Hometown Hero Zak Cummings Tops Ed Herman in Dual Retirement Bout

Fighting for the first time in nearly three years in front of an
adoring hometown crowd in Kansas City, 37-year-old Zak
Cummings put an emphatic stamp on a pillar-to-post smashing of
41-year-old fellow grizzled veteran Ed Herman at

UFC on ESPN 44.

The first round was characterized by Cummings’ speed advantage on
the feet, as he landed cleanly with both hands, but especially with
his left, including one that dropped Herman. The round was also
marked—of course, on this bizarre night—by controversy, as the
supine Herman struck the kneeling Cummings with an illegal upkick
to the face, only to have referee Dwayne Bess restart the two on
the feet afterward.

The diet of left hands continued in Round 2, as Cummings rocked
Herman with multiple clean left-hand counters, including one that
dropped him to his seat with about a minute left in the round.
Cummings pounced in search of the finish and was met by another
illegal upkick from Herman, resulting in another break in the
action and this time a point deduction by referee Bess, who once
again restarted the fight standing.

By the final round, Herman’s left leg was clearly compromised as
well, and Cummings was able to put him down twice with punches that
more or less knocked him off-balance. The accumulation of damage
finally overwhelmed Herman, who went down late in the round and was
unable to withstand the swarm of follow-up blows from Cummings,
forcing referee Bess to interpose himself for the stoppage at 4:13
of Round 3.

In the wake of the resounding win, with his small daughter in his
arms in the cage, a teary Cummings announced his retirement. “Short
Fuse” then followed suit, laying down his own gloves in an
emotional moment.