When did Bobby Lashley leave Strikeforce??

[skflives]

http://mmajunkie.com/news/22520/ex-strikeforce-fighter-bobby-lashley-headlines-hdnets-titan-fc-17-on-march-25.mma

Former WWE star and ex-Strikeforce fighter Bobby Lashley returns to the cage on March 25 to headline the HDNet-televised Titan Fighting Championships 17 event.

Officials today announced Lashley (5-1) fights M-1 Challenger James Jack (6-2-1) at the show.

The event takes place March 25 at Historic Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan.

A previously announced bout between Phil Baroni and Nick Nolte co-headlines the show.

"We received an overwhelming amount of positive feedback from the MMA community following our HDNet debut on Jan. 28," stated Titan Fighting CEO Joe Kelly, who featured an Abe Wagner vs. Tim Sylvia headliner this past month. "A lot of unique opportunities have presented themselves to Titan since the show, and working with Bobby Lashley was one of them. We are really excited to be working with Bobby as he continues his pursuit of MMA greatness."

Lashley opened his MMA career in 2008 with five consecutive wins, including a first-round TKO of Wes Sims in his 2010 Strikeforce debut. But later that year, he suffered a second-round TKO loss to Chad Griggs and then severed ties with the promotion.

The Kansas native and amateur-wrestling champion at Missouri Valley College now fights close to home. Some questioned whether the former WWE fighter would give up the sport altogether.

Jack enters the fight on a four-fight win streak, though he hasn't competed since December 2009. Five of his six wins have come via stoppage, four via knockout. One of his lone losses came to "The Ultimate Fighter 2" runner Brad Imes back in 2008.

He left Strikeforce??? Really? Was he upset that they didn't coddle him enough. WTF.

[cowboyronnie]

SF had him over a barrel. That loss was the last fight of his contract and they had matching rights to any other offers. They evidently didn't re-sign him.

[CPT]

Phil Baroni is fighting Nick Nolte?

Awesome.

[skflives]

I don't blame them. He's been such a disappointment and probably cost them a pretty penny. Still I wish they gave him another chance.

[Cammo101]

Strikeforce will move on and find a new novelty act. Maybe have Hershell Walker fight a bear in a steel cage match.

[skflives]

Strikeforce will move on and find a new novelty act. Maybe have Hershell Walker fight a bear in a steel cage match.

Or maybe they'll have Fedor fight a punchy 40 something year old and grossly overweight former middleweight boxing champion who is making his MMA debut. And maybe just maybe they'll put it on PPV. Naaaaaah. That's too minor league even for Strikeforce.

[Cammo101]

Strikeforce will move on and find a new novelty act. Maybe have Hershell Walker fight a bear in a steel cage match.

Or maybe they'll have Fedor fight a punchy 40 something year old and grossly overweight former middleweight boxing champion who is making his MMA debut. And maybe just maybe they'll put it on PPV. Naaaaaah. That's too minor league even for Strikeforce.

The UFC put on a one time fight only because Toney begged for the fight. Toney is a trained fighter and world class boxer. Was it a novelty fight? Sure. But, there is a huge difference between the UFC bringing in a great boxer for one fight and Strikeforce bringing in 60 year old former football players or roided out pro wrestlers.

Had Toney gone to Strikeforce, he would still be there and still fighting guys with 1-3 records on main cards.

[skflives]

Strikeforce will move on and find a new novelty act. Maybe have Hershell Walker fight a bear in a steel cage match.

Or maybe they'll have Fedor fight a punchy 40 something year old and grossly overweight former middleweight boxing champion who is making his MMA debut. And maybe just maybe they'll put it on PPV. Naaaaaah. That's too minor league even for Strikeforce.

The UFC put on a one time fight only because Toney begged for the fight. Toney is a trained fighter and world class boxer. Was it a novelty fight? Sure. But, there is a huge difference between the UFC bringing in a great boxer for one fight and Strikeforce bringing in 60 year old former football players or roided out pro wrestlers.

Had Toney gone to Strikeforce, he would still be there and still fighting guys with 1-3 records on main cards.

There are big differences between Herschell Walker and James Toney. Herschell Walker is humble and articulate spokesman for the sport who is only competing because he loves this sport. James Toney isn't the complete opposite of humble and to try and prove MMA was inferior to boxing. Herschell Walker donates his fight purse to charity. James Toney was mainly involved to get the kind of payday he can no longer get in boxing. Herschell Walker trains with American Kickboxing academy. James Toney trained with a fully stocked buffet. Herschell Walker is still an athlete that moves like a much younger man. James Toney is a athlete that moves like a much younger Elephant seal. Herschell Walker is a legitimate heavyweight with a heavyweight punch. James Toney is only a heavyweight because he never had the discipline to exercise or eat right. Herschell Walkers fights were shown on free TV or a premium cable channel where the viewers had already paid for the right to have the channel. James Toney's fight was on a $49.95 PPV.

Hell, Ray Mercer would have been a more legitimate opponent for Randy Couture. At least that 50 year old washed up former boxing champion was a legit heavyweight with a legit punchers chance of winning.

[CPT]

...and James Toney would probably beat Herschel Walker into the ground.

[High 5]

...and James Toney would probably beat Herschel Walker into the ground.

Yeah, I don't know about that. Walker is 1,000x the athlete and actually has some knowledge when it comes to MMA. Toney would get worn down and pummeled for a TKO.

