Hardy faces another former NFL player in pro MMA debut

Former Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy is set to make his MMA debut as part of the "Dana White Tuesday Night Contender Series" in a heavyweight fight June 12. He'll be facing another former NFL player in Austen Lane, a defensive end who was drafted in the fifth round by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2010. He also played for the Detroit Lions and spent time with the Chicago Bears in a career that spanned from 2010-14. Lane, 30, is 4-0 as a professional fighter. The fight was announced during the broadcast of UFC 224 Saturday night in Brazil. Hardy has gone 3-0 in his amateur fights since his last game in the NFL with the Cowboys in 2015. All three of his wins have come via knockout. At least one participant in the "Dana White Tuesday Night Contender Series" is offered a multi-fight deal by UFC at the end of each episode. Hardy made the Pro Bowl and was second-team All-Pro as a member of the Panthers in 2013. The 29-year-old was arrested in 2014 after allegedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor drug charge in 2016. --Field Level Media