By Mookie Alexander@mookiealexander
Bloodyelbow.com
The UFC is giving disgraced former NFL player Greg Hardy a high-profile spot for his UFC debut.
During Saturday night’s UFC 232 broadcast, the promotion revealed its main card bout order for UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Dillashaw, and listed Hardy’s fight vs. Allen Crowder as the co-main event of the evening. It’ll be streamed live via the ESPN+ subscription streaming service on Saturday, January 19th from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Hardy’s place on the UFC roster has been subject to much criticism, given his domestic violence past while he was in the National Football League. He was found guilty of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, but the charges were expunged when the victim did not appear in court for a jury trial after Hardy appealed his sentence. While Hardy hasn’t been in the NFL since the end of the 2015 season, he has turned to an MMA career, with the UFC signing him to a developmental contract earlier this year.
More controversy ensued when Hardy (3-0) was placed on the same event was Rachael Ostovich, who was an alleged domestic violence victim last month, and was initially removed from the card due to her injuries, only to be put back on the show. Dana White has defended the move, saying Ostovich didn’t take issue with it at all, which Rachael herself confirmed.
Here’s the lineup for the UFC on ESPN+: Cejudo vs. Dillashaw card.
Main Card (ESPN+, 10 PM ET)
Henry Cejudo vs. T.J. Dillashaw
Allen Crowder vs. Greg Hardy
Gregor Gillespie vs. Yancy Medeiros
Joseph Benavidez vs. Dustin Ortiz
Rachael Ostovich vs. Paige VanZant
Ion Cutelaba vs. Glover Teixeira
Preliminary Card (ESPN TV, 8 PM ET)
Donald Cerrone vs. Alexander Hernandez
Joanne Calderwood vs. Ariane Lipski
Alonzo Menifield vs. Vinicius Moreira
John Lineker vs. Cory Sandhagen
Preliminary Card (ESPN+, 6:30 PM ET)
Randy Brown vs. Chance Rencountre
Belal Muhammad vs. Geoff Neal
Dennis Bermudez vs. Te Edwards
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