Disgraced former NFL star Greg Hardy has been effectively marketed quite heavily by the UFC as a “redemption story.” In 2014, Hardy was found guilty of assaulting his ex-girlfriend and making communicating threats, but the misdemeanor charges were dismissed and expunged from his record when the victim did not appear in court for a jury trial. Afterwards, graphic photos and details emerged in a comprehensive report by Deadspin’s Diana Moskovitz.

Hardy has been out of the NFL since the end of the 2015 season, and has since compiled a record of 3-0 in amateur MMA and 2-0 in professional MMA. Both of his professional wins occurred on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series, and the UFC president has expressed full support for Hardy as a man who has “turned his life around,” and brushed off his domestic violence incident as “a mistake.”

The UFC’s clear interest in building up Hardy’s career seems to have deeply upset ex-heavyweight and former football player Brendan Schaub, who ripped into the promotion in a lengthy rant on his Below the Belt podcast. (Transcription via MMA Fighting)

“I just don’t understand. I don’t understand why he’s in that bulls**t Contender Series,” Schaub said. “They’re just doing it for reviews. They’re riding and dying on Greg Hardy which is hilarious. It just shows you the nature of the business and what you’re dealing with with Dana White being a promoter.

“I would bet my life on it that Nick Newell sells more tickets than Greg Hardy, especially as an established fighter who’s a congenital amputee. His story is so much better. Not to mention, you’re worried about Nick Newell. Nick Newell has, I don’t know, 20 times the amount of experience than the rest of these guys in the Contender Series. He fought at a high level, the World Series of Fighting. We can hate on the World Series of Fighting, however, Marlon Moraes, Justin Gaethje, David Branch, Anthony Johnson, Andrei Arlovski - I can go through the list of high-level fighters who have competed in World Series of Fighting. To not give him an instant UFC contract is just wrong, man. It’s wrong.”

Newell, of course, was also on Contender Series, but wound up losing a decision to Alex Munoz. Even though that was just the second defeat of his career, it looks unlikely that he’ll ever get another shot to be in the UFC. And as much as he’s a sensational story within the MMA world, Hardy is also much more well known among the general public just on his NFL accomplishments alone prior to his domestic violence arrest.

As for Hardy, he is on a developmental contract. This means that he’ll be able to take fights outside of the UFC before the promotion decides whether or not he’s ready to go from regional-level competition to the UFC heavyweight roster. White says he is prepared to have Hardy face opponents who can challenge him on the ground.

Schaub believes that Hardy would lose to “everyone on the current roster in the UFC,” and considers it “silly” that Newell didn’t get the “marketing dollars” that Hardy has managed thus far.

“You would see the good guy have a shot,” Schaub continued. “None of us are rooting for Greg Hardy. It’s a train wreck. We’re all watching in hope that he loses. It’s just not the way to do things. Take a vote online: who would you rather see get a UFC contract? Who would you rather see the marketing dollars put into, the good guy who’s an actual, legit martial artist who was born without a f**king arm and can still beat world-class fighters and has done it for several years, would you rather see him live his dream, or a guy who was an All-Pro in the NFL, was kicked out for horrible behavior, the pictures of what he did to his girlfriend at the time were so horrific you don’t even want to talk about it, intimidated the witnesses so we have no idea what really happened, was a complete f**k up in the NFL and now is over in the UFC Contender Series knocking out no-namers and we’re highlighting that. Huh?! How can you even vibe with that? How can you even support that? Just as a human being, as a normal person.

“Greg Hardy is the easy one. ‘Hey, just toss him these guys and let him knock them out. It’s a redemption story.’ You know what’s a f**king redemption story? Nick Newell with one f**king arm! Why do you think we know about guys like Jim Abbott, the pitcher? There’s more people who can root for and relate to Nick Newell than they can Greg Hardy, who had everything and f**ked it up and beat women. Most of us can’t vibe with that, most of us can’t support that. ‘Well, I believe in second chances.’ F**k your second chance. Nick Newell’s entire life has been a struggle and he’s made it. He’s never hit a woman. He doesn’t have a criminal record. Yet we watch this! Yet the UFC works with this! What the f**k are you doing?! And for what? For your Contender Series to get views?! I won’t partake in it. I do not watch it for this exact reason.”

Schaub capped off his segment by taking aim at Dana White, whom he’s been at odds with quite often as of late.

“There’s only one person making these calls: Dana White,” Schaub concluded. “Same guy that s**ts on fighters. The same guy who talks sh*t about Francis Ngannou but then highlights Greg Hardy. What the f**k are we doing?!”