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MOSCOW, RUSSIA – NOVEMBER 09: Greg Hardy reacts after the conclusion of his heavyweight bout against Alexander Volkov during the UFC Fight Night event at CSKA Arena on November 09, 2019 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
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MOSCOW, RUSSIA – NOVEMBER 09: Greg Hardy reacts after the conclusion of his heavyweight bout against Alexander Volkov during the UFC Fight Night event at CSKA Arena on November 09, 2019 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
For former NFL defensive end Greg Hardy, UFC 264 was over as quickly as it began. Taking on heavyweight fighter Tai Tuivasa in Las Vegas on Saturday, Hardy lasted only 67 seconds as the fight got over in the blink of an eye.
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With a first-round knockout, Tuivasa asserted his dominance over the former NFL player who now has a 4-4 record in the UFC. And it seems like he’s on a downwards trajectory. The Tuivasa knockout defeat was his second loss in a row.
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Drafted in the 6th round of the 2010 NFL Draft as 175th overall pick, Hardy played six seasons in the NFL before switching over to the world of Mixed Martial Arts.
He was part of the Panthers side that made it to the playoffs back-to-back in 2013 and 2014. And in 2013, the defensive end also got his first and only Pro Bowl call up.
Joining the Dallas Cowboys in 2015 would be his last spell in the NFL after hanging up his football boots at the end of the season. Hardy was not resigned by the franchise due to his behavior both on and off the field.
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JACKSONVILLE, FL – MAY 09: Greg Hardy of the United States awaits the start of the fight against Yorgan De Castro (not pictured) of Cape Verde in their Heavyweight fight during UFC 249 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on May 9, 2020 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Hardy joined the UFC in 2019 and made his debut against Allen Crowder at UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Dillashaw. It was only in his second fight against Dmitrii Smoliakov that he picked up his first UFC win.
Since then despite the UFC’s best efforts to promote him as an elite fighter has failed. Losing to Tuivasa is a big blow to his ambitions of holding a UFC title. Here’s how Twitter reacted to Greg Hardy’s swift knockout.
Greg Hardy knockout has Twitter on overdrive
Not the most liked fighter on the UFC roster, Twitter sure had a field day thanks to Greg Hardy’s first-round TKO.
Tai Tuivasa walked out to the Spice Girls, knocked out Greg Hardy in the first round, climbed to the top of the cage and did a shoey. What an absolute legend! #UFC264
— Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) July 11, 2021
Me when Greg Hardy gets knocked out. #UFC264 pic.twitter.com/k6k7WGmgKD
— Zinfamous (@ZinfamousHD) July 11, 2021
Watching Greg Hardy getting knocked out? Love to see it
— S the MMA Fan (@Sthecasual) July 11, 2021
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All of Twitter seeing Greg Hardy get knocked out pic.twitter.com/01SXscWpwd
— Jeffrey Walizer Jr (@JWalizerJr) July 11, 2021
Greg hardy said he wanted to fight Wilder then get knocked out in the first round #UFC264 #boxing pic.twitter.com/ZhsIanLsx5
— Jeremy mc (@jmc_fam) July 11, 2021
Tuivasa is now riding high on a three-fight win streak. The win against Hardy puts him in a position to potentially take on a Top-15 opponent for his next fight. As for Greg Hardy, his days in the UFC might now be limited.
