The training camp for Greg Hardy ahead of his UFC 249 bout with Yorgan de Castro was quite different, as not only did he have to deal with limits due to the coronavirus pandemic, but it was also his first without the guidance of Din Thomas
After his rookie UFC year ended with a win overturned to a no-contest and a unanimous decision loss to ranked heavyweight contender Alexander Volkov, Greg Hardy will be looking to start his 2020 on the right foot when he takes on Yorgan de Castro at UFC 249.
The event marks the UFC’s return after being forced into a two-month hiatus thanks to the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic. And while Hardy, a product of American Top Team, is now well known to suffer from asthma, he praised the UFC for attempting to go on as normal in a time where the world is anything but — and he adds he wants to be a part of the first major sports event America has had in a while.
But the pandemic definitely left an impact in Hardy’s preparations for the upcoming fight. The coronavirus, combined with the postponement of more than one card he was scheduled for, resulted in a lot of traveling between home and gym.
“This whole thing’s been crazy to me,” Hardy said. “Because of my asthma, I chose not to fly. So I’ve been driving back and forth from Dallas back to my gym [in Florida]. Two times, I was honored to be in every single one of those cards. It’s just been back-and-forth: train, then drive, train, then drive. And then I ended up separating from my coaches, getting a whole new coaching staff, so this has been a whirlwind for me, man. And on top of the COVID, just trying to stay safe.
“So, it’s been a lot of ups-and-downs but we’re here and we’re ready.”
In addition, Hardy will be without a familiar face in his corner come Saturday. This will be Hardy’s first fight since the announcement that Din Thomas had parted ways with ATT in order to form his own training camp.
“I was with Din Thomas. He had a little separation with our gym, went to do his own thing,” Hardy said. “So I didn’t get to work with him this camp.”
Hardy further added he isn’t taking De Castro lightly, considering him a dangerous threat before on the feet and on the ground. But because of the pandemic, Hardy says he was forced to make do with whatever training partners and coaches he could have.
“This one’s been a tough one, 100 percent; it’s been mostly just working with what we have,” Hardy said. “Like I said, I lost a lot of coaches, lost a lot of things due to this event and due to previous events. You’ve got to work with what you got. We’ve been pulling guys in if possible, making sure everybody’s not sick, trying to stay safe and do the best thing health-wise for myself while also trying to train. But I think I got it done.”
UFC 249 takes place on May 9, 2020, live from the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. Follow along with FanSided MMA for all your UFC news and highlights.