How a chance meeting on a run led Zac Dominique to his pro MMA debut
After an eight-fight amateur career, Zac Dominique is set to make his pro MMA debut this weekend at New League Fights: Lucky Strikes in Montpelier, Ohio.
Dominique is set to take on Travis Hussey (0-2), but he didn’t necessarily think he’d ever venture into MMA to begin with.
“I was out on a run one day came across Gary Young and the Demolition team doing mitts and I always wanted to learn how to box,” Dominique told BluegrassMMA. “After finding the location that day I started just boxing for a year on and off.
Then once I was coming in regular, Gary asked me if I would be interested in taking an MMA fight. My exact thoughts were, ‘well life is all about experiences, why not try it out?’. I fought, won my first fight and loved it.”
He won that first fight via TKO, and then went on to win four more in a row over the next six months. But then he lost two fights in a row.
Still, “The Wolfeman” says there was a lot to learn from those losses.
“You can never be too prepared,” Dominique said. “Plain and simple it’s a fight where anything can happen. You have to be ready for the unpredictable. As well as hands up, chin down [laughs].”
Amateur fights were quickly becoming hard to find for the veteran fighter, so after a win over Josh Bates at Warrior Nation Fight Series 43 last month, he decided it was time to jump to the next level.
“I’ve fought some of the top fighters in the state in the 185-pound and 205-pound weight classes,” Dominique said. “You know – wrestlers, boxers, kickboxers, and jiu-jutsu fighters. I’ve learned a lot from those guys and I thank them for helping me build to this point.”
Dominque’s opponent has a two-fight experience edge as a pro on him this weekend, but he feels prepared.
“Well for the most part I know he likes to take things to the ground,” Dominique said. “Which is fine by me, I have some experience there. I like this match up I feel confident going into Saturday’s fight!”
As for what fans can expect this weekend, Zac has a short prediction.
“I can’t wait to get back into the cage Saturday night for my pro debut where I’ll be howling to my victory!”
You can check out the full lineup for New League Fights: Lucky Strikes here.
Photo by Michelle Pletcher
