Greg Hardy, the former defensive end in the NFL that saw a domestic violence case shut the door on his NFL career, was one of the most controversial figures in sports last year. Recently, he made headlines again, this time for his new career path as a potential mixed martial arts fighter.
A sixth round pick in the 2010 NFL draft, Greg Hardy was a highly touted prospect from his stellar collegiate career when he was selected by the Carolina Panthers, and he transitioned well to the next level, setting team records during his first three seasons in the league.
His talent on the field is undeniable, while his actions off the gridiron were despicable.
In 2014, he was set enter free agency, but the Panthers opted to use the franchise tag, putting him among the highest paid players for his position and allowed the team more options for an eventual long-term deal. But, Hardy played only one game of that season after an incident during the off season began the start of the end of his career.
On May 13, 2014 Greg Hardy was arrested for assault after he "allegedly" strangled and threatened to kill his former girlfriend during a domestic dispute. Two months later, he was found guilty on the charges and sentenced to 18 month probation, but Hardy appealed, requesting that a jury hear the case. When the victim in the case didn't appear in court to testify for the trial, the charges were dropped and it was indicated that a civil settlement was reached. Basically, the victim was paid not to testify and a technicality allowed Greg Hardy to get away with beating a woman without any legal penalty. Eventually, a series of horrific photos of the victim were released that showed several bruises on her body.
After he was placed on the exempt list because of the domestic violence case, The Panthers decided not to attempt to resign him for 2015, but the Dallas Cowboys took a chance and signed him to a one year deal. His on field production was sluggish and he was considered a source of tension within the organization, as his social media posts created friction among the staff. He wasn't offered another contract at the conclusion of the season, and no other NFL team wanted to sign him because of the negative press involved.
While Greg Hardy didn't pay a legal penalty, his cowardly actions toward a woman cost him an NFL career.
Just a few weeks ago, he was arrested for cocaine possession and that case is ongoing. As mentioned, Hardy announced he plans to pursue an MMA career and started training several months ago. UFC President, Dana White was asked about the possibility of Hardy fighting in the organization last week and he said that Hardy probably wasn't at that level. That said, if there's money to be made from it, someone will sign Greg Hardy to fight in the cage and there will undoubtedly be viewers for it, especially fans that wants to see him get punched in the face. It's doubtful that the UFC would want to promote such an athlete because there's something distasteful about advertising a competitor with a domestic violence charge in a combat sport. But, if there's money on the table, Hardy will get a chance to step into the cage for some organization. It would certainly be moral justice if Greg Hardy got pummeled.
This goes without saying, but a man should NEVER hit a woman and there's NO excuse for it. Obviously, Greg Hardy used his bank account to make the case go away, but make no mistake about it, he is a coward. If Greg Hardy actually gets signed to fight an opponent of any relevance, he will get beat. As much as he shouldn't get any publicity, if an MMA career leads to him getting punched in the face then hopefully he gets a contract to fight somewhere.
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