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Strikeforce is definitely keeping Herschel Walker around, but thankfully, not to fight Jose Canseco.

“That’s not going to happen,” Coker said. “I know he wants to fight and he trained with Cesar Gracie, but I don’t think he’s training with Cesar anymore.”

Nice, what did that last all of a week? Anyhow, if Canseco was eying Strikeforce as an opportunity to raise funds to help pay off his $320,000 tax debt, it looks like he’ll need to look elsewhere.

Coker also noted that he’s not interested in signing any UFC cast-offs, specifically Mark Coleman and Frank Trigg. They’ll have to look elsewhere too, though for very different reasons than Canseco.

Image via Sherdog

Jose Canseco has been criticized up and down for pursuing a fight with Herschel Walker. It’s nothing new to him though, he says he gets criticized if he “breathes wrong,” so don’t think the overwhelming negative reaction from the MMA community is going to convince Canseco to back off. The way he sees it, why shouldn’t he fight Herschel Walker?

“You’re wrong. I was doing it before Herschel. I think it would be a perfect match. We are individual athletes that were great at what we did. Why can’t we transcend it to another arena. It’s more of a celebrity, entertainment type deal. It’s a lot of fun. Why not do it?”

“Why not do it if you’re capalbe of doing it? I was a professional athlete, the best baseball player in the world at one point. The need to stay young, the need to stay active, the need to compete [are all reasons]. I think you want to try every sport possible just to experience life.”

“We would not go in there unless we’re properly trained. With [Gracie's] training, with them behind you, with their support, you’re gonna see a real good fight.”

Canseco confirmed he met with Scott Coker a couple weeks ago, but it’s unclear if Strikeforce is actually giving him any serious consideration.

Who knows if Strikeforce will give Jose Canseco the Herschel Walker fight he’s been asking for (still a few conflicting reports on Strikeforce’s interest level), but Canseco sure is proceeding on with training at Cesar Gracie’s like it’s already been booked. Is Nick Diaz showing Canseco the ropes not the oddest sight you’ve ever seen?

So it looks like Jose Canseco is hell-bent on making this fight with Herschel Walker happen. Unlike his preview MMA fight against Hong Man Choi, he actually intends to train for this one, and Cesar Gracie has offered to facilitate. Yesterday was his first day as evidenced by the above photo with the Diaz brothers. Nick just looks so amused, doesn’t he? No word yet on what Strikeforce is thinking at this point, but they’re apparently at least willing to sit down and hear Canseco out. I still don’t like it, but if Canseco is actually willing to dedicate himself to a real training camp I suppose it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.

Now if they want to book Canseco against Don Frye then I am all about it. The verbal beating Frye would dish out would be epic. The physical one probably wouldn’t be too far behind. Just throwing that out there if this is what you want to do, Strikeforce.

HT: BE

Update: Strikeforce says they are not meeting with Jose Canseco nor entertaining the idea of matching him up with Herschel Walker.

Update 2: Okay, so Strikeforce has met with Jose Canseco though it’s unclear what came out of it.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker and Canseco gathered today in a San Jose, Calif.-area restaurant along with esteemed trainer Cesar Gracie to discuss the possibility of the former baseball star fighting for Strikeforce, according to Gracie, who spoke with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) Friday before the group met.

“Jose says baseball’s better than football, Gracie jiu-jitsu is better than AKA (American Kickboxing Academy) and he’s better than Herschel (Walker),” Gracie said. “Three strikes and you’re out.

“People will be amazed what kind of shape this guy is in. He throws a head kick like Cung Le.”

Of course he does.

I’ll say this, I don’t think Strikeforce booking Canseco vs. Walker would “hurt the sport” — at this point only something like a death in the cage on a major broadcast would — but I do think it would damage Strikeforce’s credibility. If I were Coker, I would steer clear. It’s just not worth it.

Dana White had a lot to say after yesterday’s UFC 109 pre-fight press conference. He talked about everything from the WEC and Strikeforce potentially going head-to-head on April 24 (which is “highly possible”) to ESPN giving the potential Herschel Walker vs. Jose Canseco so much coverage (apparently they have the same agent stirring the pot). He also said he likes Nick Diaz, but he needs to “learn how to play the game,” and he did not have an intervention with Chuck Liddell despite what Tito Ortiz says.

