Herschel challenges UFC president to fight

By Larry Hartstein

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Herschel Walker's entry to mixed martial arts fighting hasn't been a quiet one.

After the Georgia legend signed a multi-fight deal with Strikeforce, an up-and-coming MMA organization, last week, UFC President Dana White took shots at the 47-year-old Walker.

"Doing stupid things like this, putting a 50-year-old guy in the Octagon for the first time, and then going out there putting out press releases like it's a big deal because you signed 50-year-old Herschel Walker?" White said on the "Inside the Ultimate Fighter" podcast. "Are you serious?"

Walker fired back Tuesday on ESPN2's "First Take," challenging White to a fight.

"Dana always tells people to put their money where your mouth is," Walker said, according to mmajunkie.com. "And I'll tell Dana that since he says I'm so old, why doesn't he step in the ring with me because he's been practicing (MMA) as well?"

The money from the fight would go to charity, Walker said.

Walker, who won the 1982 Heisman Trophy at UGA, holds a fifth-degree black belt in tae kwon do and has been trained in muay thai and kenpo. He's scheduled to start a 12-week training camp soon and make his MMA debut as a heavyweight early next year.