Controversial ex-NFL lineman Greg Hardy is expected to make his professional mixed martial arts debut as part of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series.
Sources close to the situation confirmed the news to MMAWeekly following an initial report from MMA Today.
The Contender Series showcases five fights per week with prospects facing off with at least one of them earning a UFC contract by the end of the event.
Hardy is expected to face fellow heavyweight prospect Brandon Sayles, who enters the fight with a 5-1 professional record with all of his wins coming by way of knockout or submission.
Thus far in his amateur fighting career, Hardy has amassed a perfect 3-0 record with three straight knockouts while training at American Top Team in Florida.
Of course Hardy’s addition to the Contender Series doesn’t come without a lot of scrutiny considering his history with domestic violence and drugs.
Hardy was arrested in 2014 and charged with assault on an ex-girlfriend. A judge convicted Hardy but then he appealed the decision and the victim failed to appear at the trial and the case was thrown out and expunged from his record.
Hardy was still suspended for four games for his actions before his NFL playing career eventually came to an end in 2015. Hardy was then arrested in 2016 for cocaine possession.
It was later that same year that Hardy decided to try his hand at MMA before having his first fight about a year later in 2017. Now Hardy will attempt to impress the bosses at the UFC when he makes his professional debut at the Contender Series with his fight expected to take place on June 12.
