Before all that he was a kid fighting grown men. Paul Jones (only loss was to Chuck Lidell) and Evan Tanner to name a few. Heath doesn't care for me on a personal level but as one of the true pioneers of this sport he is a legend.
Look at all the mess this sport is in. Fighters trying to protect their records and sandbagging to get to the UFC. Once they get there they are building brands and turning down fights. Heath showed up and took on the baddest of the bad. Beat some and lost some. He is the last of a dying breed.
I remember the issues with Evan and Heath back in the day. Heath definitely benefited from their second fight.
I dunno I'd call Heath a legend, in the sense that he was an icon or helped shape the sport, but he certainly deserves respect and fought at all levels, local, Pride, UFC. I was surprised he came out of retirement. Even at the end there, I think he'd lost a bit of his fire... and he'd never been the most technical, so harder for a comeback if you in large part depending on youthful physical prowess.
@Golden Boy, did Heath and Evan ever resolve their beef? I know they never got that 3rd match in, USWF or otherwise.
Havent seen the new Rizin yet, but Herring showed great heart in his last fight after getting beat up in the first round by that Iranian powerhouse wrestler, in the second round he had a great comeback.
6.a collection of stories about an admirable person.
7.a person who is the center of such stories: She became a legend in her own lifetime.
A legend is someone who is a part of a story, in particular stories that are told by many and inspire many. Heath Herring left an indelible impact on the MMA world during its formative years. He is woven into the fabric of the stories that came from Pride Fighting Championships. Therefore, he is a legend.
There are individual legends, and there are also legends that are a collection of stories about a collection of people. In other words, Pride FC is a legend in the MMA world, and Heath Herring is a legend within the legend.
Us older folks who were impacted by these story lines and characters are the reason this sport grew and became what it is today. If Heath Herring and many others who competed in early Pride and UFC hadn't stirred and inspired us, you post TUF noobs wouldn't have the sport you have today. Be thankful.
He weathered the storm fedor was gassed heath was in side control kneeuing the fuck out of fedor round ended the stopped the fight said herrong eye was to bruised
BTW he should have gotten the win over Vitor as well.. BS size discrepancy ruleset and Vitor milked any foul he could. It was whack the way the fight was scored with that alternate scoring system where the bigger man had to kill the smaller man to win.
And yea, Fedor is lucky there wasnt a round 2 in that one because he was gassed to hell at the end of Rd1.
Golden Boy - Heath is and will always be a Legend.
I've been around since UFC 1 and I don't consider him a legend. I guess we have different definitions of the word. To me you need to be one of the all time greats at your weight division, or made a significant impact on the sport. He's done neither.
No offense to him as a person or a fighter but the word legend is thrown around way too easily and sadly he doesn't qualify.
Golden Boy - Heath is and will always be a Legend.
I've been around since UFC 1 and I don't consider him a legend. I guess we have different definitions of the word. To me you need to be one of the all time greats at your weight division, or made a significant impact on the sport. He's done neither.
No offense to him as a person or a fighter but the word legend is thrown around way too easily and sadly he doesn't qualify.
TBH you are one of the worst posters on this site and constantly come off as a contrarian loser.
Basically you're to be taken about as seriously as Cre, Outlawd, etc....
supercan - MMA "old timer" here and founder of the UG Grand Prix. Why was it named such? Because of Pride FC grand prix. Who was a major player in Pride's heyday? Heath Herring.
Therefore, Heath Herring is and always will be a pioneer and a legend in MMA.
Walter The Iceman White - Anyone who thinks he's a legend has donkey dicks for brains and doesn't know shit about mma. You guys are the type of people who give more praise to the loser of a fight than the winner cuz of all "the amazing heart he/she showed".
Says who? A guy that's been here almost 2 years. You are the fool in the bar that irritates everyone around then with all your MMA knowledge.