The last time Heath Herring fought at an end-of-the-year card in Japan was 11 years ago, and the fight ended before it started. That’s when the singlet-sporting Yoshihiro Nakao affectionately gave Herring a kiss during instructions, and Herring, not feeling the love, delivered a short right in return. Nakao stared at Herring through cobwebs from the canvas, piecing it all back together, and that was it.
One kiss. One punch. No contest. Herring can laugh about it a decade later, as it all goes into the “Crazy Horse” lore, but at the time it didn’t humor him.
“It’s just so disrespectful, and really it’s so funny when people watch it, and they’re like, ‘that’s awesome, that’s exactly what I would do,’” Herring says.