Herschel Walker's MMA debut was surprisingly solid. What stood out the most was the poise he displayed during his first bout ever. His decades of close contact training in Taekwondo, as well as a three month training camp with American Kickboxing Academy, clearly paid off.
He was in control for most of the fight and looked quite natural when fending off submissions and takedown attempts.
Granted, Herschel's opponent, Greg Nagy, wasn't an A-tier opponent. He still did face a professional and defeat him in the third round by TKO. This was yet another impressive achievement for the 47-year- old Walker, especially considering his opponent wasn't even born when he won the Heisman Trophy in 1982.
Accomplishing this feat at this point in his life puts Herschel Walker in the same breath as Nolan Ryan and probably, more appropriately, George Foreman. Adding this feat to his achievements in college football, professional football, Olympic bobsledding, and even ballet puts him in the same realm as Bo Jackson, Jim Thorpe, and Babe Zaharias. He's such a remarkable, versatile athlete.
What's next for Walker? He has expressed his desire to continue training with AKA to fight again. Walker came out of his bout relatively unscathed, therefore he didn't get any medical suspensions (safety is paramount in the sport of MMA. Injured fighters must prove they're healed before they can fight again).
After another training camp Walker may be available to fight in the spring, perhaps on CBS, since Strikeforce has the primetime deal with them. Walker's performance last weekend definitely warrants a second look.
Walker was given a 1-1 MMA "veteran" for his debut fight. It's pretty safe to say his competition will be kicked up a notch. One can hope that Strikeforce slowly raises the level of Walker's opponents so that viewers can see just how far he can progress.
Make no qualms about it, Herschel Walker will never be a championship level fighter; even he has publicly acknowledged this. The skill level of upper-echelon heavyweight fighters is just too great, as is their size. Walker weighed in on the lower end of the 206-265 pound heavyweight range.
People must appreciate this for what it is - a professional athlete following his dreams. People may identify Walker with his athletic achievements, but few realize just how much of a competitor he is.
David Estrada Jr. is a Mixed Martial Arts columist for the Port Arthur News. He can be e-mailed at DavidEstrada@DavidEstrada.com
