Cochran: Walker's presence on MMA card irritates some fighters

Bill Bates already knows that Herschel Walker can hit hard. Video evidence of that is shown before every Georgia football game.

The legendary Bulldog running back is shown running over the former Tennessee defensive back, usually drawing a simultaneous "Boom!" from the crowd in Sanford Stadium, on his way to the end zone.

Tonight, if Walker is to elicit any kind of audience response, it will be for a very different kind of hard hit.

The 47-year old Heisman Trophy winner is going to make his mixed martial arts debut against Greg Nagy (also making his pro debut) on the Strikeforce promotion in Miami. The fight card will be aired on Showtime starting at 10 p.m.

If your reaction to hearing that Walker will be exchanging punches, kicks and chokeholds is one of confusion, you aren't alone.

On top of training, Walker has spent the past month making the usual media tour that accompanies a big fight card, explaining his desire to start competing in a sport decades past his athletic prime.

A long-time fan of mixed martial arts, Walker admits that he isn't chasing a championship belt. He just desires to compete in a sport he loves.

Clearly there is nothing wrong with that. But there are hundreds of fighters around the country struggling in much smaller promotions with years more experience and talent than the Georgia legend.

Forget that Walker is starting his career at 47. He's also debuting without a single amateur fight and on the second biggest promotion in the sport - the Ultimate Fighting Championship being the first.

Even though he is donating his earnings to charity, Walker is still benefitting from his name.

Rory Singer is the co-owner and assistant head coach of The Hardcore Gym in Athens, a local school for mixed martial arts. The Hardcore Gym was the launching pad for former UFC light-heavyweight champ Forrest Griffin and is the home of World Extreme Cagefighting bantamweight champion Brian Bowles.

The news that Walker would not only be debuting but co-headlining a Strikeforce fight was not quite insulting to Singer, who has an 11-9 pro record on top of training a handful of other fighters.

But he can't honestly say he understood it.

"It is upsetting. It is disappointing," Singer said. "What does he believe qualifies him to jump straight into a professional debut? It just seems silly."

Walker has been active in Tae Kwon Do for more than 30 years, reaching fifth-degree black-belt status. He en

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