Disgraced NFL villain making pro debut in different sport
Greg Hardy’s NFL career may be over, but his mixed martial arts career is just getting underway.
The 29-year-old former Pro Bowler is booked for a June heavyweight fight — his professional MMA debut — on the “Dana White Tuesday Night Contender Series,” which consists of a several live fights in Las Vegas, according to ESPN.
“The DWTNCS consists of a handful of live fights in Las Vegas. White, along with UFC matchmakers Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard, offer at least one multifight deal with the UFC at the conclusion of each episode,” ESPN reported.
If Hardy looks good in the octagon and shows that he has drawing power, then he could very well sign a UFC deal.
MMA Today reported that Hardy’s opponent will be Brandon Sayles, who sports a 5-1 record. Sayles is 36 years old and will enter the match on a three-fight winning streak.
Sayles, and all of the other fighters in the series, will also be auditioning for a UFC deal. That means it won’t a cakewalk for Hardy.
Hardy turned to MMA after essentially being shunned by the NFL due to a domestic violence investigation.
He was a Pro Bowler and a Second-Team All-Pro in 2013, when he notched 15 sacks with the Carolina Panthers. But he only played in one game the next season, before being placed on the commissioner’s exempt list as his domestic violence case played out.
Hardy signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys for the 2015 season, though didn’t play the first four games of the year because of a suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
He recorded six sacks in 12 games after returning from his suspension but was not retained when the season ended. After sitting out a year, he then returned for the Spring League in 2017. However, he hasn’t received any NFL interest since then.
During his time away from the gridiron, Hardy started training for an MMA career, which officially began in November 2017.
He was victorious in his first two amateur fights by way of first-round knockouts. His third bout came in February 2018, when he knocked out his opponent in 14 seconds.
After playing for America’s Team in the Dallas Cowboys, Hardy now trains with American Top Team, an MMA academy in South Florida.
With many of the sport’s top stars dealing with various issues that have kept them out of the octagon, UFC President Dana White seems willing to give Hardy a chance.
“I’m one of those guys too who believes that we’re all human beings and we all make mistakes,” White said in 2016 when Hardy began his MMA career. “And when you make a mistake, you pay your penance, whatever it might be, and you should be allowed to make a living and move on in your life.”
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
