Zak Cummings says Saturday night at UFC Kansas City will be the final time he makes the walk to the Octagon.
Cummings is finally set to return at UFC Kansas City after a back injury that left him bedridden for months. During that time, Cummings knew he had to get one more fight and when he found out the UFC was returning to his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri he knew he had to be on the card.
“Life is good. I’m in a much mentally better space for sure,” Cummings said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “I don’t remember if this happened before or after we talked, but I promote fights and coach and I was telling my daughter about so and so fights. She was like ‘cool that’s great, but Daddy when are you going to fight, I want to see you.’ I have a five-year-old, so I was like alright it’s time. We were joking around and I was on the phone with Marc Montoya that I had to overcome this and get back and we were thinking summertime.
“That same day, damn near right after I got the phone, somebody sent me an article they are coming to Kansas City,” Cummings continued. “It’s also the same day as when I fought there six years ago, and so I was like no, they aren’t coming here, especially right now. I called my manager and he didn’t hear about it either, and then he called Mick who confirmed it. I know the UFC doesn’t owe me anything, but there was no way they come to Kansas City without me. We were talking and I joked around about 205 and I got a call to fight in KC at 205 against Ed Herman.”
Once Cummings got the fight booked against Ed Herman, he was excited about it as it’s a battle between two veterans. Along with that, it’s a chance for Cummings to get a win in three different weight classes in the UFC.
Although Zak Cummings is confident he will get his hand raised, he is expecting a war as he knows they are both extremely durable.
“We are similar, we are older and very savvy and durable. We both have submission ability and knockout power. I’m 100 percent expecting to have a 15-minute war,” Cummings said. “I don’t think the pace is going to be insane, neither one of our styles is fast but we are always dangerous. We can sit there and beat the dogshit out of each other for 15 minutes. On the other side, I feel pretty confident if there is a finish, it’s me winning. He has been knocked out, he has been dropped, he does recover well but I do think I may have more in the finishing factors.”
Not only is this a special fight for Cummings to come back from after his injury, but he also revealed this will be his retirement fight. He gets to fight back at home as he looks for his 10th UFC win and three wins in three weight classes. Along with that, with everything going on in Kansas City, he believes he needs to help his city with its public image in the MMA world.
“It’s special, it’s the only word I can come up with… I grew up in Springfield, Missouri, I’ve been in Kansas City for well over a decade, wrestles in college in St. Louis,” Cummings said. “I have all of Missouri that is able to drive a couple of hours or people in their backyard and be there, it’s special. That fight six years ago is really hard to match but I think this is the opportunity to beat it.
“To come back after this insane injury and layoff and I feel pretty good about stuff. I’m not going to 100 percent say it but this is most likely my last fight and I will retire after this,” Cummings concluded. “I have a lot of stuff at home, more coaching. I have two fights on my contract, does it make sense to fight it out when I could have a farewell battle to get three wins in three weight classes in my own backyard? I just can’t imagine beating that. I can’t think of a better way to go out.”
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