Herschel Wallker

[Guest]

47 year old Hershel Walker set to make MMA Debut

 

Story

 

“I don’t know how he does it, but just throw the age thing out the window,” said Mendez, who noted that unlike most older fighters who start training differently because their bodies need more recuperation time between workout sessions, Walker’s training has made zero concessions for the age. “He is the best student I’ve ever had. Every day he comes to practice 10 to 15 minutes early. He’s never late. Every day he gets better. For a normal 47-year-old, it would be a big disaster.”

 

Mendez said he’s the second-best conditioned heavyweight he’s trained, behind only Cain Velasquez, who is generally considered the hardest trainer and best-conditioned heavyweight in the sport.

 

Obviously his trainer is going to hype him, but you can't argue with his fitness level.

 

While that may sound like coaching hyperbole, the Florida Boxing Commission made Walker undergo extensive testing to get licensed due to his age and lack of fighting experience. Commission head physician Dr. Allan Fields, who oversaw the stress test on Walker’s heart, said that Walker’s heart functions better than any individual tested at the cardiac institution that handled the testing. “He’s in as fine a shape as [a prime] Muhammad Ali or any of these people we’ve had under our care,” said Fields, who has been a physician with the U.S. Olympic boxing team. “This guy is 47 going on 22, as far as his physical fitness goes.”

 

Let's assume that this guy has all the tools he needs and really adapts at a phenomenal rate. How far do you guys think he could go?

[MattyBlayze]

47 year old Hershel Walker set to make MMA Debut

 

Story

 

 

 

Obviously his trainer is going to hype him, but you can't argue with his fitness level.

 

 

 

Let's assume that this guy has all the tools he needs and really adapts at a phenomenal rate. How far do you guys think he could go?

 

He's still 47...plus, we don't know what his hiddens are - could have a weak chin or cut easily!

[scabscar]

47 year old Hershel Walker set to make MMA Debut

 

Story

 

 

 

Obviously his trainer is going to hype him, but you can't argue with his fitness level.

 

 

 

Let's assume that this guy has all the tools he needs and really adapts at a phenomenal rate. How far do you guys think he could go?

 

Six feet underground.

 

Guys like Coleman and Couture are one thing, but this is playing with fire. If he gets hurt badly, MMA will go back into obscurity, and it will be all its own fault.

[Guest]

Six feet underground.

 

Guys like Coleman and Couture are one thing, but this is playing with fire. If he gets hurt badly, MMA will go back into obscurity, and it will be all its own fault.

I understand your point, but I don't know how you can sanction against it. There are guys who are half his age fighting in small orgs all over America who don't have near his physical conditioning (including half the fat asses in Strikeforce )

[scabscar]

True, but I'm thinking that MMA as a whole here, will suffer badly if this guy goes down because of his reputation. Enough uninitiated people think this sport is a sadistic freakshow as it is, without knowing about PRIDE footstomps or the guy with no arms or legs in a match. If someone quasi-famous, nearing 50, is hurt bad in an MMA match, it gives them more ammunition than say, some randomer in a no-name org no-one will see.

 

 

This is all assuming that he is terrible and will lose hard, but I'm more inclined to be pessimistic on that than not.

 

[PSUMike]

He can't do any worse than Jonnie Morton.

[Face Kicker]

True, but I'm thinking that MMA as a whole here, will suffer badly if this guy goes down because of his reputation. Enough uninitiated people think this sport is a sadistic freakshow as it is, without knowing about PRIDE footstomps or the guy with no arms or legs in a match. If someone quasi-famous, nearing 50, is hurt bad in an MMA match, it gives them more ammunition than say, some randomer in a no-name org no-one will see.

 

 

This is all assuming that he is terrible and will lose hard, but I'm more inclined to be pessimistic on that than not.

 

him losing will not affect the sport negatively, even if he loses badly or gets hurt. all it's going to do is make the uninformed realize the fighters are atheletes that are at least on the same level as other sports professionals.

[djohn]

him losing will not affect the sport negatively, even if he loses badly or gets hurt. all it's going to do is make the uninformed realize the fighters are atheletes that are at least on the same level as other sports professionals.

 

This is what I tend to believe as well. I hope he does well. Gotta root for an Old Cowboy.

[Guest]

him losing just makes him look bad and shows football players are not fighters

[Guest]

him losing just makes him look bad and shows football players are not fighters

 

I think TUF 10 already did a spectacular job of showcasing that the majority of football players are not in fact fighters

 

BA-ZING!

 

But seriously he is going to get fucking chewed up and spit out so badly that it will serve as a cautionary tale for decades to come.

 

I hope his insurance premiums are paid up.

[djohn]

Doesn't Hershel have a pretty hefty amount of Judo Experience?

[Guest]

Doesn't Hershel have a pretty hefty amount of Judo Experience?

Taekwondo I believe, but so did Jose Conseco. Probably the worst possible means of fighting after capoeira and mind bullets.

[Guest]

Probably the worst possible means of fighting after capoeira and mind bullets.

 

what?! a black belt in mind bullets would dominate MMA but they just have too much honour to fight for anything besides their ancient shaolin temples

[manaman]

Damn the naysayers!

