From Gaming to MMA: The Hardwick Brothers' Journey to Cage Warriors Champions

For as long as brothers George and Harry Hardwick can remember, they have enjoyed boss fights. As this interview takes place, the camera is balanced on an old pile of Playstation 2 games at the brothers' home in Middlesbrough. Among the games are Killer 7, The Thing, and Half-Life, but it is the fighting game Tekken which has fueled the Hardwicks' rivalry over the years.

This healthy rivalry has spread from gaming to mixed martial arts, with the pair now flourishing in reaching the pinnacle of UK-based MMA promotion, Cage Warriors. Harry, the oldest of the two siblings at 30, is the featherweight champion while George, 28, holds the lightweight title.

"There's always been something geared in our brains towards games and actually for a job now, we do boss fights," Harry tells BBC Sport. "That's essentially what we do for a living - we have boss fights."

George, meanwhile, credits video games with having a positive effect on the brothers' fighting careers. He will defend his title against Lucas Clay in Manchester on March 14, with Harry putting his belt on the line against Javier Garcia a week later in London on March 21.

The Impact of Video Games on MMA Skills

"Don't underestimate video games - they are so good on the brain," adds George. "Anyone who does mixed martial arts or any sport, give this a try - don't go on social media when you're chilling, play some video games. Play some Ninja Gaiden, Tekken, Dark Souls, whatever it is. And when you train, your mind is so much sharper. There's a reason why [former UFC champions] Demetrius Johnson, Sean O'Malley, and Max Holloway clock so many hours in video games."

American Holloway has said he learned some striking combinations from playing the UFC video game early in his career, which he later implemented in his fights - something which the Hardwicks can relate to.

"There's times we'll say Demon's Wrath on pads - it's a move from the command list on Tekken. It's left high kick to jab, to right low kick to left body shot," says George.

From Teesside to Cage Warriors

The Hardwicks grew up on Teesside, where they were introduced to mixed martial arts as teenagers after initially training in Muay Thai. They started the sport on exactly the same day and before long were hooked, with both deciding they wanted to pursue it as a career.

The brothers' enjoy a competitive but constructive relationship, but this only blossomed after they started training together.

"Training was what actually fixed us, we'd be in the house scrapping, constantly having fights," said George. "When we actually started going to the gym and doing it in a controlled environment and a productive way, this channelled it into something useful rather than just breaking the furniture."

The pair's bond has played a big part in their success, with both admitting one has inspired the other to stay committed to the sport during difficult moments over the years.

"I remember when I was going to start university, I got an elbow dislocation and then a problem with my scalp and it put me off martial arts for a while," said George. "If Harry wasn't doing it I probably wouldn't have got back into it."

Aspirations for the UFC

Much of Cage Warriors' talent over the years have progressed to the UFC, and Harry and George have similar ambitions. George missed out on a UFC contract in 2023, losing to Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady in Dana White's Contender Series, but is eyeing another shot in the near future.

"I'm fighting soon then I want to fight in Newcastle and then towards the back end of the year my dream is to go back through the Contender Series and get redemption," says George. "There are so many mistakes I made, and I just can't wait to right them."

Harry echoes the sentiment.

"UFC is the ideal but I'm a very content individual with the life I live now," he says. "The UFC would be good because I'd be getting more money for the life I live, more exposure, the gym would be busier, but we've got really good students and training partners here."