Ex-NFL star Greg Hardy has decided to make the career switch from the gridiron to the Octagon, as the 28-year-old has been training at American Top Team (ATT) and sleeping at the facility as well. Hardy has been training closely alongside former WEC bantamweight champ Mike Brown, the man who defeated Urijah Faber twice over the
Ex-NFL star Greg Hardy has decided to make the career switch from the gridiron to the Octagon, as the 28-year-old has been training at American Top Team (ATT) and sleeping at the facility as well.
Hardy has been training closely alongside former WEC bantamweight champ Mike Brown, the man who defeated Urijah Faber twice over the course of his mixed martial arts (MMA) career. Brown recently spoke to TMZ to discuss Hardy’s extensive training, and has been staying in the ATT dorms that are provided at the facility:
“He’s staying in the dorms we have upstairs. It’s for guys who are really in intensive training.”
As far as the former Carolina Panthers star’s desire for training, Brown says that Hardy is training in all aspects of MMA to improve his overall game, training with Olympic wrestling coach Steve Mocco:
“He seems to have the drive and desire,” Brown said. “He took boxing last night, jiu-jitsu today. He was training with Steve Mocco, our wrestling coach, who was in the Olympics.”
Hardy has only made the jump to MMA training this year and has yet to take a fight, but Brown expects a 2017 professional debut for Hardy’s fight career. UFC President Dana White has stated that he is open to signing Hardy, but only after he gets some experience inside the cage first.
White toyed with the idea of bringing in former athletes who don’t posses any fighting background, as former WWE champ CM Punk took on Mickey Gall at UFC 203 but suffered a first round TKO loss.
We’ll keep you updated on Hardy’s MMA future, as well as any announcement on the former defensive end’s first pro fight.
This week, former NFL defensive end Greg Hardy announced to MMA Fighting that he would be pursuing a career in MMA. Hardy, who went to the Pro Bowl after amassing a Carolina Panthers-record 15 sacks in 2013, hasn’t played at all in 2016 after a la…
This week, former NFL defensive end Greg Hardyannounced to MMA Fighting that he would be pursuing a career in MMA. Hardy, who went to the Pro Bowl after amassing a Carolina Panthers-record 15 sacks in 2013, hasn’t played at all in 2016 after a lackluster 2015 season with the Dallas Cowboys.
Why “former”? Why hasn’t Hardy, an unsigned free agent, played in 2016 despite the level of talent he obviously possesses?
It’s not just that Hardy spent all but one game of the 2014 season on the sidelines as the result of an arrest and initial conviction for a serious incident, exhaustively detailed by Diana Moskovitz of Deadspin, of domestic violence. According to the victim, Hardy had thrown her against a bathroom wall and tossed her onto a futon covered in guns before choking her.
The charges were later dismissed and then expunged after Hardy settled a civil suit with the woman, who failed to appear in court for Hardy’s appeal.
It’s not just that his behavior was so disruptive in 2015, per the Dallas Morning News, that the Cowboys found him impossible to work with. It’s not just that Hardy was arrested again just three weeks ago for cocaine possession.
It’s all of those things, a constant, unceasing barrage of behavior ranging from the merely immature to the truly reprehensible that stretches back to Hardy’s time in high school. Finally, this year, football had finally had enough with him.
“I think in Greg’s mind, as long as he’s making sacks and creating turnovers, tackles for losses, he can do whatever he wants during the week. That kind of gives you an insight into his thinking,” Hardy’s high school coach, Joe Hamstra, told USA Today in 2015.
Reading between the lines of various statements his coaches have made over the years, the consensus is that he’s more or less uncoachable. “I just stayed the hell away from him and hoped he got on the field when it was time. Hell, I just stayed away because you never knew what to expect. You just hoped he was ready to roll when we kicked the ball off,” said former Ole Miss defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix.
Hardy’s raw talent has never been in question, and it’s why so many different organizations have put up with him over the years. It’s why, assuming Hardy actually goes through with his stated desire to train and fight, some promoter will undoubtedly give him a shot.
It’s also why UFC President Dana White wouldn’t close the door on signing Hardy despite his well-documented issues.
Though he hedged his statement, saying Hardy would need to win in smaller shows, White settled on this formulation in an interview with Jason Whitlock of Fox Sports 1: “I’m one of those guys too who believes that we’re all human beings and we all make mistakes … When you make mistakes, it’s all about how act from there on out. How you handle yourself after that, and what you do to fix it.”
That sounds reasonable enough, right? Who doesn’t deserve a second chance if they express remorse for their actions and try to change the underlying issues? What kind of hardliner would condemn a man for life for a single transgression?
