Former England skipper Adam Hollioake to become cage-fighter

Adam Hollioake retired from international cricket in 2004 © Getty Images

By CricketCountry Staff

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Queensland: Apr 30, 2012

 

Former England cricketer Adam Hollioake is set to make his debut as a professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter in Queensland on Saturday.

 

Brisbane-born 40-year-old Hollioake, who quit international cricket in 2004 and also made a brief return to play Twenty20s in 2007, was often described as a fighter.

 

Hollioake will take on Joel Millar, as part of an event called ‘Days of Glory’ in Broadbeach, Queensland.

 

The former England cricketer will be fighting in a style based on boxing.

 

“It’s been almost 30 years in the making. I was 12 when I first started boxing. It was just something I really enjoyed from the start,” Hollioake was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

 

“In cricket, you might bowl five or six different balls or play five or six different shots, but in MMA you never stop learning. There are just so many different combinations. I try to keep it simple,” he said. 

 

“I don’t really try to complicate anything. When I was playing cricket, I didn’t have a particularly complicated style. I wasn’t very talented as a bowler. I didn’t have natural speed or natural height, so I had to just do what I could,” he added.