“I tell you what: Anybody who fights an [expletive] like James Toney or Herschel Walker or Jose Canseco or any of them other [expletives] that come into our sport at their age should be required to take them down and break as many bones as possible on them and keep them crippled for six-to-eight weeks…I’d break both their [expletive] arms so they’d have to hire somebody to wipe their ass for the next six-to-eight weeks. It should be a requirement…That’s why nobody respects this sport, and it’s just a circus act right now. They have these morons come in at the age they should be sitting in the retirement home, and they walk in and get a high-dollar fight.”

—Don Frye on MMA Junkie Radio telling everyone how he really feels about aged athletes trying to break into MMA

Can’t blame Frye for getting angry every time he hears about a well past-his-prime professional athlete getting a big payday in MMA because they have a recognizable name. When Frye was in his prime purses were a small fraction of what they are now, and now he’s at an age where he risks severely diminishing his quality of life every time he steps in the cage just for a decent size paycheck. If guys like Toney and Canseco actually added something to the sport, it would be one thing, but considering they don’t in the slightest, yeah, I’d be pissed too.

You can always count on Don Frye to tell it how it really is.

Image via Sherdog

Now that all the dust has settled from Jose Canseco’s Super Hulk match against Hong Man Choi, I know you’re all dying to know, what’s next for the former slugger?

Well, lucky for you, I’ve got the answer. On July, 24, Canseco will look to rebound from the nail-biting Choi loss against another worthy opponent, a competitive eater.

So Jose Canseco and five-time Wing Bowl champion Bill “El Wingador” Simmons are set to fight July 24 in Damon Feldman’s Celebrity Boxing 10.

If Canseco were fighting that little Japanese dude that can scarf down 50 hot dogs in five minutes, then I’d say he’s screwed, but since he’s fighting the “El Wingador,” I don’t know man, I think it could either way.

Even if Canseco loses though, no need to start worrying about his future. He’s got it covered.

But in case you didn’t know, the Web site AthletePromotions.com alerts us that Canseco is available to be paid for a far-ranging list of activities for which the only skill required is being Jose Canseco.

“Jose Canseco is now available for corporate event appearances, personal appearances, casino appearances, tradeshow appearances, corporate golf tournaments, sports camps, autograph signings, endorsement deals, television commercials, radio commercials, store grand openings, new product launch campaigns, spokesperson campaigns and speaking appearances.”

He’s also suing Major League Baseball for lost wages and defamation of character. Now, that’s a man who’s got his shit together.

Image via Sherdog

Fights and results after the jump.

Props to Fight Hymn and MMAShare for the videos.

More DREAM.9 fight videos coming shortly.

The DREAM.9 weigh-ins took place earlier today in Japan.

All fighters made weight. Minowaman and Sokoudjou are both giving up 100+lbs against their opponents. Canseco’s giving up about 80lbs, and Mousasi’s giving up almost 70lbs to Hunt.

And by the way, Canseco says he’s scared.

“I’m not gonna lie to you; I’m scared,” Canseco said. “This guy is huge. I’m a 44-year-old rookie and have had a lot of challenges in my baseball career. Hopefully, I can do well.”

The weigh-in results (via Nightmare Of Battle):

• Ronaldo Jacare (184.5lbs/83.7kg) vs. Jason “Mayhem” Miller (185.2lbs/84kg)
• Norifumi “KID” Yamamoto (137.1lbs/62.2kg) vs. Joe Warren (138lbs/62.6kg)
• Masakazu Imanari (138.9lbs/63kg) vs. Bibiano Fernandes (138.5lbs/62.8kg)
• Yoshiro Maeda (138.5lbs/62.8kg) vs. Hiroyuki Takaya (138.9lbs/63kg)
• Abel Cullum (138.2lbs/62.7kg) vs. Hideo Tokoro (138.2lbs/62.7kg)
• Tatsuya Kawajiri (154.3lbs/70kg) vs. J.Z. Cavalcante (154.3lbs/70kg)
• Gegard Mousasi (218.3lbs/99kg) vs. Mark Hunt (286.6lbs/130kg)
• Jan Nortje (352.7lbs/160kg) vs. Rameau Sokoudjou (224.9lbs/102kg)
• Hong Man Choi (330.7lbs/150kg) vs. Jose Canseco (253.5lbs/115kg)
• Ikuhisa “Minowaman” Minowa (196.1lbs/89kg) vs. Bob Sapp (319.7lbs/145kg)

DREAM.9 will take place tomorrow, May 26, at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan and will air live on HDNet at 5AM ET.

More images at DREAMOfficial.com.