Strikeforce and Herschel Walker: A Perfect Marriage

Josh Stein from MMAOpinion put together a very though provoking piece about Strikeforce and how they are using their fighters(Strikeforce:The things that matter, and the things that don't).  It was a good article, unfortunately I didn't agree with him.

Throughout the article he talks about how Strikeforce's show tonight is eerily similar to some of the things the now retired Elite XC organization was doing.  One of which is the use of Herschel Walker.

Josh said this about Walker and SForce...

"The fact that Herschel Walker (0-0 MMA) is being pushed by Strikeforce as a legitimate talent before he makes his debut is bothersome, and the fact that his first fight against an unknown heavyweight who may still kick his ass is on the main card of an event is something that Strikeforce shouldn’t be proud of. But it’s not going to bother them, for the same reason it didn’t bother EliteXC to put on a less than stellar show when they showed up in Miami."

I for one have no problem with the way that they are using Walker's fame and popularity to generate interest in their organization.

Herschel Walker is THE most popular athlete to ever compete in MMA.  Sure, that is a bold statement...but it is true.  He is not a Brock Lesnar, Chuck Liddell, or Fedor, but until Tim Tebow came a long, he was considered the best College Football player in history.  Let that sink in...THE BEST EVER (purely opinion, but many others share it)!

Tonight Strikeforce will put Herchel on display.  He is not the main event, he is not fighting for a title, and he is not the "biggest" MMA name on the card.  He is simply a well designed addition that will make people watch.  Supplement that with Bobby Lashley, Nate Diaz, Robbie Lawler, and Cyborg...And you have a fight card that people want to see. 

There will be tons of people that tune into Showtime to see Herchel fight, that will see some other key fighters.  This is how you get new fans, viewers, and big time ratings.

It is all a business, and Herschel is nothing more than a piece in Strikeforce's business model. 

Strikeforce is not the UFC.  They do not have the best talent in their weight classes, but they are a legitimate organization.  They have to rely on other tactics to get people to watch, and Herschel Walker is a perfect addition.

Not to mention he is a true athlete, and rumors are...He is pretty good at this fighting game.

Picture from MMAJunkie.com