Zack Cummings He didn’t just retire from winning. He takes off the gloves at what he deems to be the “ideal time”.
Fellow Cummings TKO’d veteran Ed Hermann late in the third round in front of a boisterous crowd, including his 5-year-old daughter, at the T-Mobile Center in his hometown of Kansas City. It was a remarkable performance for a man who has dealt with a painful recovery from severe back surgery.
Cummings didn’t know he was going to retire on the night of April 15, 2023 until the verdict Dwayne Pace and dragged it away from Hermann, who also retired that night. He stuck to his decision when the fighting stopped.
“Even if I was really planning on retiring, I still planned on leaving him open in the cage,” Cummings told MMASucka. “Even if I was like, ‘Is this my last fight or not?'” I knew the gloves didn’t come off, and I wasn’t going to put them in the cage. I wasn’t going to do all that. I’d probably like to say some good-byes or thanks for the support, but I wouldn’t quite stick with it. I was planning on leaving it open. Just, out, the way the fight went. “The way the crowd was. I think if I finished Ed in the first round after I dropped him, I don’t know if I would have retired. But after all three rounds of having fun out there, doing everything and continuing to finish, it all came together. The crowd shouts, Everyone goes crazy.”
Then Cummings realized he was okay with the competition.
It was right then and it kind of hit me. Maybe it was an emotional decision or whatever, but I was seizing the moment. I’m like, ‘Dude, this is it, this is the perfect place.’ I will never go near this again. it was right. Although there was a good chance I knew I would never fight again after that, I didn’t plan a legitimate, definite retirement until the end.”
While Cummings was being interviewed in The Octagon by Daniel CormierHis daughter came running into his arms. Cummings said that moment is “everything” to him.
“The crowd was great, and the money was good. I’m going to come back from my injury. There was so much good that came out of that experience, and nothing, absolutely nothing, comes close to being able to share that moment between me and my daughter,” he said.
He lets her watch the fights, adding that the passion for the sport is “very big” between them. She grew up in the gym watching her dad train.
“She loves this stuff,” Cummings said. “She went out with me to Denver for two weeks for fight and training camp. It was really important to me that she was able to see one and watch it live. She got to see that, that’s what she saw. She saw one at home, the crowd went crazy and shouted my name.” Her dad. And then I was able to get into the cage after that. That said it all. That was the moment I didn’t realize I needed it. I didn’t know I needed it. I didn’t know I wanted it. It basically ended my whole career.”
What is the way out! 🙌
in front of his hometown crowd, @employee He invites her to quit her brilliant MMA career #UFCKansasCity pic.twitter.com/tTe3lv3PZA
– UFC (UFC) April 16, 2023
Cummings has always wanted to retire on his own terms, though he admits that’s something every fighter says.
“I’m going out on my own terms, and I want to say when I’m done with it and I don’t have anyone else to tell me.” “I feel like it’s something most people say they rarely do or have the ability to do,” Cummings said. “Either they don’t have the skill set to hang around, or they get cut off before they really decide if they’re done or not, and then they go back to fighting in regional shows or other good shows, even like Bellator and the PFL, and they keep fighting. Or they’re They are doing well and they want to continue until they don’t do well anymore.”
Cummings said he never wanted to fight for money. He has owned his own gym, Ignite Jiu-Jitsu and MMA Academy, for nine years now. He has his own combat upgrade in the Synergy Fighting Championship. He achieved his goal of building his future while still being competitive.
While he loves to fight, he knew his dance with Hermann would have to be his last.
“It’s one of those things where I know I can never recreate that moment again. I know I’ll never have that moment that I had again. Now, the decision is, Do I have to have that moment to retire? Not necessarily, but I do.” I also know I broke out halfway through already. So it makes sense. I wasn’t really sure. I’m still not sure. But it was a perfect storm of so many different things that happened, and it was perfect. I know I’ll never have that again. If I was able to put it on hold and retire in that moment, that experience, that performance, just all that stuff. If they look back and look at my last performance, I’m 100% proud and happy and good with all of that, I guess.”
