Go White Ranger...to Strikeforce?

When you talk about professional athletes crossing over into the world of Mixed Martial Arts, there always seems to be certain stigmas attached to them. Brock Lesnar was a highly distinguished amateur wrestler, but most people saw him as the guy that entertained legions of pro wrestling fans as a headline attraction for the World Wrestling Entertainment promotion. Herschel Walker was a titan of the gridiron, but was subject to near-constant abuse by UFC president Dana White for his status as an inexperienced rookie completely undeserving of all the publicity his transition to MMA garnered. But few may have it as rough as former television star and budding amateur Mixed Martial Artists Jason David Frank. As part of the Power Rangers television franchise, Frank became a hero to children across the world, and his popularity swelled to idol-like proportions during the Ranger’s heyday in the early-to-mid 90’s. Now focused on turning pro, Frank recently talked about his goals as a professional Mixed Martial Artists, and on the top of his list: signing to the Strikeforce promotion.

Let’s get one thing out of the way, right off the bat: Jason David Frank will probably never outgrow his typecasting as the Green/White/Red/whatever Ranger. As a child of the 90’s myself, I honestly can’t recall a single person in my elementary-grade classes that hadn’t caught the Power Rangers fever. It was cheesy, low-budget eye-candy with simple-to-follow plots, decent acting, and admittedly awesome fight scenes. No one thing really stood out as excellent, but it all somehow combined to make a show that most kids watched/followed on a near-religious level. And a huge part of that show’s success was Jason David Frank, who I actually consider the best actor to ever appear on the long-running series (that’s probably not the highest of high praise, but Frank practically stole the show in just about every major episode he was ever involved in). The only thing that will get people to focus on Jason David Frank instead of Tommy Oliver (the character Frank portrayed) is if Frank can start chaining together some wins.

It’s not such a tall task, either, given the fact that Frank isn’t a “cross-over athlete”, but has specifically been training in martial arts since, according to him, he was four years old. As an amateur, Frank has compiled a perfect 4-0 record, with his last two fights ending before the thirty-second mark. The potential is there, and it’s up to Frank to harness it. But if Frank wants to find enough success to break into Strikeforce, he’ll have to do it soon. At 36 years of age, Frank has roughly four years left before the dreaded cut-off date of 40, which has found itself somehow generally accepted as the age where a Mixed Martial Artist begins to slow down and lose some of his skills.

I don’t want this to come as a knock on Strikeforce (I personally think the promotion should do whatever they can and sign whomever they can in order to stay alive) but I can see them scooping up Frank for a multi-fight deal after he gets only a handful of fights on his professional record. I don’t see them putting him in the main event, but I don’t see him debuting on a Challengers show either. I think the starting fight of a CBS card may be in Frank’s future, so long as he gets a few wins under his belt.

And really, would that be so bad? Frank is a decorated martial artist and appears to be taking this seriously despite his celebrity status. Plus, Frank seems highly motivated to prove that he’s not just a kid’s TV star, but a legitimate fighter out to make his mark in the MMA world. He may not win a championship, but he’d draw in viewers and may actually get a few wins under his belt. Ultimately, I think going to Strikeforce would prove beneficial for all parties involved, so long as Frank earns and continues to earn his spot in the world’s second-largest promotion.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Will Jason David Frank sink or swim in the world of professional Mixed Martial Arts?