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Dave Herman is an exceptionally gifted natural athlete, who with the right camp and training has all the potential to develop into a very talented heavyweight fighter. With a 15-1 professional record, it's amazing to think that Herman has spent the majority of his career without any formal mixed martial arts training, instead training his self and getting by on the considerable raw talent he possesses. A freak athlete all-around, Herman is a former NCAA collegiate wrestler at Indiana University, where despite the fact he never wrestled for even one full season in high school was able to make the school's NCAA Division I wrestling team as a walk on. His wrestling pedigree has proved valuable thus far in his early career where Herman has demonstrated good take down defense (as he displayed in his fight with Mario Rinaldi) and proven to be very difficult to control and keep down should he happen to end up with his back on the ground. While his overall grappling abilities and submission game remain largely untested, Herman has displayed good ground striking skills including excellent knees to the body, as well as showing the ability to open up with a powerful ground and pound attack if given the opportunity. Not the most technically sound fighter, Herman's reliance on his athletic abilities will only get him so far and he will need to considerably refine his ground skills in order to continue developing as a complete fighter. Recognizing this Herman did begin training formally at Nashville MMA, and although they aren't considered "premier" camp in the sport it will definitely beneficial to Herman's development. Herman does not shy away from the standup game at all, in fact, despite his wrestling background Herman prefers to keep the standing where he has looked most impressive. With thirteen of his fourteen wins coming by way of KO or TKO, Herman displays excellent instincts on his feet despite his technical skills being completely out of whack. Herman is light and quick on his feet for a man his size, has heavy hands and makes good use of a variety of kicks - including powerful leg kicks (which played a large role in his victory over Josh Barnes), front kicks, sidekicks and jumping roundhouse kicks all being part of his regular repertoire. An area of Herman's striking arsenal that has looked particularly promising has been his clinch game. Herman has proven excellent at tying opponents up in the thai plum and then teeing off with absolutely vicious head and body shots, as displayed in his bouts with Mario Rinaldi and Kerry Schall, both of whom Herman wrecked with an explosive, brutal barrage of knees from inside his clinch. Despite his explosive striking ability and much like Herman's ground skills, his technical standup skills will need considerable work. Herman has an alarming tendency to keep his hands at his waist, keep his chin up and throw wild haymakers leaving himself completely open to counters. Herman's cardio and conditioning will also need improvement, and the combination of his poor conditioning and defensive striking skills played a role in the only loss of his career. Despite those concerns, Herman is still twenty five years of age and if he is able to refine his overall technique on the feet, he does have the natural, raw tools necessary to develop into an exceptional MMA striker.
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