UFC 309's Veronica Hardy won't stress over rankings or title contention, focused on improving

Step by step, or in her case, fight by fight. That's how Veronica Hardy is approaching things now that she's in the best moment of her  career.

Hardy rides a three-fight winning streak heading into her return to the octagon Saturday at UFC 309 from Madison Square Garden in New York. The Venezuelan women's flyweight takes on Eduarda Moura in the opening bout of the card.

A potential four-fight winning streak is no joke in the women's 125-pound division. Yet, Hardy (9-4-1 MMA, 4-4 UFC) doesn't want to get too far ahead and start projecting herself into the rankings or the UFC title picture.

"I think if you look too ahead, the road just seems so long like, 'Wow, I'm not even ranked,'" Hardy told MMA Junkie in Spanish. "So for me, I'm just taking it fight by fight and focused on improving.

"It'd be a waste to get to the title and not be ready because I needed something in my game. Imagine getting so far just to come up short. So for me, if I'm ready, then yes. Right now I just want to get tough fights, keep climbing up the rankings and keep improving as a martial artist."

Hardy doesn't think a win alone on Saturday will get her a spot in the official UFC rankings for her division. She thinks it can get her a future fight to compete for a spot, but given the right performance, maybe she can squeeze in the world's best.

"I don't think I will enter the rankings, but maybe I'll get a fight to enter the rankings," Hardy said. "I think the fighters in the rankings are all very skilled and have picked up big wins, so I don't think me winning will get someone out. I also think it comes down to whether or not they like your fights because you might just need more to enter the rankings. So I think the performance itself is very important."

Taking things back to her fight-by-fight approach, Hardy can't wait to compete Saturday. She likes the matchup with Moura (10-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC), but more importantly she's fighting in a legendary arena.

"I'm so excited, so excited, especially because I asked for this fight so much," Hardy said. "I asked for it last year to fight at this (MSG) event, and they said no. I was more persistent in asking for this one.

"I train here in New York, so it makes it more special. Going to training every day and seeing the arena right there, because it's a giant monster, it's something that's helped me because it's such an impactful city, and I feel right at home. I think it will help me a ton."

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This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 309's Veronica Hardy won't stress over rankings or title contention, focused on improving