Greg Hardy vs. Austen Lane Fight Set for Dana White's New UFC Show

Greg Hardy's professional MMA debut will be against another former NFL'er who hung up his cleats for gloves.

The UFC announced Hardy will face off against Austen Lane as part of the promotion's new Tuesday Night Contender Series.

"At the end of the day, when we go in the cage, we're just going to be two fighters. Obviously we'll both have some athleticism that has carried over from the NFL but I don't consider him former NFL player Greg Hardy, I consider him MMA fighter Greg Hardy and that's how I'm going to approach what he's bringing to the table," Lane said in an interview with FloCombat.com (h/t ESPN).

Lane, 30, played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears during his NFL career. He retired from the NFL in 2015 and has recorded a 4-0 record since making his pro MMA debut.

Hardy, 29, is 3-0 in his amateur MMA career. He has not played in the NFL since the 2015 season but did sign with the Richmond Roughriders of the American Arena League in January.

Hardy's NFL career ended in large part because of his history with domestic violence, including a 2014 conviction that was later overturned when his accuser refused to cooperate. Deadspin obtained photos of the alleged beating and posted them in November 2015. Hardy was also arrested for cocaine possession in September 2016. 

“Yeah, I’m one of those guys too, who believes that we’re all human beings and we all make mistakes,” White said on Fox Sports 1's Speak for Yourself in 2016. “When you make a mistake, you pay your penance whatever it might be, and you should be allowed to make a living and move on in your life.”