Veronica Hardy (; born October 30, 1995) is a Venezuelan

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...

(MMA) who competes in the women's

Flyweight Flyweight is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Flyweight is a class in boxing which includes fighters weighing up to and including 51 kg (112 lb) for a title fight. Professional boxing The flyweight division was the last of boxin ...

division in the

Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...

(UFC).

Early life

Growing up in a family with a passion for martial arts, Veronica's early life was immersed in a culture that fostered her love for the sport. Veronica began training in Taekwondo at the age of four and quickly demonstrated exceptional talent, earning her black belt by the age of twelve. A dedicated and disciplined student, she also pursued training in other disciplines such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Karate, and Kickboxing. As Venezuela faced political and economic turmoil, the Macedo family decided to move to Poland in search of a better life. In this new environment, Veronica was exposed to different styles of martial arts and continued her training. The move ultimately led to her finding her true passion—mixed martial arts (MMA). Over the next few years, she continued to hone her skills in various disciplines, such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Taekwondo, and Muay Thai.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Before joining the UFC, Veronica Hardy had a professional MMA record of 5-0-1. She competed in various regional promotions in Europe. Her impressive performance on the regional circuit caught the attention of the UFC, which led to her signing with the promotion in 2016.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Hardy faced

Ashlee Evans-Smith Ashlee Evans-Smith (born July 9, 1987) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the women's flyweight and bantamweight divisions. She competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). She has her own podcast called Sex & Violence w ...

on September 3, 2016 at

UFC Fight Night 93 ''UFC Fight Night: Arlovski vs. Barnett'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 93'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship held on September 3, 2016, at Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg, Germany. Background After h ...

. She lost the fight via technical knockout in round three. Hardy faced Andrea Lee on May 19, 2018 at UFC Fight Night 129. She lost the fight by unanimous decision. This fight earned her the Fight of the Night bonus. Hardy faced Gillian Robertson on February 23, 2019 at UFC Fight Night: Błachowicz vs. Santos. She lost the fight via submission in the second round. Hardy was scheduled to face

Rachael Ostovich Rachael Ostovich (born February 25, 1991) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Flyweight division. A professional since 2014, she has competed in the UFC and Invicta Fighting Championships. After being released from the UFC, ...

on August 10, 2019 at UFC on ESPN+ 14. However, it was announced on July 29, 2019 that Ostovich was replaced by Polyana Viana for undisclosed reason. Hardy won the fight via a submission in round one. This win earned her the '' Performance of the Night'' award. Hardy was scheduled to face

Amanda Lemos Amanda Oliveira de Lemos (born May 22, 1987) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the women's Strawweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. As of April 15, 2025, she is #4 in the UFC women's strawweight rankings, an ...

on December 21, 2019 at UFC on ESPN+ 23. However, her bout with Amanda Lemos was cancelled and she was scheduled to face Ariane Lipski on November 16, 2019 at

UFC on ESPN+ 22 ''UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Gastelum'' (also known as ''UFC on ESPN 22'' and ''UFC Vegas 24'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on April 17, 2021, at the UFC Apex facility in Enterpri ...

, replacing

Priscila Cachoeira Priscila Cachoeira Gomes da Silva (born 19 August 1988) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. She currently competes in the women's Flyweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Personal life Cachoeira had a troubled childhood growing ...

who was tested positive for a

diuretic A diuretic () is any substance that promotes diuresis, the increased production of urine. This includes forced diuresis. A diuretic tablet is sometimes colloquially called a water tablet. There are several categories of diuretics. All diuretics ...

. In turn Hardy was not cleared to fight by the Brazilian athletic commission due to severe headaches one day before the fight was taken place and she was replaced by newcomer Isabella de Padua. Hardy faced Bea Malecki on March 14, 2020 at UFC Fight Night 170. She lost the fight via unanimous decision. After the bout, Hardy retired from MMA due to concussion issues. After over three years since her last bout, Hardy returned on March 18, 2023 at UFC 286 against Juliana Miller. She won the fight by unanimous decision. Hardy faced Jamey-Lyn Horth on December 2, 2023, at UFC on ESPN 52. She won the fight via split decision. Hardy faced JJ Aldrich at UFC on ESPN 56 on May 11, 2024. She won the fight by unanimous decision. Hardy faced Eduarda Moura on November 16, 2024 at UFC 309. She lost the fight by unanimous decision.

Personal life

Hardy married former UFC fighter

Dan Hardy Daniel Mark Hardyhttp://boxing.nv.gov/2012%20Results%20Web/05-26-12%20MMA.pdf (born 17 May 1982) is an English former mixed martial artist who fought in the welterweight division. During his professional MMA career, which began in 2004, Hardy ...

on December 25, 2022.

Championships and awards

Mixed martial arts

** Fight of the Night (One time) ** Performance of the Night (One time)

Mixed martial arts record

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References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Macedo, Veronica 1995 births Living people Venezuelan female taekwondo practitioners Portuguese female taekwondo practitioners Venezuelan female karateka Portuguese female karateka Venezuelan practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu Portuguese practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu Female Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners Portuguese female mixed martial artists Venezuelan female mixed martial artists Bantamweight mixed martial artists Flyweight mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing taekwondo Mixed martial artists utilizing karate Mixed martial artists utilizing Brazilian jiu-jitsu Ultimate Fighting Championship female fighters Martial artists from Caracas Venezuelan people of Portuguese descent 21st-century Portuguese sportswomen