Report: Greg Hardy’s Next Fight Targeted For April
Greg Hardy’s next fight under the UFC banner is targeted for next month, according to a new report that has surfaced online. ESPN’s Ariel Helwani is reporting that the former NFL star will step back in the Octagon for his second UFC fight next month.
He’s is expected to fight Dmitrii Smoliakov at the UFC on ESPN 3. The Las Vegas-based promotion has yet to officially announce this bout.
His promotional debut ended in controversy when he blasted Allen Crowder with an illegal knee strike to the head. In the second round, referee Dan Miragliotta called it immediately after Crowder went down from the illegal knee to end the heavyweight showdown in the co-headliner. The UFC on ESPN+ 1 event took place on January 19, 2019, from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Up to this point, he was on a rare developmental contract where the UFC was paying him to fight in the minor leagues.
UFC on ESPN 3 is set to take place on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. The main card will air on ESPN. The preliminary card will be split broadcasted on ESPN and the TV network’s streaming service, ESPN +.
The promotion is targeting a middleweight bout between Yoel Romero and Paulo Costa to serve as the event headliner.
