Today, Strikeforce announced they have signed former NFLer Herschel Walker to a multi-fight contract.
Press release and then analysis below:
NEW YORK (September 21, 2009)–Former NFL and NCAA football superstar Herschel Walker will enter a new chapter in his career as a professional athlete when he makes his debut as a heavyweight in the world’s fastest growing sport – mixed martial arts (MMA) – as part of a multi-fight contract he has signed with world championship promotion STRIKEFORCE.
The 1982 Heisman Trophy winner and two-time Pro Bowl competitor will begin a 12 week training camp next month at San Jose, California’s American Kickboxing Academy (AKA), which plays home to a host of the world’s greatest fighters, including STRIKEFORCE Lightweight Champion Josh “The Punk” Thomson. The 6 foot 1 inch, 220 pound former running back, who already holds a fifth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and boasts additional training in the combat disciplines of Muay Thai and Kenpo, will be trained by AKA co-owner and head trainer Bob Cook.
“I’ve been training for several years. I would play college football games on Saturday and then compete in martial arts tournaments on Sunday after church I’m now looking forward to opening up another chapter in my life and to competing in MMA,” said Walker, who recently was a contestant on the second hit season of Donald Trump’s Celebrity Apprentice reality series on NBC.
“I flew to LA last month to watch Herschel train and was surprised to see his advanced wrestling and striking abilities,” said STRIKEFORCE Founder and CEO Scott Coker, a martial arts promoter of over 25 years. “He’s got work ahead of him, but he’s committed to training at one of the most notable gyms in the sport of MMA so it will be very interesting to watch him progress.”
Payout Perspective:
Walker is the latest of many former football players to try their hand at MMA. It would seem to be a growing and popular trend amongst former athletes from one sport or another looking to get into the fight game.
It sort of begs the question: are these true athletic endeavours or purely attempts on behalf of these athletes to attach themselves to the MMA money train (or what they perceive to be the MMA money train)? It’s certainly relevant to point out that this isn’t Walker’s first post-football career experiment – as the PR states he was also a contestant on celebrity apprentice.
I will stop short of calling this a gimmick, because I don’t think Scott Coker would sign Walker if he wasn’t capable of competing. Quite frankly, I don’t believe that Walker’s cross-over appeal is even at a material level such as to warrant his use as a gimmick draw.
Yet, at 47 years old – despite his martial arts background – there are going to be some serious questions raised as to how well and for how long might Walker be able to compete against the MMA elite in Strikeforce.
He won’t compete against elite competition, but boy, he would be a GREAT addition to a Challengers card in Georgia or in the South.
To me the serious question should be why would any Athletic Commission sanction him to fight?
Herschel Walker is a 47 year old man that has suffered from a serious mental condition in the past that he claims has left him with memory loss.
http://www.herschelwalker.net/content.asp?title=ABC%27s%20Nightline%20Interview%20with%20Bob%20Woodruff&menuid=Interviews&contentid=ABC%20Bob%20Woodruff&id=112
What is Strikeforce’s stance on allowing Herschel Walker to fight with his past history of mental disorder at the age of 47?
How comfortable are they with a person with his medical history ending up being on the wrong side of a highlight reel KO and the headlines that will come of it?
What are the dangers of letting him get hit or KO’d if it causes a concussion? Could it trigger something?
Strike Farce strikes again. There are fighters in the sport right now that are not prepared to fight at the SF level. But a football player is? There is current Tae Kwon Do Champs who are not prepared for MMA but a someone who done it many years ago is and past his prime is?
What is it with these promotions that they want to reinvent the wheel as soon as they open their doors. The UFC has handed any of their competitor a huge MMA follow they can latch on to with very little effort. IFL felt the need for team competition which led to them not being taken seriously and ultimately their demise. Strike Force is using side shows in an era where MMA is already accepted by millions as a legit sport. There is no need for gimmicks that cause you to lose credibility. You only alienate the fans who already respect the sport to try and craw the people who want to see a car wreck. This people will leave when you dont have a circus act since they never respected the true fighters in the sport.
People look up and respect UFC fighters because what it takes to become a UFC fighter. Only people who have earned the right get in for the most part. Even some like Brock was still in his Prime, from a legit MMA background in Wrestling, trained for 2 years, had a fight in K1 before the UFC put the effort to bring him in. They made sure he deserved to be there. If Walker comes in and loses, or worse, win. Then what it means to be a SF fighter to most people will take a serious hit.