Ronny Markes returns to light heavyweight, signs with WSOF

World Series of Fighting has added another light heavyweight talent to its roster.

Nova Uniao fighter Ronny Markes has signed a multi-fight deal with WSOF, and he expects to make his promotional debut around July or August. The Brazilian fighter, who competed in the UFC middleweight division, will make a return to the light heavyweight division.

“I signed him to be a 205-pounder,” WSOF matchmaker Ali Abdel-Aziz told MMAFighting.com. “He was cutting too much weight in the UFC, and I think at 205 he will be a much better fighter. I’m really excited to have him work with WSOF. I’m going to build the division around him.”

Markes defeated Karlos Vemola in his UFC debut as a light heavyweight, but went 2-2 after cutting down to 185 pounds. The Nova Uniao fighter failed to make weight in his last UFC bout, when he suffered a 53-second TKO loss to Thiago Santos.

“I will be back to 205 pounds now,” Markes told MMAFighting.com. “I used to fight at 195 pounds in Brazil, but I usually kept my weight at 215 pounds. I can’t do it anymore, so I cut too much weight to fight at 185,and I wasn’t fighting like I used to.”

“I’m really happy to sign with WSOF,” he continued. “WSOF is a great organization, right next to Bellator after the UFC. I want to do a great job there.”

The list of light heavyweights currently signed with World Series of Fighting includes the likes of Tyrone Spong, Mike Kyle and Kalib Starnes.

World Series of Fighting has added another light heavyweight talent to its roster.

Nova Uniao fighter Ronny Markes has signed a multi-fight deal with WSOF, and he expects to make his promotional debut around July or August. The Brazilian fighter, who competed in the UFC middleweight division, will make a return to the light heavyweight division.

“I signed him to be a 205-pounder,” WSOF matchmaker Ali Abdel-Aziz told MMAFighting.com. “He was cutting too much weight in the UFC, and I think at 205 he will be a much better fighter. I’m really excited to have him work with WSOF. I’m going to build the division around him.”

Markes defeated Karlos Vemola in his UFC debut as a light heavyweight, but went 2-2 after cutting down to 185 pounds. The Nova Uniao fighter failed to make weight in his last UFC bout, when he suffered a 53-second TKO loss to Thiago Santos.

“I will be back to 205 pounds now,” Markes told MMAFighting.com. “I used to fight at 195 pounds in Brazil, but I usually kept my weight at 215 pounds. I can’t do it anymore, so I cut too much weight to fight at 185,and I wasn’t fighting like I used to.”

“I’m really happy to sign with WSOF,” he continued. “WSOF is a great organization, right next to Bellator after the UFC. I want to do a great job there.”

The list of light heavyweights currently signed with World Series of Fighting includes the likes of Tyrone Spong, Mike Kyle and Kalib Starnes.