Zak Cummings and Ed Herman, long-time veterans of the MMA world, have earned a significant amount of respect due to the years of experience they have acquired. Evidence of this respect was on full display on Saturday when both fighters announced their retirement from the sport following a grueling three-round battle at UFC Kansas City.

Though Cummings earned a unanimous decision, both men laid their gloves down in the octagon before an appreciative crowd, marking the end of their long and storied careers. After the match, their colleagues in the industry were quick to express their appreciation. Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman and UFC welterweight Michael Chiesa took to social media to share their thoughts, with Chiesa calling both fighters “absolute warriors” and extending his gratitude to Herman for paving the way for up-and-coming fighters in the Pacific Northwest.

Vancouver native Herman has been a part of the sport since 2003 and has been with the UFC since 2006. Weidman, meanwhile, took pride in the moment, noting that “Only in our sport do you see this type of love between two fighters who were just trying to kill each other.”

Many fighters took to social media to express their feelings and best wishes following the announcement of the retirement of the two veterans. Austin Arnett congratulated Herman on his long and successful career, while Jeff Molina sent his regards to Cummings.

Others, such as Yorgan Decastro and Saidyokub Kakhramonov, expressed their emotions regarding the event. Casey O’Neill praised the double retirement, while Alan Jouban was wowed by the match and congratulated both fighters on their successful careers.

Overall, the retirement of Cummings and Herman was a powerful moment that brought out a lot of emotions among both fighters and audiences.