But that’s the essence of the problem here: This isn’t Hardy’s second chance, and at no point has Hardy ever expressed anything like real remorse for his actions. These tweets were the extent of Hardy’s statements about the Deadspin story:
In fact, Hardy doubled down on his innocence in an interview with Adam Schefter of ESPN earlier this year. “I’ve never put my hand on any women…in my whole entire life, no sir.”
When Schefter pressed him on this, pointing to the photos that unequivocally showed the woman’s injuries, Hardy said, “I will stop you there and say that I didn’t say that I didn’t do anything wrong. That situation occurred and that situation was handled but…saying that I did nothing wrong is a stretch but saying I am innocent is correct. Yes sir.”
Fox Sports NFL insider Jay Glazer, whose sources inside football are deep and varied, had some strong words on this. “I would be incredibly disappointed in any of my fellow MMA coaches and any promoters if they took Greg Hardy in and taught him a shred of our incredible sport,” he said on Twitter.
In an interview with TMZ Sports, Glazer doubled down:
So I’m asking every other MMA coach and promotion to not allow this guy to have the privilege. He doesn’t deserve it. All he’s done is beat the hell out of a woman and show no remorse for it, so screw him. He shouldn’t be allowed to be around the other great people in this sport. There are incredible people in this sport, great fighters who stand up for the right things, most of the coaches stand up for the right things. This is a sport where you’re melting together arts, what I think are beautiful arts. A guy like Hardy has not earned the privilege to be part of this sport.
This is quite obviously overblown. MMA has its fair share of unsavory characters, and casting it as a privilege to fight and even to train is schoolyard moralizing that obscures the reality of the sport. Still, Glazer’s reaction is far from unfounded.
It won’t be hard to find a regional or national promoter who buys into the easy, cheap redemption angle, whether it’s justified by Hardy’s behavior or not, and books him for a fight.
Let’s say, hypothetically, that Hardy holds it together long enough to meet Dana White’s standards. Athletic heavyweights who stand 6’5″ and weigh 280 pounds aren’t exactly growing on trees today, and it’s a safe bet that Hardy’s talent could carry him through to the minimum qualifications necessary to wind up in the UFC with the right training and team.
In that scenario, the UFC would have to weigh Hardy’s history of domestic violence and other behavior against the upside he offers. Perhaps he can be an example of the redemptive power of the martial arts, a paragon of reborn virtue as the result of hours of grueling training sessions with tough-love coaches and experienced training partners.
But the UFC has had multiple issues with domestic violence in the past, ranging from major names like Anthony Johnson and Travis Browne to unknowns Michael Graves and Alex Nicholson just in the last several months. Can an increasingly mainstream sport looking to revamp its reputation under new ownership really afford to flirt with someone like Hardy? Why even take the chance?
It’s one thing to bring on fighters with troubled pasts of whom the general public knows nothing. It’s another entirely to bring on someone who’s already famous and whose public profile is dominated by trouble around a serious social issue like domestic violence.
Hardy’s incredible talent has had an intoxicating effect on college scouts and NFL talent evaluators for years now. Despite some hiccups, that talent has always shielded him from consequences, dating back to his time in high school, and it has protected him from ever truly having to take responsibility.
Will MMA be the next arena Hardy enchants before showing his true colors once again?
For the sake of the sport and its reputation, let’s hope not.
With Ex-NFL star and pro bowl defensive end Greg Hardy making the career switch to mixed martial arts (MMA), one can only imagine that the 28-year-old athlete will eventually find his way into the ultimate proving grounds of the UFC. During a recent interview with UFC President Dana White on FS1’s Speak for Yourself, White revealed that
With Ex-NFL star and pro bowl defensive end Greg Hardy making the career switch to mixed martial arts (MMA), one can only imagine that the 28-year-old athlete will eventually find his way into the ultimate proving grounds of the UFC.
During a recent interview with UFC President Dana White on FS1’s Speak for Yourself, White revealed that he is open to signing the former football star the the UFC, but only after he gets some experience under his belt:
“I’m one of those guys too who believes that we’re all human beings and we all make mistakes,” White said (courtesy of MMA Fighting). “And when you make a mistake, you pay your penance, whatever it might be, and you should be allowed to make a living and move on in your life. Is he good enough to come into the UFC and fight? I highly doubt it.
“I’ve been playing football for a couple weeks too, maybe I’ll try out for the (New England) Patriots?” White said. “It takes a little bit longer than that, but he could fight at one of these small shows. We’ll see how he looks, and I don’t know.”
The ‘mistake’ White is referring to Hardy’s domestic abuse charges against his now ex-girlfriend, to which he was slapped with 18-months probation and 10-game NFL suspension. The former Carolina Panther was also arrested for cocaine possession in Dallas this past September:
“I’m not saying he should be welcomed here, but I’m saying I’m a guy who believes that if you make a mistake, your life isn’t over, go kill yourself or something,” White said. “You made a mistake, you pay for it. When you make mistakes, it’s all about how you act from there on out. How do you handle yourself after that and what do you do to fix it.”
