Former NFL star Greg Hardy is set to have his seventh fight in the UFC. Combate’s Raphael Marinho reports that the UFC is negotiating a fight between Hardy and Khalil Rountree at heavyweight for UFC 252 on August 15. Rountree will move up from light heavyweight to heavyweight for the first time in the UFC.
Rountree will look to bounce back from his TKO loss against Ion Cutelaba at UFC Fight Night 160 on September 28, 2019. His fight against Hardy may also be his last fight. Bloody Elbow’s Milan Orodoñez reported on December 27, 2019, that Rountree has said publicly that his next fight will be his last fight. He has started to train in Thailand for his fight camps, which has positively impacted his MMA career. His move to heavyweight may be the change Roundtree needs to continue his MMA career in the UFC.
Hardy will look to get his second win this year. Hardy defeated Yorgan De Castro by unanimous decision at UFC 249 on May 9th. His last loss was against eighth-ranked heavyweight Alexander Volkov by unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 163 on November 9, 2019. If Hardy can win against Rountree, he may get another opportunity to face a ranked opponent in his next fight.
Both fighters have yet to sign a contract to fight, but the UFC wants it to happen at UFC 252. The event will take place in the UFC Apex Facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. The headliner for UFC 252 will be the rematch between Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier for the UFC heavyweight championship.