Whatever happened to Heath Herring?

[GSP_37]

got literally run over by cock chestnar and got retired. after talking a shitload of smack about him beforehand. was pretty embarrassing really.

Didn't he get eyepoked bef the match started, maybe by the ref?

 

[moreorless87]

There's no way Heath would've beaten either Ricco or Couture at that point in time, they're awful matchups for him.

And the only reason he beat Erikson was due to Tom's age more than anything, a younger Erikson would've kept controlling him without much trouble.

I would give Heath a very good chance against Randy personally, Couture would definitely be able to take him down a lot but and yeah he is a better striker technically than guys like Kerr or Erikson but theres such a big difference in chin their and Heath in his prime also had great cardio. In pride espeicaly with knees on the ground it might only need one sweep for Heath to win plus he's always be one shot away from it standing.

Ricco I think would be a tougher fight since I think he'd probably find it easier to control Heath on the ground and he was a bit tougher but still I think Heath would probably be able to stay in the fight and cardio might start to turn in his favour.

 

[rudy323]

He’s married to a poker media reporter now named Sarah Herring

 

[ryun253]

he beat up frank mir in a parking lot a few years ago.

So fake. Mir would've been slept after the first punch

 

[CasualBot]

pretty sure that WWE trial run kicked in ...

when he summersaulted backwards from a punch.

That shit was absurd, on the level of Aljo.

 

[JakePaulMMA]

I think he realized he could play tough guys in movies and TV shows and get payed the same or more as fighting while taking less damage.

Sounds like living the childhood dream.

 

[P4p Islam]

Slim, athletic, motivated and in shape 2000 - 2004 Herring vs Sylvia, Couture, Ricco, Arlovski and with presumption of allowed knees on the ground = even chances for Heath. Probably takes UFC belt at some point, that was passed arround by those guys almost every fight.

Often neglected and underrated in recent times, because he failed to get some belt, while holders of B UFC belt from those times got praised as champions because UFC brand prevailed in the long run.
In reallity Herring did not have lesser career than for example Tim Sylvia or Ricco Rodriguez. They just got belts because they were in weaker league, while Heath was title challenger in A league.

If we compaire career wins of Tim Sylvia vs Heath Herring, it is about even.

Tim Sylvia:
big wins:
Arlovski 2x, Ricco, McGee, Monson
other good wins:
Vera, Rothwell, Correira, Telligman, Buentello, Assuerio, Whitehead

Heath Herring:
big wins:
Kerr, Vovchanchyn, Erikson, McGee, Kongo
other good wins:
Inoue, Tanner, Goodridge, Schrijber, Kochkine,

It is about the same.

Im sorry, what?

 

[mkt]

And Herring came back after an 8-year layoff only to fight a former Greco gold medalist who did the same thing to him. If you're going to come back to MMA at age 38 after like a near decade layoff, fight another veteran your age, or better yet some journeymen to ease back into the sport.

 

[mkt]

Had an ok run in Pride, came to the UFC for a meh run including getting his ass handed to him by a pro rassler, then went off to be in bad movies that get seen by 8 people and it looks like that didn't pan out too well either.
https://m.imdb.com/name/nm2542765/

I'd give him a little more respect than that. He started in the 90s and like others from his generation (Travis Fulton, Evan Tanner, both early opponents of his) he had nothing but a high school wrestling background and probably learned mostly from VHS tapes and getting in the cage at local events. He was well-rounded but not elite in any area. A good athlete, but again not the best. Beat most of the guys he fought in his prime outside Big Nog, Cro-Cop and Fedor. Dubbed the "wrestler killer" for beating Mark Kerr and Tom Erickson when they were still half-decent...I think this earned him the Lesnar fight. Beat Kongo in a sloppy, close fight in the UFC. Kongo went on to become the perennial UFC gatekeeper and later Bellator champ.

 

[mkt]

Im sorry, what?

The guy is stretching it quite a bit. 2006, way-past-his-prime Goodridge isn't equivalent to young Rothwell or prime Vera that Tim Sylvia beat. But if Herring was in the UFC from say 2001 to 2008, it's possible he could've won the belt with the right opponent on the right night. Think Eddie Alvarez at LW fighting RDA after a terrible weight cut or even Bisping. I think he might have been competitive with Couture, Ricco Rodriguez, juiced Barnett, Rizzo, Arlovski or Sylvia and could win if one of them was having an off night. Herring was quite durable and well-rounded. But he lacked eliteness in any one area (submissions, wrestling, 1-punch KO power or elite striking). For that reason I'd never give him more than a 20-40% chance against those guys...but it could've happened.

 

[mkt]

Him and his daughter Felice retired

Yep, along with Brandon Vera and his son Marlon. I went to the retirement ceremony for the 4 of them.

 

[The Doe Slayer]

He started an mm promotion in Argentina. Also got into professional poker and I believe worked as a stunt double in Hollywood.

 

[mkt]

There's no way Heath would've beaten either Ricco or Couture at that point in time, they're awful matchups for him.

And the only reason he beat Erikson was due to Tom's age more than anything, a younger Erikson would've kept controlling him without much trouble.

Yeah, I'd favor both over Heath due to grappling. Both Kerr and Erickson were starting to decline and their whole strategy was "smash opponent early." Couture was smaller but a much more patient, gameplanning fighter with better cardio. He beat Randleman around the same time with that approach. That said, Herring was tough and good enough to give either a pretty good scrap. But I see him losing a UD in both cases.

