Former NFL Star Herschel Walker Talks MMA Debut With Showtime

Herschel Walker talks with Showtime Sports following a victory in his mixed martial arts debut at Strikefore: Miami.

Former NFL star Herschel Walker's Take On Martial Arts

From an early age, Herschel Walker found martial arts to be a source of self-discipline. With footage from his recent MMA training sessions in San Jose and his years as an NFL running back, Walker documents his evolution as an athlete.

Herschel Walker: I Think MMA Should Be In The Olympics

At 47 years of age, many people question former NFL star Herschel Walker's sanity in deciding to compete in one of the roughest, most brutal sports around... mixed martial arts.

The former Olympian says his choice, among other reasons, has a lot to do with his love of the sport and wanting to see it advance to the level of respectability other sports enjoy.

"I want to show people that this is a great sport. I think it should be an Olympic sport," he declares, himself having competed as a bob sledder in the 1992 Olympics in Albertville, France.

"This sport is better than a lot of people are giving it credit."

Despite MMA's perceptions as a dangerous sport, Walker believes that the danger factor isn't what it seems, saying it is safer than other, more mainstream sports.

"I think people think this sport is brutal because of the blood, but I think it's safer than football or boxing right now. I think the blood make it look like it's a brutal sport, but it's not. I'd love to see it in the mainstream."

Herschel Walker is scheduled to make his MMA debut against Greg Nagy at the Jan. 30 Strikeforce: Miami event in Florida.

ESPN'S MMA Live: Lesnar's Trainer Says He Will Be Back

MMA Live updates the Brock Lesnar situation, talks to Herschel Walker about his upcoming MMA debut, reviews UFC Fight Night 20 and WEC 46, and hands out its 2009 MMA awards.

ESPN or The Herschel Walker Network?

Herschel Walker is earning his keep for his MMA debut at Strikeforce: Miami on Jan. 30. He began an all out media blitz on Wednesday, appearing on several shows and at a press conference in New York.

He continues his assault Thursday, taking over the airwaves on ESPN. He'll be on at least four separate shows on the sports network on Thursday alone.

First Take on ESPN2 at 11:40 a.m. ET / 8:40 a.m. PT

ESPNews at 2:10 p.m. ET / 11:10 a.m. PT

The Scott Van Pelt Show on ESPN Radio and ESPN2 at 3:25 p.m. ET / 12:25 p.m. PT

He'll also be on MMA Live, which is available at ESPN.com

Herschel Walker Starts Media Blitz for MMA Debut

Former NFL star Herschel Walker is gearing up to start the media blitz for his mixed martial arts debut.

Walker will make his MMA debut with world championship promotion Strikeforce on Saturday, January 30 at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida, LIVE on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT).

The 47-year-old Walker will compete in the cage the night before the ProBowl and one week prior to the Super Bowl. The 1982 Heisman Trophy winner and two-time NFL Pro Bowl competitor, is wrapping up a 12-week MMA training camp at the world renowned American Kickboxing Academy (A.K.A.) in San Jose, California in preparation for the challenge. A 1999 College Hall of Fame inductee who was also selected to Sports Illustrated's NCAA All-Century Team that year, the 6-foot 1-inch, 220 pound Walker holds a fifth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and boasts additional training in the combat disciplines of Muay Thai and Kenpo. Walker recently re-emerged in the spotlight as a contestant on Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice reality series.

He's got two big media appearances set for Wendesday, Jan. 13:

FOX News Channel's FOX & Friends at 6:30 a.m. ET/PT

Sirius XM's (Channel 100) The Howard Stern Show at 7:30 a.m. ET/4:30 a.m. PT

Herschel Walker Donating MMA Debut Fight Purse to Charity

Herschel Walker is an amazing athlete that has competed in many different sports over his 47 years. He's competed at the highest levels in both collegiate and professional football, he's an Olympian in bobsled, and is a lifelong martial artist.

On January 30th, he'll become a mixed martial artist. But it's interesting to note, and Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker did on Saturday night, that Walker is donating his January fight purse to charity.

"He's doing it for charity. He's donating 100 percent of his purse to a non-profit," said Coker.

But that's not to say he isn't serious about the pursuit. As his previous accolades indicate, he takes all sports seriously, and MMA is no different.

"He wants to just test himself and he's been at the AKA (American Kickboxing Academy) training camp the last 45 days. He's not gonna go home for Christmas. He's gonna stay through the holidays and train there. He's in good hands," Coker detailed, adding that Walker told his trainers at AKA to advise him not to fight if they felt he wasn't going to be ready to compete.

There's no actual name to be put to his opponent yet, but the Strikeforce CEO says it will be appropriate to Walker's time in the sport.

"As far as MMA goes, we'll find somebody that has his skill level. He's a beginner in MMA, so we'll find somebody that is a heavyweight, beginning fighter and let's see what happens," he said.

"Once you step in the cage, it's really gonna be up to him, right?"

Former NFL Star Herschel Walker Talks Move to MMA

Former NFL player and Heisman trophy winner Herschel Walker talks about his fighting aspirations at 47 years old.