[ad_1]
Greg Hardy's UFC career has been off to a rocky start.
The controversial NFL star was rocketing up the MMA ranks, having only one knock-out effect.
Fast forward to Hardy's first UFC bout, where he was midway through the second round of a tough battle with Allen Crowder before he launched a knee to the side of Crowder's head that ended the fight. The only problem with that was that Crowder's knees were on the canvas, making him a downed opponent.
With Crowder unable to continue, Hardy was disqualified.
That was a damaging blow to Hardy, who was already under the microscope because of having been arrested for domestic violence.
Greg Hardy wins his first UFC fight
Hardy finally got his second shot in the UFC on Saturday night, where he made the most of the opportunity and dismantled his opponent, Dmitrii Smoliakov, leading to another first-round knockout.
The NFL player has been taught to be enormously successful in his game, if it is his patience, as he has been pursued in the past.
UFC president Dana White, however, was agitated by Smoliakov's performance, particularly since he had a 9-2 record coming into the fight. He felt it was so bad that it could have been looked up to the fans of the UFC was handpicking Hardy's opponent simply to get him an easy win.
Dana White rips on Hardy's opponent and the match-up
"I'm not gonna say that I loved that fight. I've been doing this for 20 years. We do not have to set up fights for anybody, "said White at the post-fight press conference. "If I was a fan, and probably some of the media some of the media acts, I would think I do not know who the f-that guy beat in nine fights, but I'd like to find out the nine guys he beat. "
The nine guys Smoliakov defeated in Russia and Ukraine. His two previous losses were Luis Henrique and Cyril Asker under the UFC banner.
That being said, White went out of his way to say that he did not blame Hardy for Smoliakov's lackluster performance, but pointed the finger at himself and his matchmaking team.
"Not to take anything away from Hardy. Hardy cam in great shape. Hardy does not make fights. Me and my guys do. Hardy came in in better shape and he did what he had to do. He treated that guy like he was supposed to, "White continued.
TRENDING> Jack Hermansson knocks Jacare Souza out of title contention at UFC Ft. Lauderdale
"A guy's record is 9-2; I wanna see the nine guys he beat. You know what I mean? They could be in this room right now, actually. "
Though White gives Hardy his due, it does not make it any easier for him to overcome the cloud hanging over his career for White to be so strong critical of his opponent and the match-up.
Hardy's record stands at 4-1 as professional and 3-0 as an amateur, so he is still pretty green when it comes to mixed martial arts experience. But with being so critical of his opposition, it's likely that it's going to be a lot more stern test in his next bout.
[ad_2]
Source link