(Editor’s note: Story updated at 8:45 p.m. ET to reflect new information from BKFC.)
Greg Hardy has a date for his bare-knuckle boxing debut.
Hardy, a former UFC heavyweight fighter and NFL standout, is scheduled to fight Feb. 17 at at BKFC’s tentpole event “KnuckleMania 3” in Albuquerque, N.M. Standing across the ring will be Josh Watson, a two-fight BKFC veteran.
Hardy’s signing was announced Thursday by BKFC president Dave Feldman during a pre-fight news conference ahead of “KnuckleMania 3.” Watson was later announced as his opponent by the promotion on social media.
“It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood,” Hardy said at the presser. “This is what I do. Big-time shows, big-time events. I hope ya’ll don’t miss it. Buy the tickets, because it’s going to be entertaining as hell. I never let you down. I never quit on you. Either I leave on a stretcher, or they leave on a stretcher, and it’s about to happen again. It’s about to be amazing. How can you not be excited about this?”
The bout will be Hardy’s third combat sports competition since his UFC departure in early 2022. The last time he fought in the UFC, he lost to Sergey Spivak by first-round TKO. He left the promotion on a three-fight losing streak.
Since then, Hardy, 34, has competed twice in professional boxing. He made his debut with a knockout of Mike Cook last October and then defeated Hasim Rahman Jr. by four-round unanimous decision in November.
