Greg Hardy to make his official UFC debut next month after competing on smaller circuits in order to make this a reality. Up to this point, he was under a rare developmental contract where the UFC is paying him to fight in the minor leagues. Once they feel that he’s ready, he will then fight in the UFC. Now that time has come.
UFC President Dana White told ESPN that Hardy’s debut is “close to being finalized,” and will happen at UFC’s inaugural show at ESPN+. He’ll take on Allen Crowder (9-3), who hasn’t fought since being KO’d on his UFC debut in 2017, in a heavyweight showdown. No word yet on if this will be on the main card or prelims.
The former NFL player was last seen in action back on September 29, 2018 as he scored a 53 second knockout of Rasheem Jones at an XFN event in Tulsa, Oklahoma that aired on Fight Pass. This was just another example of pushing Hardy as a star by putting him on their streaming service despite it being a smaller show. Hardy moves to 3-0 as a pro with a 3-0 amateur career.
Hardy does have a history of domestic violence that started back in 2014. It all started once he was arrested for allegedly assaulting a former girlfriend. As a result, he was convicted of domestic violence. However, after an appeal, the charges were eventually expunged from his record. This has led to people being skeptical of why the UFC wants to do business with him.
Doing So With Controversy
It should be noted that the UFC is putting Hardy on the same card as Rachael Ostovich. She is set to fight Paige VanZant. Ostovich is a recent victim of an alleged assault and domestic abuse. She is still healing up from the injuries that she suffered in the attack.
UFC On ESPN + 1 (also known as UFC Fight Night 143) is set to take place on Saturday, January 19, 2019 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The main card will air on ESPN +. The preliminary card will be split broadcasted on ESPN at and the TV network’s streaming service, ESPN + Fight Pass.
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