George and Harry Hardwick Try Teesside’s Famous Parmo | Cage Warriors
George and Harry Hardwick take on Teesside’s famous parmo
George Hardwick and Harry Hardwick step away from fight camps and into the world of Teesside food for a proper local challenge: eating the region’s famous parmo.
In this episode of Fighters vs. Food, the Middlesbrough brothers sit down with one of the North East’s most recognisable dishes while talking about professional MMA, painful injuries, broken jaws and the reality of building careers through Cage Warriors.
The parmo is a Teesside institution rather than a traditional Italian chicken parmesan. It is usually made with breaded chicken or pork, covered in béchamel sauce and melted cheese, then served with chips, salad and plenty of garlic sauce. It is heavy, messy and probably not the first thing a fighter reaches for during a weight cut.
The Hardwick brothers made Cage Warriors history
George and Harry are closely tied to the modern Cage Warriors story in the North East. Both came through Middlesbrough Fight Academy and both reached the top of their respective divisions, becoming the first brothers to hold Cage Warriors world titles at the same time.
George established himself as one of the most aggressive lightweights on the British MMA scene. His pressure, body attacks and willingness to turn every fight into a physical battle helped him capture the Cage Warriors lightweight championship and build a reputation as one of the promotion’s most entertaining fighters.
Harry followed with his own championship run at featherweight. Known as “Houdini,” he earned his nickname through his ability to survive bad positions, escape submissions and slowly drag opponents into fights that became increasingly uncomfortable.
Their careers have not followed identical paths, but the relationship between them has remained central. They train together, corner one another and understand the sport from both sides. When one brother is fighting, the other is often involved in the preparation, strategy and emotional fallout that comes with the result.
Broken jaws and life after a brutal UFC fight
The food is the hook, but the conversation moves naturally into the less enjoyable parts of professional fighting. Harry’s recent UFC appearance ended after he suffered a broken jaw in a wild battle, forcing his corner to stop the contest between rounds.
It is the type of injury that changes everyday life immediately. Eating becomes difficult, training stops and even normal conversation can be painful. Sitting down for a parmo carries a slightly different meaning after weeks built around liquids, recovery and trying to let the jaw heal properly.
That contrast gives the video its charm. One moment the brothers are discussing serious injuries and the physical cost of MMA. The next, they are judging melted cheese, béchamel and whether Teesside’s most famous takeaway deserves its reputation.
George Hardwick returns against Nicolas Savio at CW 209
The video also arrives before George returns to headline CW 209 at the Vertu Arena in Newcastle. He faces Nicolas Savio in an important lightweight contest as he looks to rebuild momentum and move back toward the Cage Warriors title picture.
George Hardwick vs Nicolas Savio should produce the kind of fight that suits the former champion. Hardwick works best when he can apply pressure, attack the body and make the opponent fight at an uncomfortable pace. Savio arrives with the opportunity to defeat a recognised former champion in front of a loud North East crowd.
The wider CW 209 lineup also includes Gabriele Galluccio vs Oscar Ownsworth, another matchup featuring local and European talent trying to make an impression in the famous yellow gloves.
A Teesside food video with a real MMA story behind it
Fighters vs. Food works best when the meal feels connected to the people eating it, and there are few dishes more closely associated with Middlesbrough than the parmo. George and Harry are not simply two fighters trying a strange regional takeaway. They grew up around the culture that made it famous.
The episode offers a lighter look at two brothers whose careers have included championship wins, difficult defeats, serious injuries and the constant pressure of professional fighting.
For more on the promotion that helped build both careers, read What Is Cage Warriors? Europe’s UFC Pipeline Explained. You can also revisit the promotion’s wider history in 10 Cage Warriors Fighters Who Became UFC Stars.
First, though, there is a parmo to finish. George has a CW 209 main event ahead of him, Harry is recovering from one of the hardest fights of his career, and neither brother is likely to turn down a proper Teesside meal while the cameras are rolling.
