Greg Hardy to Attempt MMA Career: Latest Comments and Reaction

Free-agent NFL defensive lineman Greg Hardy is changing his focus from football to mixed martial arts, with several promotions reportedly showing interest. 

Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting reported Tuesday that Hardy has been working on the transition with training sessions over the past few months. The 28-year-old former member of the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys released a statement to the outlet about his decision.

"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."

Hardy had more to say on Twitter:

Hardy failed to land with an NFL team this past offseason after a highly controversial one-year stint with the Cowboys in 2015.

The Tennessee native was found guilty on two counts of domestic violence—assaulting a female and communicating threats—in 2014 after an alleged incident involving ex-girlfriend Nicole Holder, per Jim Bradley of WSOC-TV.

David Newton of ESPN.com noted that Hardy requested a jury trial on appeal, and the charges against him were dropped in February 2015, as the accuser couldn't be located to testify at trial. The district attorney's office stated that it believed Holder and Hardy reached a civil settlement based on "reliable information" it received.

The NFL suspended the defensive end for 10 games for "conduct detrimental to the league" following a two-month investigation into the situation in 2015. Arbitrator Harold Henderson later reduced the ban to four games.

Based on that past history, Jay Glazer told TMZ Sports on Tuesday that Hardy should be banned from the sport:

Hardy played 12 games for the Cowboys last season. He registered 35 combined tackles, six sacks, a forced fumble and an interception.

In September, TMZ Sports reported that Hardy was arrested for cocaine possession after police found the substance in a wallet in his vehicle. He told police somebody else placed the drug there while he was at a party the night before.

Now, with a lack of interest in him from NFL teams, he's decided to take on a new athletic venture. Helwani relayed further details from his camp, which stated that Hardy checks in at around 285 pounds and is expected to debut in 2017 as a heavyweight, though the promotion and opponent still aren't known.