Report: Greg Hardy returns, fights Dmitrii Smoliakov at UFC on ESPN 3 on April 27

As promised, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White, who also moonlights as Greg Hardy’s guardian angel, is giving the controversial football export another shot inside the Octagon.

Hardy (3-1) will battle Russian heavyweight Dmitrii Smoliakov (9-2) at the upcoming UFC on ESPN 3 mixed martial arts (MMA) event, scheduled for Sat., April 27, 2019 inside BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida, according to ESPN.

This is probably the last chance Hardy will have to prove he belongs on the UFC roster. Aside from his messy past, which includes charges of domestic violence, his Octagon debut was an unmitigated disaster, ending by way of disqualification in favor of Allen Crowder.

It seems Hardy made a “rookie mistake.”

He can’t afford another when he battles the venerable Smoliakov (9-2). “The Lifeguard” may be 0-2 inside the Octagon, but he’s also finished all nine of his heavyweight wins, four by knockout and five by submission.

UFC on ESPN 3 is expected to be headlined by the middleweight showdown pitting Yoel Romero opposite Paulo Costa.