Herschel Walker will Fight for Strikeforce
Retired running back in MMA is not a funny joke
Posted on Monday, September 21, 2009 at 5:52 PM
By Jason Reynolds
On Monday afternoon Strikeforce announced the signing of former NFL star Herschel Walker to a multi-fight contract. Undoubtedly because of the recent success of cross-over athletes like Brock Lesnar, many former professional athletes are trying their hand at combat sports -- something that will only hinder the sport's progress towards legitimacy. 
It would be one thing if LeBron James decided today that MMA was his passion, and that he was quitting basketball to train full-time and fight professionally (LeBron’s still in his prime). Herschel Walker is 47 years old and has been retired from football for over ten years.
Strikeforce’s signing of Walker is a blow to the authenticity of the sport. People forget that today’s MMA stars have trained for years to get to the level that they are at. Remember when Michael Jordan left the NBA to try professional baseball? That was a chapter that every sport fan would just as soon forget. Just because you are good at one thing doesn’t mean that you’ll be good at any other.
There’s a reason you don’t see multiple sport athletes on the professional level; it’s too hard to be dominant in one sport, let alone two. For an athlete to think that they can jump into fighting professionally because they may have trained in karate when they were ten is extremely arrogant, and at best, ludicrous. People should stick to what they know, and let MMA athletes do what they do best.
When I heard that Herschel Walker was competing for the title of “Celebrity Apprentice” I was amused. When hearing that he had signed to fight professionally, I was sickened. Stick to what you know Herschel and let mixed martial artists do what they do best.
MORE:
MSG FIGHT CLUB
Introducing MSG Fight Club, your source for the latest in boxing and MMA. Join the Fight
MSG Fight Club: The Written Word
Get an in-depth analysis of all things MMA and Boxing.
