Former WEC Champ Praises Greg Hardy’s Dedication To Training
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.