If Hardy finds his way to success early in his MMA career, it may only be a matter of time before we see him competing under the bright lights of the UFC.
On Wednesday, UFC President Dana White left open the possibility that former NFL defensive end Greg Hardy could one day appear in the UFC during an interview on FS1’s Speak for Yourself, per MMA Fighting:
I’m one of those guys too who b…
On Wednesday, UFC President Dana White left open the possibility that former NFL defensive end Greg Hardy could one day appear in the UFC during an interview on FS1’s Speak for Yourself, per MMA Fighting:
I’m one of those guys too who believes that we’re all human beings and we all make mistakes. And when you make a mistake, you pay your penance, whatever it might be, and you should be allowed to make a living and move on in your life. Is he good enough to come into the UFC and fight? I highly doubt it. I’ve been playing football for a couple weeks too, maybe I’ll try out for the (New England) Patriots? It takes a little bit longer than that, but he could fight at one of these small shows. We’ll see how he looks, and I don’t know.
Hardy, 28, announced this week he has decided to become an MMA fighter.
“I’m very focused and excited to start my MMA career,” Hardy said in a statement Tuesday, per Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting. “I’m going to do this the right way, I can assure you of that.”
That decision perhaps came in the wake of Hardy failing to sign with an NFL team this offseason. He returned to the NFL in 2015 after being found guilty of domestic violence in July 2014 and was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list for most of the 2014 season—those charges were eventually dismissed after his accuser didn’t appear at the appeal hearing. He accumulated 35 tackles, six sacks, one forced fumble and an interception in 12 games with the Dallas Cowboys.
But Hardy was a constant source of distraction and controversy during his time in Dallas, and the team decided against re-signing him. No other teams were willing to offer him a contract either, which perhaps caused the former defensive end to consider a career change.
But Hardy’s past actions led Jay Glazer of Fox Sports to encourage folks within the MMA world to shun Hardy, as he tweeted:
I would be incredibly disappointed in any of my fellow MMA coaches and any promoters if they took Greg Hardy in and taught him a shred of our incredible sport. Many of us train women in self defense specifically to help protect vs domestic violence. Me and all my coaches at @Unbreakable do and take great pride in that. Competing in any sport is a privilege, Greg Hardy should not be granted the privilege. There are many beautiful arts taught in our sport, none of which should be afforded to him.
White didn’t agree with that approach:
I’m not saying he should be welcomed here, but I’m saying I’m a guy who believes that if you make a mistake, your life isn’t over, go kill yourself or something. You made a mistake, you pay for it. When you make mistakes, it’s all about how you act from there on out. How do you handle yourself after that and what do you do to fix it.
In other words, Hardy’s path to the UFC isn’t completely closed off. The controversial figure will have to prove himself as an MMA fighter first, however.
Jay Glazer knows pro football and mixed martial arts.
Glazer is one of a handful of people who have successfully worked their way into the scene of both the NFL and UFC.
And that’s w…
Jay Glazer knows pro football and mixed martial arts.
Glazer is one of a handful of people who have successfully worked their way into the scene of both the NFL and UFC.
And that’s why Glazer believes Greg Hardy moving to the world of MMA is not good for the former Dallas Cowboy defensive end – or the combat sports arena.
Here’s what Glazer had to say regarding Hardy competing in MMA on social media recently:
I would be incredibly disappointed in any of my fellow MMA coaches and any promoters if they took Greg Hardy in and taught him a shred of our incredible sport. Many of us train women in self defense specifically to help protect vs domestic violence. Me and all my coaches at @Unbreakable do and take great pride in that. Competing in any sport is a privilege, Greg Hardy should not be granted the privilege. There are many beautiful arts taught in our sport, none of which should be afforded to him
Former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy has opted to leave professional football and train to be an MMA fighter.
According to a report by MMAFighting, Hardy has been working out …
Former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy has opted to leave professional football and train to be an MMA fighter.
According to a report by MMAFighting, Hardy has been working out in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for several months. He was arrested last month on a cocaine possession charge in Dallas.
During his NFL career, Hardy also played for the Carolina Panthers. He was suspended in 2014 and ’15 due to off-the-field issues, including a domestic violence charge.
“I’m very focused and excited to start my MMA career,” Hardy said. “I’m going to do this the right way, I can assure you of that.
“I’m fully committed to being as successful as I can be in this sport.”
He is expected to compete in the heavyweight division when he debuts, likely sometime in 2017.
This week, former NFL defensive end 
