Asthmatic Hardy Terrified But Ready For UFC 249

It is a strange time to be an athlete in the UFC. With the coronavirus continuing to affect the world, the promotion is looking to continue to hold events. This weekend is UFC 249, and safety measures are in place for the athletes. For Greg Hardy, the situation he is in is extremely interesting.

Hardy (5-2, 1NC) has asthma. The former football player will be competing on May 9 against Yorgan De Castro. Knowing very well that respiratory issues have been elevated due to the coronavirus pandemic, Hardy is ready to put on a show.

“I’m terrified, man,” Hardy stated to MMA Junkie. “But that’s not going to stop me from paving the way and making sure my boss has the most entertaining fight – (the) first event out of all sports. This is the biggest event, and it needs the biggest athletes.”

The UFC has been planning several ways for the athletes and their corners to be ready for the event. With testing and checkpoints made for access, Hardy had nothing but praise for UFC brass.

“The guys take care of me. They make sure everything is done right, everything is done on time. They take care of my needs, and I think that’s worth loyalty,” Hardy went on to say.

Hardy started his MMA journey in 2017. He made his pro debut in 2018 during Dana White’s Contender Series. Earning a contract, Hardy made his UFC debut in January 2019, losing to Allen Crowder via DQ. He then went on a two-fight win streak before getting a win against Ben Sosoli overturned. Using an inhaler in the bout, Hardy ended up earning a no-contest. The last bout he was in was a loss to Alexander Volkov in November.

With gyms closed and his asthma as a factor, Hardy may have had a tougher journey to get here than most. Ready to compete, however, Hardy will look to outweigh the bad with the good.

“This one has been crazy for me,” Hardy stated. “I have asthma, so I chose not to fly. I’ve been driving back and forth from Dallas back to my gym (in Coconut Creek, Fla.). Two times, I was honored to be in every single one of those cards (that got postponed). But it was just back-and-forth – train and drive, train and drive. So I ended up separating from my coaches and getting a whole new coaching staff. So this has been a whirlwind for me. And on top of that, the COVID – so just trying to stay safe. It’s been lot of ups and downs, but we’re here and we’re ready.”

UFC 249 takes place inside the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.