Ray Sefo has taken a temporary leave of absence from his job as World Series of Fighting president to focus on his job as World Series of Fighting fighter.
Sefo is scheduled to compete against Dave Huckaba on the Aug. 10 WSOF 4 event in Ontario, California, and the match will be the 100th combat sports bout of his long career.
For a while, it’s been his goal to reach triple-digits, and with about a month to go until the opening bell, it’s time to get serious in training.
“I’m looking forward to another chance to step into the cage, but before I do, I felt taking a temporary leave from my executive duties was the right thing to do,” he said in a statement released by WSOF. “I’m fortunate to have an outstanding team at World Series of Fighting which I know will handle our operations while I’m gone. And after my fight, I’ll step back into my role as World Series of Fighting President.”
Sefo, who turned 42 in February, has fought most of his career bouts in kickboxing. In 2000, he was the K-1 World Grand Prix champ. He’s also competed as a professional boxer, and then found his third act as a mixed martial artist.
So far, he’s competed three times in the cage, going 2-1.
His last bout came in Strikeforce, back in Feb. 2011, when he lost to Valentijn Overeem via neck crank.
His opponent Huckaba has a 20-5 career record, and has a three-fight win streak.
Sefo said he would retire after his 100th career match, but recently told the Las Vegas Review Journal that afterward, he would have a farewell fight in his home country of New Zealand.