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Up-and-coming UK fighter Dan Hardy says he has been put through the ringer by his new strength coach as he prepares for his UFC debut at UFC 89 in October.

Hardy takes on experienced Japanese fighter Akihiro Gono (pictured above) on the undercard of Mike Bisping's mouth-watering clash against Chris Leben at Birmingham's National Indoor Arena on October 18.

The 26-year-old welterweight from Nottingham, who has signed a four-fight contract with the UFC, has been splitting his training between the Xtreme Couture and 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu camps in order to be in top shape for his battle with the Tokyo fighter.

"I am training harder than ever before for my UFC debut," Hardy told Eurosport-Yahoo! "I flew out to LA to train with the best fighters and coaches in the world and I cannot wait to show off the stuff I've learned against Gono.

"I've got a new strength coach who has me doing crazy things like pushing cars up hills and I've been learning some incredible BJJ techniques from Eddie Bravo."

Hardy admits that Gono is a fighter he has admired for years, first in PRIDE in Japan and more recently in the UFC, where Gono made his debut in November 2007 with a submission victory over Tamdan McCrory.

But as much as Hardy respects the veteran, he says Gono's claims that he will "be sending the English fans home in tears" with a defeat of the home favourite are well wide of the mark.

"It is funny Gono is saying the British fans are going to be in tears, because I think this is going to be the best night ever for the British fighters in the UFC. I just hope he's working on his skills as much he does his entrance music and costume because he's travelling a long was to get his arse kicked at UFC 89.

"It will be a short, painful night for him."

Hardy will hit the ground running when he joins fellow Brits Paul Kelly and Paul Taylor in the 170lb division, arriving on the big stage with a record of 19-6-0-1, and he insists he won't feel under any pressure from the biggest crowd he will have ever fought in front of.

"The only pressure I will feel on my debut is to give a good account of myself and show the world that I am for real," says 'The Outlaw'.

"Nerves are natural and if I wasn't nervous before a fight, I would be concerned. Nerves are what make me switch into fight mode and prepare my mind to take care of business."

Two further fights have been announced for UFC 89; in an all-European lightweight showdown, Sweden's Per Eklund takes on France's Samy Schiavo, and in a clash between two of the sport's top young 155-pounders, 24-year old Canadian Sam 'Hands of Stone' Stout battles 22-year old Liverpool native Terry Etim.

Alex Sharratt / Eurosport