IN BRIEF

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

Former NFL star Walker wins Strikeforce debut

Former NFL star Herschel Walker stopped Hungarian fighter Greg Nagy in the third round Saturday night to win his mixed martial arts debut, on a Strikeforce card in Sunrise, Fla.

Walker drove Nagy into the fence early in the third. After a flurry of punches, referee Troy Waugh called the fight.

"The experience was exciting," Walker said. "This is the hardest thing I've ever done."

Still trim and fit at 47, Walker used his strength advantage to wear down the 26-year-old Nagy (1-2).

WINTER SPORTS

U.S. skier Vonn has downhill streak halted

Lindsey Vonn is no longer perfect in downhill races.

Vonn, the world champion and two-time World Cup champ in the event, is now a mere 5-for-6 this season. She placed fifth in St. Moritz, Switzerland, after her ski hit a hole in a race won by Germany's Maria Riesch.

The American had actually won six straight, including the final downhill race of last season. Vonn's next test in the downhill is a big one -- the Vancouver Games on Feb. 17.

Riesch was timed in 1 minute, 41.31 seconds on the Corviglia course and trails Vonn by 61 points in the overall standings.

Also: Shaun White received what a Winter X Games doctor called a thorough medical evaluation before he was cleared to head back down the superpipe after a skull-rattling accident that left him seeing stars in Aspen Colo.

White told friends he was feeling better than he thought he would, a day after he slammed his face on the pipe during Winter X Games practice while trying his most difficult and dangerous trick, the Double McTwist 1260.

ESPN medical staff said they checked him out at the bottom of the hill, then back again on top, in the 15 minutes that passed before the defending Olympic champion made his next practice run.

Showing no signs of concussion, White was cleared to continue competing Friday, and he went out and did the Double McTwist 1260 to win his third straight championship in the biggest halfpipe event this side of the Olympics.

MISCELLANEOUS

Bold Chieftain claims Sunshine Millions Classic

Bold Chieftain and jockey Russell Baze wove through tight traffic to complete a wild rally and beat Palladio by a neck, and heavy favorite The Usual Q.T. faded to last in the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Classic at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

A California-bred 7-year-old trained by Bill Morey Jr., Bold Chieftain was seventh in the early going, moved up to sixth on the final turn, then split and bumped horses through the stretch for the win, covering 1 1/8 miles in 1 minute, 48.33 seconds.

Bold Chieftain paid $12.20, $4.80 and $4. Palladio paid $6.60 and $4.40. The longest shot in the field, Unusual Smoke, was third and paid $13.40 to show.

Also: The Wranglers gave up a goal with two minutes remaining, then allowed an empty-netter in a 3-1 ECHL loss to the Utah Grizzlies in West Valley City, Utah.

John Schwarz scored for Las Vegas (18-21-4) in the second period, tying the game at 1.

Germany's Sebastian Sylvester (33-3) stopped Billy Lyell (21-8) in the 10th round to retain his IBF middleweight championship in Neubrandenburg, Germany.

Lyell's corner threw in the towel after Sylvester landed a hard right to the American's chin and followed through with more shots to Lyell's head and body.