This week the UFC is on a roll.
After announcing Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov as the main event of UFC 229, former Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy is now 2-0 in his professional mixed martial arts career.
Hardy defeated Tebaris Gordon during Dana White’s Contender Series 16 that aired Tuesday from the Ultimate Fighter Gym in Las Vegas. The showdown was the heavyweight headliner on the card, and Hardy demonstrated the power and athleticism that made him a successful NFL player with a stunning first round knockout victory.
Greg Hardy’s 2nd MMA fight lasts only 17 Seconds
Uploaded by mmadigest on 2018-08-08.
Hardy charged Gordon right at the opening bell, backed him against the cage and unleashed a barrage of punches before the fight was called off, all within 17 seconds.
In 2014, Hardy was arrested after he allegedly assaulted an ex-girlfriend by grabbing, throwing, strangling and threatening to kill her. A judge found him guilty of assault and communicating threats, and sentenced him to 18 months of probation, and a suspended 60-day jail sentence.
Hardy appealed and requested a jury trial. As a result of the woman, who he’d reached a civil settlement with, refusing to testify, the prosecutor’s office dropped the charges
With MMA fighters like Thiago Silva, Anthony “Rumble” Johnson and more roiled in domestic violence controversies, Hardy looks to add to the company’s reputation of harboring abusers.
Hardy defeated Austen Lane in 57 seconds in his professional debut. Tuesday’s fight was the first of a four-fight contract Hardy has with UFC’s parent company, Zuffa, even though it wasn’t considered an official UFC fight.
The UFC was sold to WME-IMG in 2017. At $4 billion, it stands as the most expensive transaction for an organization in sports history.
As American society pushes forward with the “me too” movement, Hardy and the MMA world will undoubtedly be under a larger microscope. With former two-time UFC champion Conor McGregor returning after a horrendous show of character with his melee in the Barclays Center, MMA is approaching a point where it’s only a matter of time before its next image crisis presents itself.
Greg Hardy’s 2nd MMA fight lasts only 17 Seconds
Uploaded by mmadigest on 2018-08-08.