[skflives]

James Toney would lose to me in an MMA fight. His reflexes are shot and he fell when Randy Couture grabbed his foot. And once again, Hershel Walker trains at AKA. That means he's training with guys like Daniel Cormier, Josh Koshcek and Cain Velesquez. Surely he'd be prepared to handle someone like Toney in an MMA fight.

[Cammo101]

You guys are nuts if you think Walker would beat Toney in an MMA fight. Toney would knock Walker's head into the 3rd row.

[High 5]

Toney is a step up from a bean bag in a MMA fight. Whatever boxing ability he has left doesn't mean much when he moves like a slug and can't defend a takedown to save his life.

[Cammo101]

Toney is a step up from a bean bag in a MMA fight. Whatever boxing ability he has left doesn't mean much when he moves like a slug and can't defend a takedown to save his life.

Has Walker fought anyone on the level of a bean bag yet? All we know about Walker is that he can beat hand picked bums. If Toney hits him one time, he is going to sleep.

[skflives]

Yea. Because Toney has an extensive history of KO power at heavyweight. When he knocked out that dominanting heavyweight with a won-loss record of 12-5 in his last boxing match in September of 2009 it was his first knockout since he KO'ed Evander Holyfield in October 2003. The only way a punch of Toney's is going to put any heavyweight to sleep is if when he hits you you're automatically forced to watch the 14 minutes of the Frank Mir/Mirko Cro Cop fight instantaneously. Facts are facts and you're going to have to face them some day Cammo101.

[cowboyronnie]

Yea. Because Toney has an extensive history of KO power at heavyweight. When he knocked out that dominanting heavyweight with a won-loss record of 12-5 in his last boxing match in September of 2009 it was his first knockout since he KO'ed Evander Holyfield in October 2003. The only way a punch of Toney's is going to put any heavyweight to sleep is if when he hits you you're automatically forced to watch the 14 minutes of the Frank Mir/Mirko Cro Cop fight instantaneously. Facts are facts and you're going to have to face them some day Cammo101.

You just have no **** idea.

There are so many variables involved in boxers hitting boxers and boxers hitting MMAers, even aside from the 4oz gloves. Boxers when hit move with punches lessening their impact, see punches better and are at a defensive range where far less clean punches land.

None of your arguments (in any thread) suggest you know the slightest thing about fight sports aside from what you can quote from FightFinder and boxrec.

[Cammo101]

Yea. Because Toney has an extensive history of KO power at heavyweight. When he knocked out that dominanting heavyweight with a won-loss record of 12-5 in his last boxing match in September of 2009 it was his first knockout since he KO'ed Evander Holyfield in October 2003. The only way a punch of Toney's is going to put any heavyweight to sleep is if when he hits you you're automatically forced to watch the 14 minutes of the Frank Mir/Mirko Cro Cop fight instantaneously. Facts are facts and you're going to have to face them some day Cammo101.

LOL at this post, it reads like a post of someone who just started watching MMA. Go look at what gloves boxers wear, then at the gloves MMA nfighter wear. Then go look at the kind of punch that KO's and MMA fighter and compare it to the kind of punch that KO's a boxer.

Toney with small gloves has one punch KO power to put any HW to sleep. Period.

[High 5]

Toney is a step up from a bean bag in a MMA fight. Whatever boxing ability he has left doesn't mean much when he moves like a slug and can't defend a takedown to save his life.

Has Walker fought anyone on the level of a bean bag yet? All we know about Walker is that he can beat hand picked bums. If Toney hits him one time, he is going to sleep.

Perhaps if he was able to land a nice power punch flush, but the odds of that happening are slim to none. No movement, no wrestling/bjj techniques to speak of, and no real athleticism or will to win anymore. I may have been unfair to the bean bag.

[Cammo101]

Toney is a step up from a bean bag in a MMA fight. Whatever boxing ability he has left doesn't mean much when he moves like a slug and can't defend a takedown to save his life.

Has Walker fought anyone on the level of a bean bag yet? All we know about Walker is that he can beat hand picked bums. If Toney hits him one time, he is going to sleep.

Perhaps if he was able to land a nice power punch flush, but the odds of that happening are slim to none. No movement, no wrestling/bjj techniques to speak of, and no real athleticism or will to win anymore. I may have been unfair to the bean bag.

While everything you have said may be some variation of true, it does not change the fact that we have seen nothing imply Walker is anything but a can. You are acting like Walker is some established wrester or something. Walker is a guy who looked okay taking down guys with 1-3 records. He ain't Randy. Toney will throw punches at Walker, and if one lands, it's night night time. I don't care how tough and in shape Walker is, if he takes one decent shot from Toney, it is lights out.

None of this changes the fact that the UFC put Toney, an established fighter, in a fight he begged for against a real fighter to prove a point. That is not the same as what Strikeforce is doing, which is taking anyone with any name recognition and putting them in with cans to draw ratings. Give it a few weeks and Canseco and Tonya Harding will be in Strikeforce...possibly fighting each other.

[REDDzone]

I love how Herschel Walker is a can but Toney is an "established fighter."

When it comes to MMA, its impossible to be less "established" than either guy (well, in terms of top promotions, anyway). Both are cans at this point. Hell, in some states professional boxers are allowed to compete in amateur MMA matches I'm pretty sure.