Dmitry Smoliakov didn’t put up much of a fight against Greg Hardy, which left some observers questioning his UFC worthiness following their heavyweight co-main event bout on Saturday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
From the outset, the Russian clearly wanted no part of the standup game, as he retreated from Hardy while seeking an opportunity for a takedown. After Smoliakov failed on a takedown, Hardy put his opponent on his seat with an uppercut to the face. From there, a barrage of punches and hammerfists brought a close to the contest at the 2:15 mark of round one.
While Dana White denied that the promotion’s matchmakers used a soft touch in booking Hardy, the UFC president was hardly impressed by the performance.