By Paul Danzer, Columbian
Soccer, hockey and Community Sports Reporter
Published: July 28, 2016, 9:30pm
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Ed Herman, left, of Battle Ground, punches Tim Boetsch in their light heavyweight UFC bout in January in Boston. (Jeff Bottari/Getty Images)
Southwest Washington will be well represented in upcoming Ultimate Fighting Championship events.
Ed Herman of Battle Ground will make his 20th UFC appearance on Saturday in Atlanta, fighting light heavyweight Nikita Krylov on the undercard of UFC 201.
On Aug. 6, Trevor Smith and Jason Novelli, both of Vancouver, will both fight as part of a UFC Fight Night show in Salt Lake City. On Aug. 20, Vancouver resident Rick Story fights on the main card of UFC 202 in Las Vegas.
For the 35-year-old Herman, Saturday’s fight against Krylov is an opportunity to move up UFC’s light heavyweight ladder.
“I’m completely ready to go,” Herman said.
A return home to Clark County and a return to the light heavyweight division worked for Herman in January when he defeated Tim Boetsch by technical knockout and earned the Performance of the Night bonus at an event in Boston.
Herman (24-11 as a pro MMA fighter) returned to Clark County with his family after five years as part owner of a gym in Colorado. He returned to the 205-pound weight division in order to spend more time training and less time watching his weight.
In Krylov (20-4), the 11th-ranked UFC light heavyweight, Herman faces a taller opponent with a karate background. Herman expects the 24-year-old from the Ukraine to come out aggressively.
“He comes out fast. He’s a young, explosive fighter,” Herman said. “It’s my job to (be aggressive) and to put the pressure on him.”
Herman began fighting professionally in 2002 and in 2006 was the runner-up on the third season of The Ultimate Fighter reality TV show.
Krylov, who turned pro in 2012, has won four fights in a row, most recently in May.
Herman said he feels sharp and ready. He is confident his conditioning and experience will prevail.
“I feel like if I’m in better shape there’s no one who can beat me,” Herman said.
This is a significant opportunity for Herman, who will be negotiating his next contract after this fight.
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For Novelli, who moved to Vancouver from Alaska a decade ago, the Aug. 6 lightweight fight against David Teymor in Salt Lake City is his UFC debut after almost a decade competing at various levels of mixed martial arts.
“It just means everything,” Novelli said, noting that he quit his job three years ago to dedicate himself to fighting as a professional.
At 37, Novelli understands that he must make the most of every opportunity to fight. It is why he’s been willing to fight five times a year while compiling an 11-1-1 record as a pro.
“In this sport, you’ve got to go for it while (the opportunities) are hot,” Novelli said.
He won his first seven pro fights, and was on a four-match win streak before a draw in his most recent fight on April 30 in Miami against former UFC fighter Yosdenis Cedeno.
Novelli, who is in Hawaii for pre-fight training, said he wants to bring more attention to the strength of MMA in the Vancouver-Portland market.
“I still don’t think the area gets the credit it deserves,” for its MMA success, Novelli said.
Smith, who fights Joseph Gigliotti on the main card on Aug. 6 at Salt Lake City, was born in Vancouver and grew up in Longview. This fight is his first since June of 2015. A broken hand forced him out of a scheduled February match.
Smith, 35, is 13-6 as a pro fighter with nine wins by submission. He said his pain tolerance and toughness are his strengths. He learned to fight through pain as a wrestler who earned All-American status at Iowa State after winning a state wrestling title at Mark Morris High School.
“There’s no sport where you suffer like you do in wrestling,” Smith said, crediting that background for developing his hard-nosed approach to professional MMA.
Looking ahead
Rick Story of Vancouver is scheduled to fight Donald Cerrone on Aug. 20 in las Vegas. The welterweight match is among the featured bouts for UFC 202, headlined by the Conor McGregor-Nate Diaz rematch. This is a pay-per-view event. Story is coming off a May victory over Tarec Saffedine in Story’s return to UFC following neck surgery.
Schedule for Herman, Smith, Novelli
Saturday at Atlanta: Ed Herman vs. Nikita Kryov, UFC 201 preliminary card. Watch: Fight is part of the prelims on Fox Sports 2 beginning at 5 p.m.
Aug. 6 at Salt Lake City: Trevor Smith vs. Joseph Gigliotti. UFC Fight Night main card. Watch: Fox Sports 1 beginning at 7 p.m.; Jason Novelli vs. David Teymur, UFC Fight Night preliminary card. Watch: Fox Sports 1 beginning at 5 p.m.
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