UFC middleweight Ed Herman fights because he loves the sport and it’s a way to provide for his family.
But when the seven-year UFC veteran walks to the Octagon at UFC 150 as he prepares to take on former Strikeforce champion Jake Shields, it will be the song he plays as his entrance music that he will gain inspiration from.
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While most fighters listen to hip-hip or heavy metal to get amped up for a cage fight, the Ultimate Fighter season 3 finalist comes out to the somber acoustic blues song ‘Life by the Drop’ from the late Stevie Ray Vaughan.
“I remember hearing that song a little bit when I was a kid. My stepdad was a big Stevie Ray Vaughan fan and played the guitar. I grew up listening to that music,” Herman told sportsnet.ca in a phone interview.
“You know, I didn’t listen to it for a long time. After I moved to Colorado we were going through a lot of hard times — me and my business partner (former International Fight League lightweight champion Ryan Schultz). Financially, we both hadn’t fought in forever, we had just been struggling and that song just kept playing either on the radio, on my iPod and in the gym and for some reason it just meant a lot.”
The song reminds Herman of all the hard work he’s put into the sport, the trials he’s gone through in his life, and it reminds him that although every time he steps into the Octagon it’s the biggest fight of his life, at the end of the day it’s just a fight.
“Coming out to that song is kind of an emotional song for me and it really makes me feel that passion that I need to get in there and fight, so that’s the song I’ve been using that’s the song I’m using it again and I’m going to keep the streak rolling with it.”
Herman (20-7) has won three consecutive fights, one huge knockout and two impressive submissions. The 31-year-old meets Shields in a featured bout on the UFC 150 pay-per-view card and it’s a fight that could shake up the middleweight division.
“It’s probably deeper than it’s ever been, I feel. There’s so many guys who are legitimately right there for a title shot, so it’s hard to say who’s going to get the next title shot, who Anderson (Silva’s) camp will agree to fight, so it’s kind of a confusing mess.”
The combination of three straight impressive wins, plus years of fighting the division’s top talent has Herman right on the cusp of contender status.
“I see myself right there. I have fought the best guys. The guys I’ve lost to (like Alan Belcher and former No. 1 contender Demian Maia) are right at the top and a big win over Jake Shields is going to rocket me right up there in the mix of things and to maybe get a contender fight.”
Shields is moving back up to the 185-pound division after several less-than-stellar performances in the UFC’s welterweight division. Even though Shields hasn’t fought at middleweight since he defended his Strikeforce title against Dan Henderson over two years ago he is the favourite heading into Saturday.
“They always find a reason to look over me, underrate me, so I’ll be used to that. I’ll be coming in as an underdog again and even if I beat Jake I’ll be the underdog in my next fight too and that’s just fine.”
His opponent is considered one of the best grapplers in mixed martial arts but that doesn’t concern Herman, who has 11 submission wins of his own.
“I have watched tape on him and I’ve been a big fan of Jake’s for a long time. Not because his fights are the most exciting, he’s a really skilled grappler … I’m really familiar with his style.
“I think Jake’s the highest-level guy that I’m going to be fighting against. I fought Demian Maia whose jiu-jitsu is just as good but it’s a little different style; Jake has more of a top-game style. I can’t see his jiu-jitsu being any better than Demian Maia’s but he has been a world champion. Jake was the Strikeforce champion, he went undefeated for years and years in a row (from 2005 to 2011), he’s fought for the title and against some of the best in the world so I’m excited to get this opportunity.”
Shields believes Herman’s active style on the ground will play into his strengths but the Portland, Ore., native doesn’t see it that as a possibility.
“If I do end up on bottom I’m going to be attacking and use it to get up. I’m not going to wait down there; he’s too good at passing the guard and controlling dominant positions for me to mess around on my back trying to attack too much. If I do hit the ground on my back I’m going to be looking to get up or use submission attacks to get up.”
Herman, who owns and operates Trials Martial Arts and Fitness in Colorado, should have the crowd at the Pepsi Center in Denver behind him even though some fans aren’t aware he fights out of the state.
“I think a lot of people may not even know I’m out here; it’s been less than two years; I’m a little north of Denver, in a smaller town, Fort Collins. But regular people, casual fans are going to hear ‘fighting out of Colorado’ and they’ll cheer for me I’m hoping. It’s good to hear the crowd cheering for you.”
Another advantage Herman believes he’ll have is the fact he is used to training at high altitude. Shields lives in California, near sea level, and altitude has been known to affect fighters’ cardio if they’re not used to it.
“I think it may more than Jake realizes. He’s been out here for a week or so but that’s not long enough to adjust. Plus this is the end of his camp and you’re not training that hard at the end of your camp. You need to be out here training hard a little bit (to adjust).
“But you know it’s my first time fighting out here too with the adrenaline pumping and stuff. It could affect me even though I live out here. Jake’s a game opponent, I think he’s going to fight smart but I think it will be an advantage with my aggressive, push-the-pace style.”
Since a loss to Aaron Simpson three years ago — a fight in which he blew out his knee — Herman has changed his approach to his fighting career, and it shows in his recent win streak.
“I don’t put as much pressure on myself as I used to. I try to enjoy it and have fun,” Herman said. “I almost lost my career, multiple surgeries over two years. It’s an opportunity to restart my career and it really changed me mentally and the way I approach it.”
At UFC 150, Herman’s walkout song will not knockout or submit Shields, but it could perhaps provide Herman with the added motivation that leads to a fourth straight win in the UFC.