Walker has been training for 10+ years and is in great shape. Not only is he not going to lose tonight, he's going to dominate. Then again, he's matched up against a nobody. I'll save my judgment about whether he will fare well against a tougher opponent until I see his performance tonight..

 

Good luck!

Mike

[Guest]

his opponent has the body of a professional beer drinker:

http://mmaaddicts.com/dann/strikeforce-miami/greg-nagy.jpg

 

Walker by ko, 1st round

 

on a lighter note, strikeforce ring girls look in shape:

http://mmaaddicts.com/dann/strikeforce-mia...rce-girls-2.jpg

http://mmaaddicts.com/dann/strikeforce-mia...rce-girls-1.jpg

[Rambo]

I think he's gonna beat the dude down too.

[Guest]

True, but I'm thinking that MMA as a whole here, will suffer badly if this guy goes down because of his reputation. Enough uninitiated people think this sport is a sadistic freakshow as it is, without knowing about PRIDE footstomps or the guy with no arms or legs in a match. If someone quasi-famous, nearing 50, is hurt bad in an MMA match, it gives them more ammunition than say, some randomer in a no-name org no-one will see.

 

 

This is all assuming that he is terrible and will lose hard, but I'm more inclined to be pessimistic on that than not.

Yeah I'm sure the sport will look bad if the unexperienced old guy loses. Texas and California almost banned MMA when Canseco lost.

[Guest]

i thought walker looked fairly polished.

[SonnyMuchacho]

Hershey fought a can and still coundn't finish (he was hitting dude in the arms and shoulders when the ref stopped it). His opponent was by no means a tough fight and Herschel still did not look that good. Sorta fast, but obviously no KO power or serious grappling to contend with. His leg kicks were too stiff and his head movement was nil.

 

I love the old guy, and have since his Georgia days, but realistically, he IS 47. Say he learns super fast and is technically sound in 3 years - he would be 50!

 

This is why Couture should have just stayed retired instead of giving these old guys a false hope.

[Rambo]

Hershey fought a can and still coundn't finish (he was hitting dude in the arms and shoulders when the ref stopped it). His opponent was by no means a tough fight and Herschel still did not look that good. Sorta fast, but obviously no KO power or serious grappling to contend with. His leg kicks were too stiff and his head movement was nil.

 

I love the old guy, and have since his Georgia days, but realistically, he IS 47. Say he learns super fast and is technically sound in 3 years - he would be 50!

 

This is why Couture should have just stayed retired instead of giving these old guys a false hope.

 

He supposedly donated all his winnings to charity, I don't think he's tryin to be the next Randy Couture I think he just wanted to prove he could go out there and fight. I think if he would of stood on his feet longer he might of knocked the guy out but he was just content with using his muscle mass to try and bully the dude on the ground.

[SonnyMuchacho]

nah, I agree he's not trying to be the next Couture, but for MMA as a whole I don't think bringing in a 47 year old football star to lay on a can for 12 minutes does anything for the sport.

 

He's got skills, but I don't see the killer instinct needed to go far.

 

And as far as testing himself, from what I remember he said he wants to keep training and competing (as long as his trainers agree) so we could really see Herschel fighting in his fifties. Crazy.

[Rambo]

nah, I agree he's not trying to be the next Couture, but for MMA as a whole I don't think bringing in a 47 year old football star to lay on a can for 12 minutes does anything for the sport.

 

He's got skills, but I don't see the killer instinct needed to go far.

 

And as far as testing himself, from what I remember he said he wants to keep training and competing (as long as his trainers agree) so we could really see Herschel fighting in his fifties. Crazy.

 

I like that in him. Let's face it, nobody that signs on to this forum could beat him in a fist fight so I don't think anybody here is entitled to say he isn't allowed to fight or train to fight and continue a MMA career. Go Hershel.

[Guest]

I like that in him. Let's face it, nobody that signs on to this forum could beat him in a fist fight so I don't think anybody here is entitled to say he isn't allowed to fight or train to fight and continue a MMA career. Go Hershel.

 

Maybe not in a fist fight, but I guarantee I could have got have sunk that heel hook on him, and I only weigh 165 lbs! (half kidding, he actually rolled out of it pretty intelligently, which is a good sign of his instincts) At least Herschel did say that jujitsu had the steepest learning curve of all the elements he had worked on.

 

That being said, go Herschel! He has a mountain of money, every accolade an NFL player can receive and nothing to prove to anyone but himself. The guy is a big fan of the sport and his mere presence brings in more fans, something he acknowledges. He's obviously in phenomenal shape (especially compared to some of Strikeforce's rather husky fighters) and wants to do this. My favorite part of this whole thing is that he won't take another fight unless his trainers tell him he is ready for it.

[Guest]

did anyone else think his stand-up game looked really poor? His footwork was awful with 0 head movement.

[Guest]

did anyone else think his stand-up game looked really poor? His footwork was awful with 0 head movement.

Yeah, his footwork was terrible. He needs to ditch his taekwondo approach to striking. He was doing this really weird foot shuffle thing the whole match. His kicks did look pretty good, though.