Preview: UFC Fight Night 181 ‘Hall vs. Silva’

Heavyweights

Greg Hardy (6-2) vs. Maurice Greene (9-4)

ODDS: Hardy (-300), Greene (+250)

It remains unclear what the UFC was hoping when it signed Hardy. “The Prince of War” enjoyed a successful NFL career on the field, but once his domestic violence arrests outweighed his on-field production, the UFC was happy to accept him with open arms. The promotion seemingly banked on Hardy’s notoriety to help bring eyeballs to its product, which was an odd gambit. Hardy was not a particularly huge name in football outside of his domestic violence incidents, and it is difficult to see that as an enticement for any fans open to giving mixed martial arts a watch. From a completely cynical perspective, the hope might have been that such a high-level athlete could provide enough excitement inside the cage to outweigh his other issues, but Hardy has not done much from that perspective. He is not a particularly charismatic presence, and after a few low-level wins, Hardy has learned enough caution to shut down and let his physical gifts insulate him as soon as the going gets tough. Ben Sosoli and Yorgan De Castro are better overall fighters than Hardy, but his athleticism and massive frame allowed him to do just enough to coast to decisions without mentally crumbling. Greene should at least provide more of a challenge from that perspective, as “The Crochet Boss” has a 6-foot-7 frame that makes him one of the few heavyweights larger than Hardy. Greene has some interesting skills, owing to a kickboxing background and some strangely effective submissions, but his overall approach remains a mess. Greene often throws himself out of position or leaves himself open defensively with huge single strikes, but like Hardy, little of that matters thanks to the cushion his physical gifts offer him. Greene could immediately put himself in the path of a Hardy knockout, but he typically gets out to a fast start; and Hardy has historically gotten easily frustrated against opponents who can make him feel uncomfortable right out of the gates. It may seem like a risky pick, but the call is for Greene to take an ugly decision.

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