Hardy earns lackluster win at UFC 249

Rising UFC heavyweight Greg Hardy defeated Yorgan De Castro via unanimous decision at UFC 249 on Saturday night in Jacksonville.

All three judges scored the fight 30-27 for the former NFL standout.

Hardy struggled early in the bout because De Castro came forward with winging punches and heavy leg kicks. But "The Prince of War" managed to avoid most of De Castro's striking attempts with his improved head movement and control of distance, all while landing a decent amount of offense himself.

In the latter two rounds, De Castro froze up, barely throwing any shots. Hardy took advantage, with the American Top Team product picking apart the previously undefeated fighter with single shots from the outside en route to his lackluster victory.

Hardy bounced back in this fight, as he entered it coming off a loss to Alexander Volkov last November. The 31-year-old, who made his pro MMA debut in 2018, is now 3-2 (1 NC) in the UFC.

De Castro fell short for the first time as a professional. He's now 1-1 in the Octagon.