FiveKnuckles.com: How would your career be different if not for TUF?

Ed Herman: I don't think a lot of people would know who I am if I didn't go on. The show actually has a life of its own. I run into people these days that say: "Ed, I seen you on the show... are you still fighting?"

I applied for season one and two and I already knew Dana. The UFC offered me a contract around the same time I was set to be on the show. I got offered a contract for a lower amount than I could have made by winning so I went for it figuring I could make more money. I was pretty confident I would win going in. I was 22 at the time and I was ready to go. I was like: "Let's go, I'm winning this shit." It worked out ok, I can't complain with the result.

FiveKnuckles.com: Who was your toughest fight in the UFC to date?

Ed Herman: Man, that's another tough one. I've had a lot tough fights in the UFC. Aaron [Simpson] probably did the best against me. He was able to control me a little bit before I could get my engine going. Belcher was also a tough fight. I give him a lot of credit; he was a lot tougher than I thought he was going to be. A fighter named Jacen Flynn was a really tough fight for me when I was coming up, I was a bit younger then. The Kendall [Grove] fight was a pretty damn good war too. You know, I always had some really good fights. I expect nothing less when I go out there. It's really hard for me to say which one out of those.

FiveKnuckles.com: What has been your most gratifying accomplishment in or outside the cage?

Ed Herman: Outside of competition, to be able to motivate people around me like my teammates and family has been pretty gratifying. To help them to step it up and make their lives better is something I'm glad I can do at this point. It's cool because they've seen how I've tested myself and they respect that. There are many instances like that. I get messages from people that let me know how I've helped motivated them in their lives. That really means a lot to me. I'm very content with some of the things I've been able to accomplish in general. It's tough to put those it into words, but you know they're there because they make me feel good about myself and let me know I'm making a difference. I'm healthy, I have a good family and I'm thankful to be able to do what I do for a living.

FiveKnuckles.com: You should definitely have a sense of accomplishment going through what you've been through. To...