Middleweight Ed Herman survived a series of hard right hands to the face from Clifford Starks at UFC 143 but came back to win the fight with a rear naked choke in the second round. Herman landed a nifty leg trip sweep from the clinch reminiscent of the sweep Jon Jones used to dislocate Matt Hamill's shoulder a couple of years ago.
"I bring it every time, no matter what," Herman said after the fight. "My skills came together nicely, although I could have listened to my coaches more. Once I got on top I knew I was going to get the finish. I've really matured a lot physically and mentally, and half the battle is mental so I was more prepared than ever. This is just another step of the journey for me. I feel like I am getting closer to fighting some of the top guys. Stark is a very athletic guy and a good wrestler and brought a good striking game. It was nice to go in there and get the finish. I did take a beating though. While I'm glad I got the win I still have stuff to work on."
"My team prepared me for this fight but it was a mind slip. This is a difficult loss for me to take. I'm going to come back stronger and prepare for the next fight ahead of me," said Starks.
SBN coverage of UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit