ON THE FACE of it, a former professional cricketer taking up cage-fighting doesn’t appear to be the most natural career progression.
However, four years after quitting all forms of cricket, 40-year-old Adam Hollioake has decided to embark on a more active form of retirement than becoming just another low handicap golfer.
Instead, this May, Hollioake will begin a new career as a professional mixed martial artist when he takes on Joel Miller in a ‘Days of Glory’ promotion in Australia.
Miller, a black belt in taekwondo and judo, will be no easy test for the former England captain but he can at least call upon the boxing skills that saw him claim a fourth round knock out win over Leigh Blacka in his professional debut last Friday.
Hollioake is not the first professional sports person to switch codes to MMA, though many have met with mixed success.
Perhaps the most famous is former college wrestler, American football player and WWE star Brock Lesner whose eight-fight MMA career saw him win the UFC heavyweight championship before returning to the WWE earlier this year.
Former NFL Pro-Bowler Herschel Walker joined Strikeforce in 2010 and has recorded two victories in his two fights so far. Despite his initial success, there is no word yet on 50-year-old Walker’s next bout.
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Less successful in his switch to MMA was the former MLB star Jose Canseco who lost his one and only fight to Hong Man Choi.
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It remains to be seen how well Hollioake will adapt to life as a professional cage-fighter but you can’t doubt his bravery.
