Herbert “Whispers the Gorilla” Goodman & Shine 2: American Top Team vs. The World

Herbert “Whispers the Gorilla” Goodman makes Homecoming with appearance in Shine 2: American Top Team vs. The World.

For a fighter nothing is bigger than to grace larger stages and defeat opponents offering a wider array of challenges. Most times, however, these crowds and defeats aren’t seen by the one’s closest to the fighter, their family and friends.

Such is the case for up and coming fighter, Herbert “Whispers the Gorilla” Goodman who up until recently has relayed his glories to those closest to him via word of mouth. When David Branch was eliminated from the August 1st Shine 2: American Top Team vs. The World card the opportunity to fight in front of his family in his native south Florida was finally here.

“I’m excited that my family and my friends get a chance to watch me. My whole family: my mom, my aunties, my sisters, my grandparents, everybody. It’s like 25 minutes from where I stay and it’s going to probably be on Hot 105 and 99 Jams, The Miami Herald. I’ve already told my friends and family that I’m coming down there and everybody excited spreading the word that I’m coming home to fight. I always get a chance to tell people about the fights, whether I win or lose, but now they get the opportunity to see first-hand.”

Interestingly, Goodman’s MMA homecoming journey came off the back of another full-contact sport: football. From the outset, Goodman chased pigskin dreams and rode that wave from Florida into the stratosphere.

“When I left high school, where I played my senior year, I did a lot of moving so I wasn’t able to play as much as I wanted to play. I went to a junior college in California and pursued football then. I did good at it freshman year and did pretty good at it sophomore year and was like, ‘this is looking pretty good for me,’” said Goodman. “I finished third in the state in rushing and one thing led to another and I just started focusing on football. I played running back.”

Soon enough a dream became fulfilled as Goodman was one of a very select few that enters the National Football League (NFL). Playing about 7 seasons in the league for various teams, Goodman was able to stretch his legs across the NFL.

“I played for the Green Bay Packers from ’99-’03 and in ’04 I was down in Indianapolis, IN with the Colts and in ’05 I was cut by the Bengals and then pretty much after that I gave football up.”

Sometimes good tings happen from potentially negative situations. In this case, being cut from an NFL team led to a whole new career path suited for Goodman’s brand of explosiveness.

“After 2005 when I got cut by the Bengals and I went to Southwest Senior High, where I taught for two years, then I went and watched one of my friends fight and I said, ‘man I could of whooped both of you guys,’ he was like yeah whatever (laughs). I told him when they stopped his fight that I knew when the next one is at so I figured if I trained for two weeks, you know, I knocked my dude out in 27 seconds and after that I pretty much became hooked.”

Starting his professional mixed martial arts career in 2007, Goodman won his first two fights without seeing the second round by submission and TKO, respectively. After a few losses he went on a four fight win streak before a controversial decision win followed by a recent string of losses. Now ready to get back in the winner’s circle, Goodman is ready to step in the Shine cage against Fabiano Capoani, a member of world-renowned gym, The Brazilian Top Team.

“I give credit to Shine for inviting me into the organization. Fabiano is a jiu-jitsu guy, I’ve seen one film on him when he fought Hector Lombard (May 2008) but I don’t know much about him. I don’t run from anybody I’ll fight anybody; just give me enough time to get in shape and I’ll fight anybody. I’m just looking for the opportunities and I’m sure I’ll come out victorious. “

With his entire family, friends and supporters guaranteed to be in attendance the night of August 1st 2009 when his official homecoming occurs at The James L. Knight Center in downtown Miami, Florida. The man known as Whispers is ecstatic for the possibilities.

“I’m excited that my family and my friends get a chance to watch me. My whole family: my mom, my aunties, my sisters, my grandparents, everybody. It’s like 25 minutes from where I stay and I already told my friends and family that I’m coming down there and everybody is pretty much excited spreading the word that I’m coming home to fight. I always get a chance to tell people about the fights, whether I win or lose, but now they get the opportunity to see first-hand.”