FiveKnuckles.com: It was obvious to everybody watching that your leg was injured late in the first round, but the announcers couldn't pinpoint if it was your knee or your ankle?

Ed Herman: If you watch the end of the first round where he hit a take down, you can actually see where it happened. I felt a pop, but I couldn't tell right away because I never had a serious knee injury before. In between rounds I knew something was wrong, but I didn't know how bad the injury was. I tried to brush it off as I went out for the second round, but after moving around a little bit, I could tell there was nothing left in my knee. From there it was only a matter of time.

FiveKnuckles.com: It was a bit painful to watch on television as you were trying to push through, but sometimes your body just says "no more." However, in true warrior fashion, you started off the second round by attempting a head kick using the leg you had injured.

Ed Herman: Honestly, that was completely reactionary. Coming out of the break, I knew I lost the first round so I was trying to be aggressive and attack. I really don't know any other way to do it. I'm not sure why I threw it with my leg being injured other than it was in our game plan. We felt that kicks would open up for me as the fight progressed. Coming out of the corner, I bounced forward on my injured leg and it felt fine, but when you tear the ACL [Anterior Cruciate Ligament], you can move forward, but you can't move side to side or twist. I bounced forward and felt OK thinking I just sprained or twisted it, but that just wasn't the case.

I just didn't know how serious the injury was. In a situation like that, adrenaline keeps you going. When you train for many years to be a fighter, your body learns how to deal with the bumps and bruises that accumulate. Of course we all have limits, but the warrior spirit keeps us going. It's not something you consciously think about, it's just something that's there.

FiveKnuckles.com: Fighting through an injury is something all fans can appreciate and everybody certainly hopes to see you come back strong.

Ed Herman: Thanks a lot. I view this as a new opportunity for me and I'm coming back stronger that before. This injury has allowed me to take a step back and put things into perspective. There are many athletes that have come back from this injury and that's something positive that I can take with me as I recover. For me to be able to come back stronger than ever is going to be a huge deal for me and where I stand in this sport.

FiveKnuckles.com: Has this been somewhat of a wakeup call for you?

Ed Herman: I wouldn't necessarily say it's a wakeup call, but in a way it's like a second chance. In going through what I've been through recently, I've been able to realize how important certain things are to me. Opportunities come and go so you have to take advantage of every moment you have.

FiveKnuckles.com: How much do you...