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James Haskell to MMA: Other stars who have switched sports

TOPSHOT - Jamaica's Usain Bolt poses after taking third in the final of the men's 100m athletics event at the 2017 IAAF World Championships at the London S

With former England rugby union player James Haskell set to make his MMA debut with Bellator early next year, we look at other stars who have switched sports.

Here are some other sporting greats who have switched sports - with varying degrees of success.

Usain Bolt - athletics to football

Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt celebrates scoring a goal for A-League football club Central Coast Mariners in his first competitive start for the club against Macarthur South West United in Sydney on October 12, 2018

Bolt's professional football aspirations lasted all of eight weeks. The world's fastest man signed a two-year contract with Australia's Central Coast Mariners but amid criticism over his ability, he quit the deal early and announced his retirement.

Sonny Bill Williams - rugby to boxing

New Zealand's Sonny Bill Williams celebrates winning the Rugby World Cup Final at Twickenham, London.

Not content with switching between rugby league and union codes, the All Blacks Centre also embarked on a career in professional boxing. He was unbeaten in seven fights between 2009 and 2015 and also held the New Zealand heavyweight title.

Michael Jordan - basketball to baseball

Michael Jordan shows his emotions after sealing his sixth NBA title

Having won his third successive NBA title with Chicago Bulls in 1993, Jordan embarked on a minor league baseball career. He played for the Birmingham Barons and the Scottsdale Scorpions but after two largely unsuccessful years, he returned to the NBA.

Victoria Pendleton - cycling to horse racing

Victoria Pendleton at Cheltenham Festival

Double Olympic gold-winning cyclist Pendleton swapped saddles to become an amateur jockey. She won her first race at Wincanton in 2016 and went on to place fifth in a race at the Cheltenham Festival, calling it "probably the greatest achievement of my life".

Dame Sarah Storey - swimming to cycling

Dame Sarah Storey is Britain's most successful Paralympian of the modern era

After winning six swimming medals at the Barcelona Paralympics at the age of 14, persistent ear infections prompted Storey to switch sports to cycling. She went on to become the most successful female British Paralympic athlete of all time - and was made a Dame in 2013.

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Rebecca Romero - rowing to cycling

Rebecca Romero of Great Britain celebrates after winning the gold medal in the women's individual pursuit track cycling final held at the Laoshan Velodrome during Day 9 of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games on August 17, 2008 in Beijing, China

As a rower, Romero won silver at the 2004 Olympics and gold at the following year's World Championships. When a persistent back injury forced her to stop competing, she swapped boat for bike. In 2008 she became the first British woman to win a medal in two different Olympic sports - this one was gold.

Paolo Maldini - football to tennis

Paolo Maldini in action in 2005

Defender Maldini won almost everything at AC Milan, but his professional tennis career was another matter. After a 6-1 6-1 defeat in the doubles tournament at an ATP Challenger Tournament in Milan, he admitted: "Those who know sport know very well that it's impossible to invent yourself as a professional from one day to the next."

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