Former UFC Heavyweight Retires After Terrifying Asthma Scare, Desperately Requests Inhaler Mid-Boxing Match in Russia

Former UFC heavyweight Greg Hardy continues to extend his losing streak in bizarre fashion. On Friday, Hardy faced Evgeny Goncharov in a boxing fight at the Vologda Sports Palace arena, competing in Russia under the banner of the Vologda Region Governor’s Cup.

Both men started the fight with a measured, palpable approach, staying in range and trading shots with little effort throughout the first two rounds. In the third, Hardy briefly changed the momentum, increasing his output and driving his opponent back to the ropes with a flurry of offense.

However, Goncharov fired back late in the round, catching “Prince of War” clean with multiple punches to the head and regaining control before the bell.

Before the fourth round began, Hardy suddenly became unwell in his corner and dropped to the mat, struggling for breath as an asthma attack began. Hardy asks for an inhaler. The 37-year-old former NFL athlete was briefly seen insisting he could still fight, but ringside doctors intervened and ruled him unfit to continue. The stoppage officially gave Goncharov the victory.

After parting ways with the UFC in 2022 following a mediocre 4-5 run with one no-contest, “Prince of War” signed a multi-fight deal with BKFC. Hardy’s bare-knuckle debut came at BKFC KnuckleMania 3 in February 2023 against Josh Watson, where his night ended with a second-round knockout loss.

Hardy will re-enter the MMA cage on January 24, 2026, making his debut with Peak Fighting. He will headline PFC 50 and challenge Phil Latu for the heavyweight title.

When Greg Hardy puffed on an inhaler mid-UFC fight

At UFC Boston in October 2019, Greg Hardy initially scored a unanimous decision victory over Ben Sosoli. The outcome was overturned later that evening by the Massachusetts State Athletic Commission and changed to a no-contest due to “Prince of War” using an inhaler between the second and third rounds.

It was heard that Hardy asked a commission inspector at Cageside if he could use his inhaler and said he had asthma. The inspector disputed whether there was a medical clearance. The Tennessee native responded that USADA, the UFC’s anti-doping partner at the time, had approved its use. A little later, Hardy took two quick drags before the fight resumed.

The inhaler contained albuterol, a bronchodilator used to open the airways and improve airflow to the lungs. When Hardy entered the UFC’s anti-doping pool, he had already disclosed his medications to USADA and was told the drug was not banned.

USADA allows albuterol year-round, with a limit of 800 micrograms per 12 hours, approximately equivalent to 10 inhaler puffs. However, final approval for its use during combat rests entirely with the governing athletics commission.