About the event

When/where: 5 p.m. today; AT&T Center, San Antonio. ESPN.

TV: Main card:

» Andrei Arlovski vs. Ben Rothwell (heavyweights).

» No. 13 Alex Hernandez vs. Francisco Trinaldo (lightweights).

» No. 15 James Vick vs. Dan Hooker (lightweights).

» Greg Hardy vs. Juan Adams (heavyweights).

» No. 9 Aleksei Oleinik vs. No. 14 Walt Harris (heavyweights).

» No. 4 Rafael dos Anjos vs. No. 11 Leon Edwards (welterweight main event).

We’re going to fight on Saturday, and it’s going to be him locked in there with me for up to 15 minutes.”

Hardy said there won’t be a need to shake hands with Adams after the bout, because “after the fight he’s going to the hospital.”

Would Hardy send flowers, though?

“If I get that bonus,” Hardy said, “I might could afford that.”

All three of Hardy’s amateur wins came by first-round knockout. He said he’s not concerned about going longer even though he has exercised-induced asthma, saying he has the upper hand on cardio.

“If we go three rounds, it’s going to turn into a clinic,” Adams said. “He’s never gone past two, and he didn’t look that great in the one he did go two.”

Neither Adams nor Hardy are ranked by UFC, but a win could propel them to more high-profile matchups. Despite the trash talk, Hardy acknowledged how key this bout is for his UFC career moving forward.

“This is one of those situations where you got to pull back on the ego and just be appreciative and thankful I’m on the card at all,” Hardy said. “This is a helpful opportunity for me.”

For once, Adams agreed with Hardy.

“It is a bigger platform than I’m used to,” Adams said. “I get to fight in my home state. I get a bigger opportunity, more exposure. I finally get press conferences. I get to do an open workout. At the end of the day it’s another fight. I love everything about fighting in the UFC. I love when I get to come here. I still light up like a kid on Christmas when I get my gear bag.”