Dan "The Outlaw" Hardy

[Wyatt Lee]

Marcus Davis vs Dan Hardy UFC 99 fight booked for June 13

Ask and you shall receive.

It appears that Marcus Davis (16-4) is making Joe Silva’s job as matchmaker an easy one, agreeing to take on Dan Hardy (21-6) — who called him out after a win over Rory Markham at UFC 95: “Sanchez vs. Stevenson” last month — at UFC 99: “The Comeback” from the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany, on June 13.

Davis took on Chris Lytle at UFC 93: “Franklin vs. Henderson” on Jan. 17 after “Lights Out” called him out after defeating Paul Taylor at UFC 89: “Bisping vs. Leben” in October 2008. “The Irish Hand Grenade” went on to win the 170-pound clash via split decision, setting a modern day record for combined total strikes in a professional mixed martial arts bout.

Prior to the win, the heavy-handed Davis — a former professional boxer — earned a slick second round submission win over Paul Kelly at UFC 89. The former contestant on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 2 boasts eight wins in 10 fights for the promotion, which is considerably more than Hardy’s two wins in as many performances.

Perhaps that’s the reason Davis intends to smash the relative UFC newcomer’s face into dust when they meet inside the Octagon in Cologne.

On the other hand, Hardy may feel that he can do some smashing of his own after wrecking Markham with a first round knockout blow that put the Miletich-trained fighter out for the count. “The Outlaw” also has a split decsion win over the venerable veteran Akihiro Gono to his credit, highlighting that the blooming British star has not had an easy road since his debut for the organization.

It will be more of the same when he gets locked inside the eight-sided cage opposite Mr. Davis.