusively to Mail Sport, the PFL’s head of fighter operations explained Doumbe’s move to the event’s headlining spot against Jordan Zebo offered an early glimpse of his potential starpower.

Dan Hardy (pictured) has hailed ‘superstar’ Cedric Doumbe as the ex-kickboxer prepares to make his PFL debut

Doumbe is 4-0 since transitioning to MMA from a career in kickboxing and faces Jordan Zebo on Saturday

‘[When] we signed him and we had sold half the tickets for Paris. We put him on the Paris card and we sold the rest of the tickets. He’s a legitimate superstar four fights into his career.’

Hardy added the audience that a fighter like Doumbe will bring has the potential to shine a light on some of the other talented fighters that are set to feature at Le Zenith.

‘What that does for the PFL not only for us as an organisation, but for all of the other fighters that are on this card is there’s going to have an arena full of people are going to be there watching them. 

‘They might not know their names when they walk into the arena but if they have a good performance those fighters will have gained fans that night, and that’s because they are in the shadow of Cedric Doumbe on this Paris card.’

‘He is a superstar, and we are really fortunate to have him headlining that event.’

In addition to the acquisition of Doumbe, PFL have also made waves in the mixed martial arts landscape for their signing of former UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou with a debut expected next year.

The Cameroonian star will first take on WBC heavyweight king Tyson Fury in a crossover boxing match next from Saudi Arabia next month, but Hardy insisted that the $2m purse guaranteed to his opponent on his return to MMA will help entice a worthy challenge on his return to the cage.

‘I think there are a few good options around the world. There are a couple of good heavyweights in free agency right now.’ He continued.

The PFL made waves in the MMA landscape when they announced the signing of Francis Ngannou earlier the year

Despite his fearsome standing in MMA, Hardy revealed multiple fighters have contacted him angling for a fight with the former UFC star 

‘I think this is the benefit in having the Tyson Fury boxing match, but it being very public that his opponent will get $2 million because it’s going to give some fighters a few months to have the last few fights on their contract and move them self into free agency and consider their options. 

‘There are very very few heavyweights in the world that are stepping into the cage and getting that kind of money. A lot of heavyweights would take the money and take the opportunity to fight Francis. 

‘I think just the size of the carrot alone is going to entice people into free agency, but I also look across the world and I can see other heavyweights and honestly this might blow some people’s minds, but I had messages when the news came out that we had signed Ngannou – people sending me their records: “I’ll fight him, I want to fight him” there are people across Europe that would step in and fight him now, we just need to make sure people are aware of them. 

‘Of course, we can’t neglect the fact that we have heavyweights on the PFL global roster. The winner of Renan Ferreira vs Denis Goltzov they could potentially be the best heavyweight in the world. We just don’t know it and if they compare to Francis Ngannou and beat him and that’s a different thing entirely. I think we’ve got a good options but more will present themselves.’

Prior to moving into broadcasting and working behind the scenes in combat sports, Hardy was one of the finest fighting talents to have emerged from the UK.

Hardy also reflected on his own career in the UFC, where he became the first British fighter to compete for a title in 2010

Though he was ultimately defeated by Georges St-Pierre, ‘The Outlaw’ wowed fans with his toughness at UFC 111

After embarking on a four-fight win streak following his UFC debut in 2008, the mohawk-sporting welterweight would become the first British fighter to earn a UFC title shot when he faced pound-for-pound great Georges St-Pierre for the welterweight title at UFC 111.

Though he was ultimately defeated via unanimous decision, ‘The Outlaw’ would earn the respect of the fans in attendance for his never-say-die attitude, showing true to escape multiple submissions throughout the five-round fight and reach the final bell.

A further three losses threatened to end his UFC career, but Hardy rebounded with a pair of wins in 2012 that appeared to have revitalised him as a potential contender in the 170lbs division, before health issues prevented his return to the Octagon.

Having to step away from competition on terms that he did not get to dictate draws an emotive response from the 41-year-old, but he explains that he takes solace in being able to step away from the sport on a high, something so many of his contemporaries in the combat sports world have been unable to do.

‘Honestly, I think that I have some peace from the fact that I went out on two wins.’ He explained.

The 41-year-old also detailed the bittersweet end to his career with health issues forcing his retirement despite being on a two-fight win streak

‘I was able to score the knockout against Duane Ludwig. That for me was a good performance because I chose that shot mid training camp knew that I was going to be able to land that if I set it up right. 

‘The Amir Sadollah felt like the start of a new stage of my career. That’s why I wasn’t in a particular rush to get him out of there. In hindsight, if I had known that was going to be my last fight, I would’ve maybe put my foot on the gas a little bit more and I would’ve tried to get the finish but I was happy with the performance and it did feel like the start of a new chapter.

‘I felt like “okay, three or four more wins and let’s get back towards a title shot” but this is how these things play out I have to take it as it comes. 

‘But that fire to compete is still there, it’s never changed.’

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