“Using no way, as way; using no limitation, as limitation”– were words once spoken by the late Bruce Lee – and seemed to resonate with UFC flyweight Veronica Hardy. With the tattoo of the quotes by the famed martial artist/actor on her back, Hardy entered the MMA world with a background that embodies a rich tapestry of culture and heritage that fuels her fighting spirit. Hailing from Latin America with a mix of Portuguese and Spanish roots, she brings a vibrant perspective inside the Octagon, where her fighting style is heavily influenced by her diverse background.

She is a trailblazer in a sport that has a roster of diverse talent from all over the world, competing together in what is truly a global phenomenon. Furthermore, it’s interesting to note that she derives her last name ‘Hardy’ through her marriage with UFC veteran Dan Hardy. On this note let’s get to know more about her ethnicity, nationality, and early life.

What is Veronica Hardy’s ethnicity and nationality?

Veronica Hardy was born (Veronica Macedo) on October 30, 1995, in Caracas, Venezuela. Although she was born in Venezuela, the political and economic turmoil in her home country at the time forced her family to move to Poland.  Despite being only 29 years old, Hardy has been to 39 countries in the world, and has lived in 11 of them. The 28-year-old competes in the women’s flyweight division in the UFC and her introduction to martial arts happened through watching Bruce Lee films from an early age.

“I watched the old Bruce Lee films and would always try to copy them, sometimes hitting the couch or whatever was near me. I did that until my father took me to my first Karate class and then it all started.” said Hardy to the UFC, who started training Karate at the age of eight. Having faced a lot of adversity in her childhood, including witnessing domestic abuse, Veronica Hardy isn’t just a fighter inside the Octagon. The Venezuelan mixed martial artist is also a student of Psychology and an outspoken mental health advocate.

Her childhood was filled with a passion for martial arts and she did not stop even when the Macedo family had moved to Poland in search of a better life. The Venezuelan stalwart has overcome a lot both inside and outside the Octagon whether it is concussion issues, leaving her own country, or chronic fatigue. However, she still fulfilled her dream of becoming a professional fighter in 2016. So, let’s see how she reached that pinnacle in the first place.

More about Veronica Hardy’s early life

The Hardy-Wallhead MMA member grew up in a family that supported her love for sports and exposed her to the rich culture of Venezuela. Hardy had begun training in taekwondo at the age of four and she showcased her exceptional talent, earning a black belt by the time she was 12. Soon after, the flyweight contender also pursued Karate, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Kickboxing. She spoke about her childhood and journey to MMA on Ariel Helwani’s show – “Visas were very hard for me because I had a Venezuelan passport. It was only recently that I was able to obtain a Portuguese passport because my grandfather is Portuguese, and from my mother’s side they are from Spain.”

Nevertheless, her unrelenting resolve led her to learning different martial art styles, with her singular goal of becoming a combat sports athlete. Veronica Hardy’s talent is such that she got the offer to fight for the UFC the year she started her pro career. Despite facing setbacks in the promotion with three straight losses initially, a 1-4 record between 2016 and 2019, and long lay off due to a severe concussion, the Venezuelan fighter racked up three straight wins between 2023 and 2024.

With her love for fighting, also came the love of her life in Dan Hardy. The 28-year-old had long admired the English welterweight, and first met him in 2016 in an elevator, while debuting in Hamburg, Germany. The two tied the knot on Christmas 2022, and the English fighter has been in Veronica Hardy’s corner ever since.

The women’s flyweight juggernaut has nine victories and four losses, out of which she has one win via knockout and two via submission. With a three-fight winning streak, Hardy will step into the Octagon once more, against Eduarda Moura at UFC 309.

With such a storied arc, and a top UFC veteran as her spouse, will Hardy be able to extend her winning streak to four against Moura on November 16th? Let us know in the comments below.