



UFC President Dana White has made no secret that he hates the idea of 40-something athletes like Herschel Walker and Jose Canseco going into mixed martial arts after they're too old to compete in football and baseball. But UFC announcer Joe Rogan explored the subject with fellow MMA broadcaster Michael Schiavello on The Voice vs. Joe Rogan (which debuts Friday night on HDNet), and Rogan says he thinks MMA should welcome athletes from other sports.



"I don't think it in any way harms mixed martial arts," Rogan said. "I liked watching the Herschel Walker fight. I thought it was interesting. I loved the fact that here's a guy who's an elite athlete, who's 47 years old, that just decides that this is something he wanted to pursue for a while, that does it the right way, goes to AKA, trains with a very respectable camp, with some of the best guys in the world, and really puts in the work and does the right thing."



I attended the Herschel Walker fight in Miami, and I agree with Rogan: Herschel did it the right way, and he should be commended for that.



Canseco, however, doesn't want to approach MMA the right way. He just wants a quick paycheck. Rogan knows that, but he says that's OK, too.



"The Jose Canseco thing, you know, was just a guy who needs some money and Japan loves freak shows," Rogan said. "I watched it. I like a freak show every now and then. It's not the same as watching a great fight between two really talented fighters and you don't know what's going to happen, but I like them. I don't think it's bad. I don't think these guys entering into MMA does anything other than give MMA attention. And if anything, it highlights the very obvious difference between a guy like an Anderson Silva -- you watch Anderson Silva fight and then you watch Herschel Walker fight. I think it's good. I think it's good for people to see. As long as there's more eyes on MMA. That's what I think is important."



Good stuff from Rogan. His full conversation with Schiavello will definitely be worth watching.