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Greg Hardy’s controversial fight at UFC Boston ruled no-contest after inhaler use

Ryan Young
Staff writer
In a controversial bout that was initially ruled a win, Greg Hardy took a hit of his inhaler between rounds against Ben Sosoli
In a controversial bout that was initially ruled a win, Greg Hardy took a hit of his inhaler between rounds against Ben Sosoli (Chris Unger/Getty Images)

Greg Hardy needed a little help in the Octagon on Friday night at UFC Boston — help that he shouldn’t have been allowed to receive in the first place.

Hardy took on Ben Sosoli at TD Garden at UFC Boston on Friday night, and initially won the bout by unanimous decision after a solid performance in just his fourth UFC bout ever.

Yet before the third and final round, Hardy took a hit from an inhaler while sitting in the corner, extremely out of breath.

After the hit, Hardy went out and finished the job, earning the unanimous decision victory in his first fight to go the distance.

Hardy was called out by ESPN commentators for the use of the inhaler, which Marc Ratner said was "completely illegal."

A meeting after the fight determined that Hardy’s inhaler use — which was initially thought to be approved by a Massachusetts athletic commissioner at the time — violated UFC rules. The fight was then officially ruled a no-contest.

According to Yahoo Sports’ Kevin Iole, an inspector initially approved the inhaler use when Hardy and his team asked. That inspector, however, didn’t have the authority to do so — which is why the fight was ruled a no-contest instead of a disqualification.

“I was in the ring, me and my coach asked the commission if it would be OK to use my inhaler and they said yes, so I took it,” Hardy said, via ESPN’s Ariel Helwani. “I’m still new guy in this sport, I did what I do in every situation — I asked permission, I got permission and I did what I was told.”

Fans, fighters rip Hardy for inhaler use on social media

Fans, naturally, ripped Hardy on social media for the inhaler use. Even Daniel Cormier, who was on the ESPN broadcast during the fight, went after Hardy and the UFC.

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