Photo by Tracy Lee for Yahoo! Sports
Heavyweight Dave ‘Pee Wee’ Herman (21-2) is set to return to the Octagon in just ten days when he faces the ‘Skyscraper’ Stefan Struve (22-5) in the co-main event of UFC on Fuel TV: Sanchez vs. Ellenberger.
In a recent interview with MMAMania.com, Herman didn’t seem too concerned with the difference in height between him and Struve who stands a full 6″ taller. ‘Pee Wee’ was more interested in the matchup styles of the ‘Skyscraper’s’ previous opponents, saying that Struve has beaten fighters ranked higher than him while being beaten by fighters ranked much lower, all due to stylistic matchups.
In Struve’s last five fights he’s earned wins over Pat Barry, Sean McCorkle, and Christian Morecraft, while losing to Travis Browne and Roy ‘Big Country’ Nelson.
Where Herman’s style fits in that range of Struve’s former opponents ‘Pee Wee’ doesn’t know but feels he’ll “do real well. If not, anything can happen.”
Let’s talk about this upcoming fight with Stefan Struve. You’re 6’5, you’re 235 pounds or so. You’re a big guy but Stefan Struve, he’s 6’11 and he’s gonna be coming in at the heavyweight limit, might even have to cut weight, so what are your thoughts on facing a guy who’s so much bigger than you?
Dave Herman: I don’t think he’s at the top of the weight class, he’s definitely taller than me that’s for sure and I’ve never faced anyone that tall. I’ve had one fight with a guy that was taller than me like significantly and a reach advantage but it was one of my first fights and I didn’t even really know what I was doing so that’ll be something that I’ll have to deal with when I get in there. Honestly, it seems like, Struve’s beat a lot of guys that are good, that are ranked higher than him, but he’s also lost to some guys that aren’t, that are below him so it seems like it’s kind of a stylistic, “can you deal with his height and his length or not?” type of deal so that’s gonna be something I find out that day. Can I deal with this or not? If I do, I think I’ll do real well. If not, anything can happen.When you picture this fight with Struve, what do you see? How do you see victory?
Dave Herman: I don’t know. I don’t really do that so much. Actually, I don’t think about it at all. I just try to go in. People ask me, “How do you think you’re going to win?” and I never have a clue. My one fight, I was fighting a striker and I won by omaplata. I never would have guessed that in a million years. I actually would have bet money against it but it happens. I just kind of go in and have fun, see where it ends up. That’s part of it, I don’t care where it ends up. I just try to go in and try to win it no matter where you’re at.
Herman debuted with the UFC last June at UFC 131, earning a second round TKO victory over Jon-Olav Einemo at UFC 131 in the “Fight of the Night” match.