By Ryan Mullen

Down an alley nestled between two unassuming local shops is the home of a highly credible gym which has produced one of the UK’s finest fighters. Middlesbrough Fight Academy (MFA) might not look exceptional from the outside, but the quality of fighters it has produced certainly are.

Harry “Houdini” Hardwick, the Cage Warriors (CW) Featherweight Champion, has emerged as a standout among MFA’s current crop. Hardwick remains undefeated in the highly touted yellow gloves and recently hoisted the Championship belt after a dominant two-round stoppage over Orlando Prins this May.

Hardwick has “always liked Martial Arts”, citing a love for the video game ‘TEKKEN’. But he said the real spark to get started came from a demo of ‘UFC Undisputed 2009’.

He said: “Me and George (his younger brother, CW Lightweight Champion George Hardwick) would just play it. The only fighters you could get were Chuck Liddell and Shogun Rua, and one of Shogun’s styles was listed as ‘Muay Thai’. The way the in-game commentary would make it sound was so mysterious and amazing.”

Hardwick’s approach to life is similar to his fighting style - foot on the gas at all times and always pushing the pace. Five days a week in the gym, diligently training twice a day and coaching the young talent when he’s not.

Hardwick started training in MMA because his brother realised that they “weren’t really doing anything”. He said: “We just went home and played video games all day, so he googled ‘Boxing in Teesside’, and a Muay Thai club came up which was walking distance from her house. So, we just started training and competing in Muay Thai, one of the coaches left and went to Middlesbrough Fight Academy, we went with him and the rest is history.”

MMA has never been the most high-paying combat sport, but Hardwick has never cared about that, saying: “Money will happen. If I won the Euromillions tomorrow, I would still live the same life. I’m living the life I want to live now. I would have my own house, my car would be nicer, the gym would be in a building that wouldn’t leak. But I would still get up and train twice a day. I would still coach people, I would probably still fight.

“I love MMA, I love the effort it takes. It won’t last forever but there’s something so indescribably good about being in there and fighting. It’s a privilege to be able to experience that. There’s nothing else I would rather do.”

Hardwick’s post-career aspirations are equally as admirable as his efforts to claim the championship. He said: “I want to elevate mixed martial arts in Middlesbrough, I want it to be a hotbed for MMA. There’s a ton of good talent coming through MFA and whatever I do in my career, I hope it gives them a clearer path. There was never really an established route in Middlesbrough and Teesside. I want the ones that are pouring their heart into it to have a better avenue than George and I had.”

Harry Hardwick and his incredible journey through MMA