Herschel Walker continues to defy Father Time. The 48-year-old former NFL and college football star toyed with Scott Carson to pick up his second career mixed martial arts win on the Strikeforce card in San Jose, Calif.
Walker knocked Carson down with a left hook in the opening minute of their fight at the HP Pavilion and brutalized him on the ground for the next two minutes. Referee Dan Stell stepped in to save Carson at 3:13 of the first round. Walker is now 2-0 and said he plans on moving forward with his MMA career.
"MMA is my love," Walker said, when asked about talk of an NFL return.
Walker has been successful in every athletic endeavor he's attempted, so he's very demanding of himself in MMA.
"I was okay. I took a kick where I thought I was getting a little too excited," Walker said. "When you're in MMA, you should be able to take a kick like that."
Walker was a bull from the get-go.
"(My trainer) Javier Mendes told me I have to be on offense. Being a young MMA fighter I gotta control what I'm doing in the cage," said Walker.
The scenario surrounding the first knockdown was like scene out of a movie. Carson grazed Walker's face. The former football star appeared enraged and yelled in the air. He walked straight forward and floored Carson with a left. Carson got to his feet momentarily with 3:50 left in the round, but Walker lifted him in the air and tossed him back down. Walker dominated him on the ground working from hip control and landing punches under Carson's arms. The Californian did little to protect himself.
With two minutes left in the first, Walker backed off for a second to allow Carson to get back to his feet. Carson barely got to his feet, was drilled by a left hook and crumbled against the fence. The referee had to stop it.
For man his age, Walker's energy level was incredible. He threw 58 shots and landed 40 overall. On the ground, he was 36-of-53 (67.9 percent). Walker's combination of stamina and athleticism simply broke Carson's will.
Walker began his MMA journey in 2009 when he began training at a renowned MMA gym, the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose. That's also the home of UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez and UFC welterweight title contenders Jon Fitch and Josh Koscheck.
Walker made his MMA debut last January. He showed off decent striking and grappling, with his gas tank being his most impressive element. Walker manhandled 26-year-old Greg Nagy for his first professional victory.
Walker's MMA exploits add to an unbelievable athletic resume. After a decorated career at Georgia, Walker earned a home in the college football Hall of Fame. He won the 1982 Heisman trophy as a junior. Walker went on to play 15 seasons in the USFL and NFL, where he rushed for 13,787 yards.
In the middle of his NFL career, he decided that he wanted to be an Olympian and took on the challenge of the bobsled. Walker made the U.S. Olympic team in the two-man bobsled and finished seventh at the 1992 games.
