UFC Middleweight Fighter and Vancouver, WA native, Ed "Short Fuse" Herman, will be fighting this Saturday August 29th at UFC 102: Couture vs Nogueira at the Rose Garden in Portland. Herman is coming off a unanimous decision victory over David Loiseau at UFC 97 in April and is looking to continue with his winning ways by taking out Middleweight Aaron Simpson. NW Fightscene correspondent Steve "Spaniard" Valentine spoke with Ed late last week about the fight and the opportunity of fighting in front of his family and friends in his hometown...

NW Fightscene: This fight's coming to your backyard. This is where your hometown is. Your family, your friends. How you feel right now?
Ed Herman: I'm pumped man. Training hard. Super excited to fight at home. Haven't ever fought at the Rose Garden. After I left Sportfight they moved to the Rose Garden so I was always a little jealous because I always wanted to fight at the Rose Garden. Never thought I'd have the opportunity to do that and now I do. 

NWFS: Do you feel any more pressure now that its the UFC?
Herman: No, its just another day at work for me man. Its all the same. 

NWFS: Now fighting Aaron Simpson but your opponent was up in the air for a bit. I imagine that comes with the job, not knowing until the last second sometimes...
Herman: Yeah, Originally I was scheduled to fight him anyways. They changed it for a week or so to Wilson Gouveia and then back to Simpson so that's fine with me. With the room I got, the training partners I got, its a perfect matchup for me you know. I'm working out with stud wrestlers all the time, so I don't think he'll be able to surprise me or anything.

NWFS: He's a two-time all-American wrestler, he's got a ton of wrestling credentials. But like you've just said, you come from this wrestling camp training with guys all day, so do you think he's not going to be ready for this?
Herman: I'm sure he'll be ready but I'm going to surprise him for sure with my skills. 

NWFS: You've mentioned to me in the past about doing submission tournaments. Have you gotten to do any of that?
Herman: No, I haven't really. I just got my purple belt in Jiu-jitsu so maybe after this fight I'd like to start working towards doing Worlds or some kind of high level competition stuff just for fun and for the experience. 

NWFS: Do you feel like if this fight got to your back, you could submit him?
Herman: I think so yeah. I plan on, if I do get taken down, looking to get up and get back to my feet or get on top. But if I have to work off my back I'm pretty comfortable there. I think there's a good chance I could catch him for sure.

NWFS: How do you in your mind see this fight playing out?
Herman: You know, it could go a few different ways. I'm looking to dictate the pace and control where the fight goes. Surprise him with my wrestling, my aggressive clinch fighting, and beat him up man. I don't think he's had a real challenge yet in the ring and I'm looking to be that challenge you know. Get in his face, rough him up, break his will.

NWFS: I talked with Chris Leben & he said that he had some time to train with you. How's that like training with your old teammate, fighting on the card with him?
Herman: Its cool man. Its awesome. I'm super stoked. I got to go out to Hawaii and train with him for a week. And basically right after I got back I found out they were switching my fight. So you know, I'm pumped. Fighting on the same card as Chris and get to train with him for this fight. He came out early. He's been here for a week, so pretty cool.

NFWS: If you could win this fight in one move what would it be.
Herman: Um... I don't know... Powerbomb. (laughs) I'd like to knock him out, you know what I mean. But I wouldn't mind submitting him too, that'd be nice. Catch him with an armbar or something. 

NWFS: Anyone you'd like to thank?
Herman: Everyone backing me up locally. My chiropractor at Eastside Wellness. Of course, all the guys at Team Quest. Ray Thompson and Nate Quarry at Next Level MMA. My girl, my kids. Everybody man. Its nice to fight at home and have all the support.

NW Fightscene would like to thank Ed for taking the time to speak with us.

Check out his website at www.ed-herman.com