While some may not want former NFL defensive end Greg Hardy anywhere near a mixed martial arts (MMA) cage — I’m looking at you, Jay Glazer — some closer to the sport are raving about the former football player’s passion for the sport.

That includes American Top Team (ATT) trainer Mike Brown, who says Hardy is training in all facets of the fight game and is even staying the the dorms in the facility, which is a sign of Greg’s commitment to his training.

Brown breaks it down to TMZ:

"He's staying in the dorms we have upstairs. It's for guys who are really in intensive training. He seems to have the drive and desire," Brown says ... noting that Hardy has been taking classes in multiple disciplines to hone his skills. He took boxing last night, jiu-jitsu today. He was training with Steve Mocco, our wrestling coach, who was in the Olympics."

The former Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman -- who was recently arrested for cocaine possession — announced his intention to compete in MMA earlier this year.

Standing at 6'4" and 278 pounds will likely compete in the Heavyweight division, and with no professional fighting experience to speak of -- other than his history beating up his ex-girlfriend — Greg hopes to make his amateur debut sometime next year.

Hey, everyone deserves a second chance, says company president Dana White; though don’t expect Hardy near the Octagon anytime soon.