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Greg Hardy accepts Shawne Merriman's challenge to fight

Greg Hardy said he was game to fight after fellow former NFL defender Shawne Merriman issued a challenge. (Getty)
Greg Hardy said he was game to fight after fellow former NFL defender Shawne Merriman issued a challenge. (Getty)

Former NFL Pro Bowl defenders Greg Hardy and Shawne Merriman have both taken their physical prowess from the gridiron to the fight circuit.

Merriman is scheduled to fight in a co-main event of the pay-per-view debut of the World Bare Knuckle Fighting Federation on Nov. 9 along with former UFC and Bellator fighters Johny Hendricks and Brennan Ward.

The event will be exactly what it sounds like — a slate of bare-knuckle fights taking place in Wyoming, which welcomed the event after 28 states passed on sanctioning the fighting style.

Greg Hardy has shown promise as an MMA fighter

Hardy has won a pair of convincing knockouts in UFC’s “Tuesday Night Contender Series” after being blackballed from the NFL for his history with domestic violence.

On Sunday, Merriman told TMZ he would welcome the chance to fight Hardy if given the opportunity.

“I’m happy for him to get his life back on track,” Merriman said said of Hardy. “I’ll see how this goes, the first fight. If it turns out I have an opportunity to fight him, I’m gonna love that match.”

Hardy happy to take on Merriman

On Monday, Hardy responded and sounds game to take Merriman on.

“All I’m saying is if you like entertainment as much as I do, you would deff enjoy this one,” Hardy wrote on Instagram. “Pro-Bowl battle royal. #iamthestorm let’s make it happen baby.”

Where Hardy, 30, has shown enough promise as a fighter to earn a developmental contract from the UFC, Merriman, 34 is a mystery as a fighter. How he fares on Nov. 9 will play a role in how realistic this matchup actually is.

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