EFC Africa Heavyweight Champion Ruan Potts Signs With the UFC, So Here’s Some Videos of Him in Action

(Potts’ professional debut against Calven Robinson at EFC 7 via EFC Africa’s Youtube page.)

Cain Velasquez may have ruined the heavyweight division at UFC 166, but it looks like the world’s premier MMA organization is going to move forward with this whole “signing heavyweight prospects” thing regardless.

News broke yesterday that the UFC had signed EFC heavyweight champion Ruan Potts to a six fight deal, marking the first EFC prospect to be picked up by the UFC in the South African promotion’s brief history. Currently 8-1 in professional competition, Potts is a two-time EFC Heavyweight champion who has balanced 4 TKOs against 4 submissions and most recently scored a trilogy-securing victory over rival Andrew van Zyl at EFC 26 via first round armbar. Despite possessing a goddamn awful nickname in “Fangzz”, Potts should hopefully shake up the UFC’s heavyweight division in these post-Barry times (*cries*).

There isn’t much footage of Potts’ recent fights available, but we did manage to find a few videos of him in action from earlier in his career, so join us after the jump to see what this kid can do.


(Potts’ professional debut against Calven Robinson at EFC 7 via EFC Africa’s Youtube page.)

Cain Velasquez may have ruined the heavyweight division at UFC 166, but it looks like the world’s premier MMA organization is going to move forward with this whole “signing heavyweight prospects” thing regardless.

News broke yesterday that the UFC had signed EFC heavyweight champion Ruan Potts to a six fight deal, marking the first EFC prospect to be picked up by the UFC in the South African promotion’s brief history. Currently 8-1 in professional competition, Potts is a two-time EFC Heavyweight champion who has balanced 4 TKOs against 4 submissions and most recently scored a trilogy-securing victory over rival Andrew van Zyl at EFC 26 via first round armbar. Despite possessing a goddamn awful nickname in “Fangzz”, Potts should hopefully shake up the UFC’s heavyweight division in these post-Barry times (*cries*).

There isn’t much footage of Potts’ recent fights available, but we did manage to find a few videos of him in action from earlier in his career, so join us after the jump to see what this kid can do.

Potts vs. Ubutombe Baygon – EFC 8

Potts vs. Norman Wessels – EFC 9

In addition to Potts, it has been announced that the UFC has signed Josh Barnett teammate Jack “The Outlaw” May to a multi-fight deal as well. Standing at 6’8″ and bringing 6 first round knockouts in 7 contests into his octagon debut against Bellator vet Derrick Lewis at UFC on FOX 11, it will be interesting to see how May, and Potts for that matter, fare when faced with the bright lights of the UFC.

–J. Jones