Also, I don't see Herring beating prime Arlovski 2 out of 3 times like Tim Sylvia did. Arlovski had solid TDD and was as good on the ground as Heath. His striking was much more crisp, fast and technical. I see Arlovski winning a UD or late finish kind of like he did against Roy Nelson or Rothwell...though Herring wasn't as slow and lumbering as those guys...so probably a closer fight but still AA wins. Vitor Belfort (who was in a bit of a slump at the time and a small HW) beat Herring. Cant' see him doing better against AA.

Sylvia's style wasn't pretty, but he used his 6'8" frame, long reach, jabs and bullying style against the cage effectively. I see nowhere that Heath has a big edge over prime AA..

 

[mkt]

He started an mm promotion in Argentina. Also got into professional poker and I believe worked as a stunt double in Hollywood.

Good on him, too. I like to see guys leaving the sport before serious CTE and finding success elsewhere. Glad he didn't take too many senseless beatings in MMA then move to bareknuckle.

 

[Black0ut]

Couldn’t handle being beaten by a “WWF guy”

 

[moreorless87]

Yeah, I'd favor both over Heath due to grappling. Both Kerr and Erickson were starting to decline and their whole strategy was "smash opponent early." Couture was smaller but a much more patient, gameplanning fighter with better cardio. He beat Randleman around the same time with that approach. That said, Herring was tough and good enough to give either a pretty good scrap. But I see him losing a UD in both cases.

I think really though you look at the Barnett fight or indeed the Ricco fight and it shows you the problem Randy could have vs Heath, his cardio was better than Kerr and Erickson but he was vunerable if he got put on his back plus he was arguably chinnier than those two as well. Randy beat Randleman almost entirely via cardio, Kev was beating the crap out of him early on, faded and got finished but Heath in his prime had great cardio, he's going full speed with Nog for 20 mins in their first fight.

Also, I don't see Herring beating prime Arlovski 2 out of 3 times like Tim Sylvia did. Arlovski had solid TDD and was as good on the ground as Heath. His striking was much more crisp, fast and technical. I see Arlovski winning a UD or late finish kind of like he did against Roy Nelson or Rothwell...though Herring wasn't as slow and lumbering as those guys...so probably a closer fight but still AA wins. Vitor Belfort (who was in a bit of a slump at the time and a small HW) beat Herring. Cant' see him doing better against AA.

Sylvia's style wasn't pretty, but he used his 6'8" frame, long reach, jabs and bullying style against the cage effectively. I see nowhere that Heath has a big edge over prime AA..

Vitor didnt REALLY beat Heath though, thats one of the worst decisions ever in a big MMA match for me but honestly even then I think the issue was really that Vitor at that stage was a very solid positional BJJ guy, he was not really easy to finish off of his back and even Randy had to slowly break him down across a prolonged period. I think Heath vs Randy if more likely that the former could get top position and unload with punchs for a quick finish or get in a position to land knees in Pride and end the fight in a few secs were as Vitor you needed to work over for much longer.

I'd definately favour a prime Arlovski over Heath but that would still be a fight with plenty of upset potential, AA a guy who prone to taking risks, Heath a guy known for being able to stay in fights whilst taking a beating.

 

[VAfan]

Didn't he get eyepoked bef the match started, maybe by the ref?

rings a bell.

 

[mkt]

I think really though you look at the Barnett fight or indeed the Ricco fight and it shows you the problem Randy could have vs Heath, his cardio was better than Kerr and Erickson but he was vunerable if he got put on his back plus he was arguably chinnier than those two as well. Randy beat Randleman almost entirely via cardio, Kev was beating the crap out of him early on, faded and got finished but Heath in his prime had great cardio, he's going full speed with Nog for 20 mins in their first fight.


Vitor didnt REALLY beat Heath though, thats one of the worst decisions ever in a big MMA match for me but honestly even then I think the issue was really that Vitor at that stage was a very solid positional BJJ guy, he was not really easy to finish off of his back and even Randy had to slowly break him down across a prolonged period. I think Heath vs Randy if more likely that the former could get top position and unload with punchs for a quick finish or get in a position to land knees in Pride and end the fight in a few secs were as Vitor you needed to work over for much longer.

I'd definately favour a prime Arlovski over Heath but that would still be a fight with plenty of upset potential, AA a guy who prone to taking risks, Heath a guy known for being able to stay in fights whilst taking a beating.

Some valid points--that's why I'd give Herring a 20-40% chance in some of those match-ups. Couture is probably his best chance, I agree. But I'd still favor Randy. I just don't think Heath either had the dominant top control (like Barnett) or strong submission game to catch Randy...more than likely Couture pulls it out, maybe with a few scary moments later in the fight.

 

[jeskola]

Heath Herring is an Insurance Agent for Farmers Insurance, please contact him below for an insurance quote and only for an insurance quote:

1. Heath Herring
   Farmers Insurance
   Writing Auto, Home, Life, and Commercial
   email | [email protected]
   cell | 254-214-4676

 

[moreorless87]

Some valid points--that's why I'd give Herring a 20-40% chance in some of those match-ups. Couture is probably his best chance, I agree. But I'd still favor Randy. I just don't think Heath either had the dominant top control (like Barnett) or strong submission game to catch Randy...more than likely Couture pulls it out, maybe with a few scary moments later in the fight.

I think the lenght of the fight and the setting would probably play a significant part, 15 mins in the UFC would favour Randy, 25 mins or Pride with Knees on the ground favours Heath.

Not sure I see Heath actually subing Randy but I can definitely see him sweeping and TKOing him. Again I think on a fundamental level that mentally tough guys who stay in a fight are bad matches for Randy, so much of his sucess was breaking opponents down.