Greg Hardy knocked out in Belgrade after missing weight

Former NFL player and mixed martial artist Greg Hardy suffered a knockout loss in a heavyweight bout in Belgrade, Serbia, on Saturday night, a defeat made more notable by his failure to make weight for the fight. Hardy was stopped in the third round by Serbian fighter Darko Stosic at an event promoted by Fight Nation Championship.

The contest proceeded despite Hardy weighing in at approximately 291 pounds for the scheduled heavyweight fight, missing the 265-pound limit by about 25 pounds. His opponent, Darko Stosic, weighed in at roughly 240 pounds, creating a 52-pound weight difference between the two former UFC athletes. Promotional officials confirmed both camps agreed to proceed with the bout.

During the fight, Stosic used leg kicks before landing a powerful overhand right that sent Hardy to the canvas. Follow-up strikes on the ground ended the contest. Following the loss, Hardy posted on social media that he would be taking a break from the platforms. He wrote that he was proud of his effort but needed to step away due to negative comments from some online detractors. He affirmed his intention to remain positive and continue representing his team.