Cummings’ last dance was even more impressive after his recovery from back surgery, which sidelined him since August 2020. Training and coaching is still his way of life, even if he ends up competing.
“I never want to be forced to stop doing these things,” he said. “When I had a back injury, I wasn’t worried about training.”
He was more worried about being able to get out of bed, get dressed, and be a fun dad.
“Once I started to recover a little bit and was at least able to get into the gym and train a little bit, I was happy again knowing that I would never completely lose that in my life. All the extra is a bonus. The fact that I was able to come back and compete and be me again Others at this level. I really didn’t know if I was going to be able to get there. I’m definitely glad the body lifted and I was able to get through all the training. I knew I could fight. I knew I could get there and make it happen. I could be half Shattered the next day, but I was really surprised at how well my body felt during the weeks of training to get ready for a fight. That’s where I was really nervous.”
The 38-year-old wraps up his career with a professional MMA record of 25-7 and 10-4 in the UFC.
Cummings’ former enemies include Tim Kennedy, Santiago Ponzenebio, Ryan Gemmo, Gunnar Nelson, Jan Cabral, Trevin Giles, Amari Ahmedov, Alessio de Chirico, Dominic SteelAnd Alexander Yakovlev.
He has wins in three different weight classes: Welterweight, Middleweight and Light Heavyweight.
Of his 32 pro games, Cummings said his swan song was his favorite. He was tied in with many threads: back injury, his retirement, fighting in front of his home crowd, and putting on a show for his family.
“Obviously, if I had to pick a favorite fight that would stand out, it would obviously have been this last one. There were so many intangibles that meant more than just a fight, and for that, it’s unparalleled.”
All of his fights hold a special meaning, but his rivals include his victory Nathan Coy In Kansas City in 2017, he smothered D’Arce in his UFC debut Benny Alai in 2013, and lost a decision to Ponzenepo in 2016.
“Even though he lost in the end, I had so much fun with him [Santiago] “Ponzenebio fought the two of us back and forth kicking the dog off each other,” Cummings said. “I have a few of those. Despite coming out on the losing side of that, this one really stood out as having a lot of fun.”
However, what Cummings was most proud of in his career isn’t just one fight.
“For me, I’ve never changed. I’m the person I was when I first got into the gym, and I’m still that person. I’m just proud that even though my dreams came true and everything, I made it to the highest level, I met a lot of People and having relationships, it never changed me. I’m still as happy and passionate about this sport as the first day I played it. I still love these things. I’m happy with that side of things. I’ve got to be true to myself throughout my career. I’m not going to create a character or be I’m not a random person.”
Cummings also cherished travel and the relationships with the people he met along the way.
“It was all amazing to me. I didn’t expect this sport to take me to where it did, and these are some of my happiest moments too.”
Cummings, two weeks after his retirement, is still trying to wrap his head around his decision.
“Am I really retired? Am I really done? Am I really OK with never doing the thing I love doing again? I think about all that stuff.”
His body was still battered and in pain with minor injuries he suffered during the Battle of Hermann, which didn’t leave him much time to think about retirement. Jump straight back into the gym, and run The Synergy Fighting Tournament happened shortly after his fight.
“Not much will change outside of the fact that I won’t be training and preparing to fight. I will continue to build my jiu-jitsu and MMA here in Kansas City. I will try to be here as another coach to help anyone who is trying to get to the next level. And keep sharing it with others and building it.”
Cummings would continue to build his jiu-jitsu program and train law enforcement in hand-to-hand combat, as well as embody the Synergy brand.
“We’re going to look for a bigger flow deal and we’re going to continue to build that, which will build the fighters, which will move into the area theater,” he said.
above all? family time.
“My family has supported me for a long time and now is the time to give them more of my time. Be more present with my family and give them everything they deserve since they went on this journey with me. I have to give the family some love.”