Soon after his emphatic stoppage win over Maurice Greene this past weekend at UFC Vegas 12, former football player turned mixed martial artist Greg Hardy broke his silence for the first time about his past. Back in July 2014, the heavyweight fighter was found guilty on charges of assault. Hardy was accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend and was sentenced to 18 months of probation. Additionally, Hardy had to miss 10 NFL games.

“Some people from my past coming to extort me, put me in crazy situations, try to take food out of my family’s mouth, and a lot of outside circumstances going on.” Hardy added, “I was breaking down in my bathroom before I even started to fight. I was in tears trying to figure out how we’re going to function and if I could go on. It was just a lot of drama, man – people trying to take advantage of my situation.”

However, the charges were reduced and the probation time came down to four months after the victim failed to cooperate with law enforcement. Needless to say, the entire situation drew huge attention. Additionally, Hardy’s arrest and the following proceedings became a huge part of the controversy that saw Hardy in the limelight for all the wrong reasons.

Greg Hardy comes clean about assault charges

The rising heavyweight has remained relatively silent whenever he has been questioned about his past. However, on Saturday, that wasn’t the case. Speaking at the post-fight conference following the conclusion of UFC Fight Night: Hall vs Silva, an emotional Hardy cleared the air about his past controversies.

“They’re trying to prey on me, man.” Hardy stated. “You guys know me by now. I’m a good guy. I’ve been a good guy, an innocent man. I always have been.”

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Moreover, he took to Instagram and revealed his side of the story, which has largely remained outside of the public eye. Greg Hardy is a huge name, and his successful NFL record and his emphatic UFC run make him a top-athlete in the combat sports community. Needless to say, Hardy wants to clear his name off all the controversies against him as he embarks on his MMA journey.