Brock Lesnar's next test

The matchup between Brock Lesnar and Heath Herring is one that nobody saw coming.

The former WWE superstar Lesnar was originally slated to fight against veteran Mark Coleman at UFC 87, but Coleman was forced to withdraw due to a knee injury suffered in training. 

 Fighting against a legend like Coleman would have been a tremendous boost for Lesnar's career if he could have pulled off a win. But even with Coleman out of the picture, Lesnar's new opponent, Heath Herring, will not be any easier, and it could be argued that a win against Herring is just as respectable of a "credential". Needless to say, the fans should not be disappointed to have Heath Herring as a replacement for Coleman as this match could should be just as exciting if not more so.

Heath Herring may have dropped out of the upper echelon of fighters since signing with the UFC. Nevertheless he remains a particularly formidable opponent.  Herring comes into this fight with lots of experience against some of the best in the sport--names like Fedor, Igor Vovchanchyn, Mirko Cro Cop, and Antonio Nougeira  to name a few.  With that sort of experience under his belt it’s a certainty that he won’t overlook Lesnar and will enter the cage well prepared.

Brock Lesnar is once again put up against a great fighter in only his second fight in the UFC. Many thought that when he entered the promotion he’d fight some lower level talent to build up his hype as well as to provide valuable experience, but that hasn’t been the case at all. Instead Lesnar is once again being tested by a very experienced and well rounded fighter.

At UFC 87 Lesnar will be fighting in front of his home state fans in Minnesota and will be looking to walk away with his first win since signing with the company. To do that he will have to stay disciplined and not allow himself to be beaten by simple mistakes like he did against Frank Mir. In that match Lesnar completely dominated on the ground only to end up tapping out to a knee bar. Lesnar’s conditioning will also need to be great, because Herring has been tested against some of the greats and only rarely has he been outlasted.   

Heath Herring has been quiet the past few years since his departure from PRIDE FC and brief stint in the WFA. Not long after joining that promotion Heath was integrated into UFC’s roster after their purchase of the WFA. Since his move to UFC Herring has not been at his best, winning only 2 of his last 4 matches against what could arguably be considered mid-level talent. Herring did have a big win against Cheick Kongo at UFC 82, where he displayed a vastly improved ground game in the split decision victory.

 If Herring expects to be victorious he will have to work on his ground defense from his back. With Lesnar’s superior wrestling skills his primary strategy will likely be to work the ‘ground and pound’ on top of his opponent. Herring will have to really defend himself from that position and look for opportunities from his back. But don’t forget that half of Herring’s wins are by submission. From Lesnar’s last fight he has shown that even while dominating the ground game he’s vulnerable to a submission.

Herring is known as a great stand up fighter, but is considered to have a poor takedown defense which is particularly significant in this matchup. If he’s not able to improve this facet of his game it could be a very one-sided match as Lesnar has no reason to stand and trade with his opponent. Herring has been somewhat passive in the past as well and we’ll have to show much more aggression if he hopes to prevail here. The perfect example of his apparent lack of ‘killer instinct’ was his UFC fight with former PRIDE champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Herring scored a knockdown in round 1 that stunned Nogeuira but he allowed him to recover, and ultimately losing by decision.

This bout featuring two big, strong fighters has the potential to be a show stealer. Don’t expect this one to go to the score card as this will likely be a short, fast paced and action packed match It’s also a ‘must win’ for both fighters so they’ll be bringing their best into the cage.