Ex-NFL star Greg Hardy gets brutally knocked out in Texas after starting his boxing career with three wins

Former NFL star Greg Hardy was on the receiving end of a brutal knockout during a boxing match in Texas on Thursday.

The former defensive end played in the NFL for five years before embarking on a career in combat sports after leaving the league.

Following a stint in the UFC, Hardy dabbled in boxing and mounted a 3-0 record with two knockouts after debuting in October 2022.

On Thursday, Hardy took on 6-2 Patrick Mailata in a Texas Combat League bout and became his opponent's fourth knockout victim.

Mailata had Hardy on the ropes before they embarked on the exchange that ended the fight. Mailata threw a left hand that went over Hardy's guard but left him vulnerable for a right hook followed by a swift left.

The left hook clipped the ex-football player in the chin before his knees buckled as he folded onto the canvas - nearly falling off the ring by the bottom rope.

Before becoming a pro boxer, Hardy amassed a 7-5-1 (W-L-NC) record in MMA, including ten fights in the UFC. During his time with the promotion, Hardy fought high-profile heavyweights such as Alexander Volkov and Tai Tuivasa.

Two fights into his boxing career, Hardy also fought in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship and got knocked out by Josh Watson.

Hardy's time in the NFL was split between four years with the Carolina Panthers and a season with the Dallas Cowboys. However, despite making the Pro Bowl and All-Pro second team in 2013, his football career was tainted with controversy.

On May 13, 2014, he was arrested after an ex-girlfriend alleged that Hardy threw her into furniture, strangled her, and threatened to kill her.

On July 15, a judge found him guilty of assault and communicating threats and sentenced him to 18 months probation, suspending a 60-day jail sentence.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Hardy for ten games on April 22, 2015, after the two-month-long investigation found sufficient evidence to prove the allegations.