'It's all I think about.' How Highlands grad Zach Russ made MMA dream come true

Zach Russ likes to call it the "duality of man."

An aspiring MMA fighter by day, Russ is a CNA (certified nursing assistant) by night, taking care of the elderly with plans to apply to nursing school next semester.

"I help old people all night, then punch people," Russ said. "It's a pretty crazy life."

Russ, a 19-year-old Fort Thomas native, is chasing bigger dreams than nursing school. On Oct. 18, the Highlands High School graduate will make his professional MMA debut at OCL 41 at MegaCorp Pavilion in Newport.

"I can't wait. There are always nerves going into a fist fight with another man, in your underwear in front of everyone you know in your hometown," Russ said. "I'm ecstatic."

'It's all I think about.'

At 6-foot-7, Russ is used to fielding questions about if he plays basketball. He did, but his height didn't help him make the basketball team in middle school.

"I was just this tall, skinny kid and not very athletic," Russ said.

In 2020, Russ had fallen out of sports and was a typical high school student stuck at home during the pandemic when he fell down the UFC rabbit hole. He was hooked instantly and joined the Highlands wrestling team when school resumed, then walked into Club MMA in Highland Heights and never looked back.

"It's just been nonstop since then. It's been the only thing in my life," Russ said. "I fell in love right away. Combat sports just clicked for me."

'You're rolling the dice every time you let someone punch you in the face.'

Mike Tyson coined the phrase, "everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." Training was a way to hit the ground running on an MMA career, but he still remembers his wakeup call three years ago in his first full-contact fight.

"They fed me to the wolves as a 16-year-old amateur. I fought a 26-year-old who was a weight class up and he knocked me out cold," Russ said.

That scenario would make some, if not most, give up the sport for good. Not Russ.

"I was just like, 'well, I don't want that to happen again. Let's keep going,'" Russ laughed. "You're rolling the dice every time you let someone punch you in the face. This is real."

From the 'Slim Reaper' to Zach 'The Ripper' Russ

Since his MMA journey began, Russ has been on vacation one time, though he spent the majority of that Amsterdam trip in the gym. That level of determination is necessary in an individual sport where discipline and accountability are key.

"I've never been to a party, I've never tried alcohol. There are no days off. It's all day, every day," Russ said. "Once I started, I just never stopped. It's all I think about."

While living at home, Russ enjoyed the cooking of his father, Jeff, who whipped up protein-packed meals like ground beef and egg sliders and chicken and rice casserole.

"My dad was like a five-star chef," Russ said. "All the protein you can ask for."

When he first started wrestling, Russ was in the 140-pound weight class. He's reached as high as 215 pounds and will fight Oct. 18 in the 195-pound division. His nickname went from 'Slim Reaper' to 'The Ripper.'

The Ripper got better, too, with 100 gold medals as an amateur. He holds a combined 23-4 record in kickboxing, boxing and MMA matches and has 200-plus amateur grappling competitions under his belt. In the Southeast United States, Russ is ranked No. 47 of 458 qualified fighters and No. 2 in Kentucky out of 52.

There's no barrier for an MMA athlete to pass to turn pro. It's up to the fighter to cross that bridge when they feel ready. At 19, Russ feels primed to make the leap after fighting 30 times last year, when the majority of amateurs need just one hand to count their annual matches.

"I have the experience. I feel comfortable enough fighting," Russ said. "I wanna get some pro fights under my belt."

In combat sports, most athletes peak in their mid-to-late 20s. Russ sees his age and experience as an advantage to get a head start on one day being one of the biggest names in the sport.

"I think I'm gonna be in the UFC in two years," Russ said. "In eight to nine years, I'll be a dominant world champion."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 'I can't wait.' Highlands grad Zach Russ set to make MMA pro debut