Gregory McKarl Hardy is an American mixed martial artist and former football defensive end presently contracted to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he competes in the heavyweight division.
He played in the National Football League for six seasons, predominantly with the Carolina Panthers.
Hardy, the previous NFL Pro Bowl defensive lineman who was convicted of assaulting his girlfriend, endured his third consecutive loss on Saturday, and his contract is set to expire.
Prior to UFC 272, many fans questioned controversial former NFL player Greg Hardy regarding another main card inclusion despite a two-fight losing streak and repeated setbacks against UFC-level competition.
This poor run persisted on Saturday night as Hardy was swiftly taken down and dominated positionally by Serghei Spivac before being defeated for a first-round TKO loss at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Hardy, whose NFL career concluded amidst domestic violence allegations, initiated the fight with heavy leg kicks. However, he failed to manage distance, and Spivac was able to engage in a clinch. That marked the beginning of the end for Hardy as Spivac executed a hip toss to take the fight to the ground.
Hardy issued a statement via Instagram following the fight.
“I’m okay first of all for those who wanna know,” Hardy wrote. “No excuses, gotta get better. I don’t know what to do but say sorry. More coming for the prince of War just gotta get my s–t together. Thank you to the @ufc and @danawhite for being in my corner. Thank you coaches and training partners and agents @firstroundmgmt. Everyone did their job [except] for me. This one is on me and there are no excuses for me lacking. I refuse to die but I have to reevaluate for sure.”
Hardy managed to struggle back to his feet only to have his back taken, and the fight end up right back on the floor. Following that takedown, Spivac wasted little time advancing to mount and delivering heavy punches until the referee was forced to halt the bout at just the 2:16 mark of the first round.
Spivac is now 4-1 in his five most recent fights, with the sole defeat coming against rising heavyweight contender Tom Aspinall this past September.
For Hardy, the loss could signify the conclusion of his UFC tenure. While many fans have opposed the UFC’s decision to continue featuring him despite evident technical shortcomings and his controversial past, the bout with Spivac marked the culmination of his current UFC contract. The experiment may have reached its conclusion with a 4-5 UFC record and no victories against opponents with any noteworthy UFC success.
Hardy, 33, also has experience at lower levels of MMA. He turned to the sport after his football career fizzled out, as he became a persona non grata in the NFL after Deadspin published photos of his girlfriend’s injuries from his alleged assault in 2015.
Hardy appealed after he was found guilty of assault, and the case was dismissed after his ex-girlfriend, Nicole Holder ceased communication with prosecutors.
Greg Hardy: UFC Journey
Hardy is one of the few names to make their professional MMA debut under the UFC banner. His inaugural UFC fight was at the Dana White’s Contender Series on June 12, 2018. Ironically, he faced a former NFL player turned MMA athlete in Austen Lane, who boasted an undefeated (4-0) record in his professional MMA career. He defeated Lane via first-round T/KO in just 57 seconds.
The ‘Prince Of War’ has faced multiple elite UFC athletes such as Alexander Volkov, Maurice Greene, Marcin Tybura, and more. In his last bout against Tybura at UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs Neal, he suffered a second-round TKO loss. Now, Hardy will step inside the octagon against Tai Tuivasa at UFC 264.
He holds an impressive UFC record of 6-3-0 (1 NC).
Greg Hardy Fighting Style
Hardy is an exceptional defensive fighter, boasting an 80% takedown defense rate and 56% significant strike defense. Furthermore, despite being a defensive fighter, Hardy is a remarkable knockout artist, winning over 50% of his fights in that manner.
Greg Hardy: Accomplishments
The ‘Prince Of War’ has a remarkable professional MMA 7-3-0 (1 NC) record. He has secured 6 T/KOs, with five coming in the first round. Additionally, all of his amateur victories have come via first-round knockouts.
Greg Hardy Net Worth
As of 2022, Hardy has a net worth of $5 million, according to some reliable internet sources. He has amassed total UFC career earnings of $1,083,500. According to The Sports Daily, Hardy’s largest paycheck was from his fight against Maurice Greene at UFC Fight Night: Hall vs. Silva in 2020. The ‘Prince Of War’ earned a significant sum of $195,000 for the bout.
