If you look back to the Ultimate Fight season 3 cast, there aren’t many current UFC employees there. Even coaches Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock have moved on in their careers leaving only two men behind. The first of those men is winner of the light heavyweight tournament on that season and current middleweight champion, Michael Bisping. The second is current UFC light heavyweight, Ed “Short Fuse” Herman.

In his recent interview with Top Turtle MMA Podcast, Herman talked about his ability to stick around in the UFC, as well as his future fights and plan.

ON STAYING POWER

When asked about how he’s been able to stay around for 11 years when the roster changes so often, Herman was quick and blunt with his answer.

“I’m a bad motherfucker.” he said with a laugh.

On a more serious note, he expressed how he thinks his style is a major contributor to why the ownership likes having him.

“I feel like I put on good fights, win or lose… I think my fights are entertaining. I come to scrap every time.”

ON HIS NEXT FIGHT

Herman next steps into the cage with CB Dollaway. Although Dollaway is typically seen as a wrestler, “Short Fuse” isn’t sure that’s what we’re going to see at first.

“CB can wrestle for sure, but he’s been working on his boxing a lot and it getting pretty confident with it as well…. Seems like the last half dozen fights he’s spent a lot of time on his feet.”

However, Herman doesn’t think he’ll stick with that gameplan long when he realizes what he’s up against.

“I think he’s gonna try to box until he feels some power and then he’ll start shooting.”

ON HIS GRAPPLING

Although Herman has began to see the value in his power standing, he also knows what his ground game is and what it could be.

“I could be a black belt by now, but I don’t always spend as much time in the gi as I should.”

Still, his time training with renowned ground specialist, Fabiano Scherner, he feels has given him the tools to win on the ground, even if he doesn’t always use them.

“My skills on the ground are there. I’ve shown it in some of my earlier fights; Kyle Noke [fight] you got to see some of my ground game… [I just] get caught up standing and banging.”

As a possible way to circumnavigate that desire to stand and bang, Herman has also considered getting more serious about grappling.

“I was kind of on board to be on SUG [Submission Underground] 1 or 2, but I had a fight come up and there was another time I had an injury…. I’d really like to get on one of those cards or start competing in other places as well, but I got to find the time for it and I can’t afford to get hurt.”