There are some heavy hitters on deck for this weekend’s UFC Fight Night event where a former NFL player will look to bounce back.
UFC Nashville sees Derrick Lewis looking to extend his record for the most knockouts in the history of the promotion when he faces Tallison Teixeira.
However, ‘The Black Beast’ isn’t the only competitor who has a strong track record for putting opponents away as Steve Garcia looks to take one step closer to the history books.
In the second of three heavyweight bouts that will take place on the card, a finish seems likely considering that both men have only ever gone to the scorecards four times combined.
Austen Lane suffered a big knockout loss last time out but his appearances on Dana White’s Contender Series showed that he can rebound from adversity.
Austen Lane met fellow former NFL player Greg Hardy on Dana White’s Contender Series
Shortly after announcing his retirement from the NFL, Austen Lane made his amateur MMA debut and racked up five consecutive wins before turning pro in 2017.
The former defensive end played for several NFL teams after being drafted to the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2010 having been a first-team All-American the year previous.
After going 4-0 in his pro career with all of his wins coming in the first round, Lane appeared on the first episode of season two of Dana White’s Contender Series.
MORE BLOODY ELBOW NEWS
His opponent also came from an NFL background as he was matched up with former Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys player Greg Hardy.
The controversial athlete was once a significant player for the Panthers, earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro accolades in the 2013 season before his career declined due to domestic violence charges.
When they met inside the Octagon on June 12 of 2018, both men looked to land early bombs but Hardy had the final say after connecting with a huge right hand that spun his opponent around before a left sealed the deal.
Though he wasn’t instantly signed to the roster, Hardy did eventually make his way to the UFC where he competed 10 times before the promotion chose not to re-sign him at the end of his contract.
Austen Lane returned to Dana White’s Contender Series four years later and earned a contract
While his Dana White’s Contender Series debut didn’t go to plan, Austen Lane continued to gain more experience by going 7-2 on the regional scene between July of 2018 and March of 2022.
A six-fight win and finish streak earned him another shot on the show in week nine of season 6 where this time around, he earned a UFC contract by stopping Richard Jacobi with ruthless ground and pound.
Since then, Lane has gone 1-3-1 inside the Octagon, meaning that he could be fighting for his UFC career when he makes the walk on July 12.
The assignments don’t necessarily get any easier for him either as he draws the task of welcoming Brazilian knockout artist Vitor Petrino up to heavyweight.