MONTREAL - UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre says his opponents' trash talk has always fueled his fire in the Octagon.

Lucky for him, the next man in line is as mouthy as they come.

England's Dan (The Outlaw) Hardy has already taken a few shots ahead of his bid for St-Pierre's welterweight title at UFC 111 on March 27 in Newark, N.J.

Hardy (23-6 with one no contest) started nipping at the Quebec-born mixed martial arts star back in November.

The clean-cut St-Pierre doesn't offer much of a target outside the cage so the 27-year-old Hardy, undefeated in his four UFC fights, has had to settle for calling the Canadian "boring."

Hardy has focused instead on how he believes he can score an upset win over St-Pierre.

"I know that I can give GSP hell when the times come," he said in an excerpted quote from Wednesday's first episode of a three-part TV series to promote the bout. The "UFC Primetime" show on Spike TV peeks behind the scenes as the combatants train for the fight.

"It's so sweet stepping out into the Octagon on the other side saying, 'I told you so,' " Hardy said.

"All these GSP fans that are betting the house on him, when they wake up Sunday morning . . . they aren't going to be too impressed with themselves."

GSP (19-2), a fan favourite who's dispatched most of the elite fighters in his 170-pound weight class, has largely been amused by Hardy. But he still plans to dispatch the brash Brit.

"Trash talk is not my thing, there is a line I will never cross," a bulked-up St-Pierre said in Montreal after a session of pounding his trainer's arm pads with heavy leg, elbow and knee blows.

"If he wants to cross the line then he's going to cross it alone and I'm going to answer back with my fists in the Octagon."

Hardy beat the likes of American Marcus (The Irish Hand Grenade) Davis and Mike (Quick) Swick to earn a shot at St-Pierre's belt.

Along the way, he did his best to get under his rivals' skin, calling Davis a "fake Irishman" among other things and giving Swick a "runner-up" trophy at the pre-fight news conference.

To the 28-year-old St-Pierre, who packed on seven pounds of muscle in advance of the fight, Hardy's words won't change anything that's going to play out in the cage.

"No matter what he said and no matter what I say, I'm going to go there and hit as hard as I can on his head, and he's going to do the same thing," he said.

St-Pierre was looking forward to watching the TV show, so he can channel Hardy's cocky remarks into motivation.

"I'm going to be able to watch it and see what he said about me - I'm sure there's going to be a lot of interesting stuff," he said.

"It pumps me up."

St-Pierre said Hardy's European-style boxing, Muay Thai and improved ground-fighting skills make him the most dangerous opponent he's ever faced.

"He hits very hard . . . he's someone who can end a fight with one shot," St-Pierre said.

But the champion is counting on adding Hardy to his list of victims. He not only wants to take out Hardy, he wants to do it in style.

"I fight for myself, for a legacy," said St-Pierre.

St-Pierre, who's been mulling over whether to take a break from mixed martial arts to try out for the Canadian Olympic wrestling team, said he still has work left to cement his spot as one of the UFC's greatest.

Still, he hasn't ruled out an eventual push to crack the Olympic wrestling squad.

"It all depends on the outcomes of the next couple of fights," he said.

"I now have the money, the fame - of course it comes with it - the security, but I need to stay hungry and I like challenges, I like when people doubt me."

The UFC announced Wednesday the Prudential Center fight was a sellout.