Add
Carlton Haselrig to the list of former NFL players venturing into the world of
mixed martial arts.
Haselrig,
who played with Pittsburgh (1990 to 1993) and
the New York Jets (1995), is set to make his MMA debut April 19 in Atlantic City, N.J.
Nicknamed “Don’t Blink,” Haselrig will be facing fellow 265-pound fighter Shane
Ott in the main event of Battle Cage Extreme IV.
Haselrig,
42, remains the only six-time NCAA champion Greco-Roman wrestler (he won three
titles on both the Division I and Division II levels). Despite not having
played football collegiately, Haselrig was voted to the 1992 Pro Bowl just four
seasons after being a 12th-round Steelers draft choice.
But drug
and alcohol problems derailed Haselrig’s football career, leading to a 1995 NFL
suspension while he was with the Jets. Haselrig also has gotten arrested on
numerous occasions.
Johnny
Morton, Michael Westbrook, Bob Sapp and Marcus Jones are other NFL players who
have pursued MMA careers after leaving football. Sapp, a 1997 third-round draft
pick by Chicago, has become a superstar in Japan although was
knocked out last month in his U.S. MMA debut to Jan Nortje.
Alex Marvez is a Senior NFL Writer for FOXSports.com . He's covered the NFL for 13 seasons as a beat writer and is the president of the Pro Football Writers of America.