Gregory McKarl Hardy [ 1 ] born July 28, is an American mixed martial artist , boxer , and former football defensive end. His most successful season was in when he set the Panthers single-season record for sacks, earning him Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors. During the following off-season, however, Hardy was found guilty of assaulting a former girlfriend.
After the conclusion of his football career, Hardy became a mixed martial artist. He was signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship UFC from to , where he competed in the heavyweight division. Hardy attended Briarcrest Christian School in Eads, Tennessee , where he was a three-sport letterman in football , basketball and track. In football, he helped lead his team to the state championship in As a senior, he was credited with 65 tackles , including 12 for loss and six sacks , while also receiving 48 passes for yards.
In sprints, he ran the meter dash in In the shot put, he got a top-throw of Hardy was considered a three-star prospect by Rivals. Hardy accepted a football scholarship from the University of Mississippi. As a freshman, he played in all 12 games, with 9 starts at left defensive end. He posted 49 tackles fifth on the team , 3 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, 4 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries.
He spent time at wide receiver against Mississippi State University , making a 23 yards touchdown reception. As a sophomore, he played in 10 games out of 12 games with four starts at defensive end. He tallied 64 tackles fourth on the team , 10 sacks led the conference , As a junior, he missed the first three games after having foot surgery to repair a broken bone in his right foot.
He played in 9 out of 13 games because of injuries, recording 18 tackles, 8. Hardy was considered one of the best pass rushers eligible for the NFL draft but he elected to return to Ole Miss for his senior season. In January , he underwent a second surgery to his right foot during the off-season. As a senior, he appeared in 9 out of 13 games including the Cotton Bowl Classic , after missing the final three regular-season contests because of a surgery on his fractured left wrist.
