Nov 5, 2022 2 min read

Ian Zimmerman, a junior at Penn West California, has a new title – “Forged in Fire champion.”

Zimmerman, of Bedford, won over three other competitors on an episode of “Forged in Fire” that was aired Wednesday on the History Channel, winning $10,000 in the process. The show pits bladesmiths against one another to determine who can forge the best bladed weapon.

“Honestly, I’m really thankful,” Zimmerman said the day after the show aired. “A lot of things worked out during the competition that could have gone really badly. There were some things that did go badly that they didn’t show. It just kind of all worked out. I’m just thankful for the opportunity and the outcome.”

There were three stages in the competition. First, the contestants had three hours to make a blade for a hog splitter. Then they were given two hours to create a handle for the hog splitter.

A contestant was eliminated in each phase, setting the stage for a one-on-one competition in which a Japanese Great Sword had to be constructed over four days.

Judges tested the effectiveness of the contestants’ creations, a process Zimmerman found a bit “scary.”

“Honestly, kind of horror,” Zimmerman said of what was going through his mind at the time. “That was the first time I saw something that I made put through that much of a test.”

The show was filmed in April and May in Connecticut, and Zimmerman had to keep the results secret until Wednesday night.

“I was kind of worried how I’d be portrayed, but I think they did a decent job of showing my personality,” he said. “When I woke up (Thursday morning), it was like the whole world had seen it. It was pretty cool.”

Zimmerman, 20, said the money will come in handy since he is getting married in 2023.

“It was just all very surreal,” Zimmerman said. “It was a blessing of an experience.”