Greg Hardy reportedly has his fourth professional mixed martial arts bout set.
At the very least, there appears to be a date and location in place. ESPN’s Ariel Helwani is reporting that former NFL star Hardy will be competing on Dec. 21 in Pensacola, Florida. His opponent has not been determined. Hardy has had two first-round finishes on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series, but the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) president believes Hardy isn’t quite ready for the spotlight.
The Lowdown
Here’s what Helwani said:
“Former NFL Pro Bowler turned MMA fighter Greg Hardy’s next fight will be Dec. 21 in Pensacola, Fla. for Island Fights, according to sources close to Hardy. His opponent is unknown at this time. The fight would be the third on Hardy’s UFC developmental deal, and it is expected that if he wins and looks good his next fight would be in the UFC in early 2019. He’s currently 3-0 as a professional.”
The former Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys defensive end has begun his MMA career with a perfect 3-0 record. None of his pro bouts have even made it to the first minute. He was also 3-0 on the amateur ranks. Hardy was last seen in action late last month. He knocked out Rasheem Jones in just 53 seconds.
Hardy impressed on DWTNCS, scoring knockout victories over Austen Lane and Tebaris Gordon. It’ll be interesting to see if Hardy can earn a UFC contract with another impressive win. White has admitted he’s a little hesitant on signing Hardy until he can see how the heavyweight deals with grapplers.
If Greg Hardy wins his next fight, do you think he signs with the UFC?
