Tag: Ruan Potts

Booking Roundup: The UFC’s Return to Cincinnati Gets Three Bouts of Varying Importance


(“Well if I can’t get this guy to wake up and fight, YOU TRY!! Photo via Getty.)

Blah blah blah standard introductory paragraph that you don’t read blah blah blah UFC returns to Cincinnati with Fight Night 40 blah blah May 10th. Fights booked:

Soa Palelei vs. Ruan Potts – Just over a week after signing with the UFC, EFC Heavyweight champion Ruan Potts will face the streaking Australian Soa Palelei in his promotional debut. Since returning to the UFC (after going 10-1 in various promotions following his one-off stint at UFC 79), Palelei has scored back to back (T)KO’s over Nikita Krylov and Pat Barry. Expect a stand up war between these two that ends inside the distance, Nation.

Ed Herman vs. Rafael Natal – Herman is 2-2 with 1 NC in his past 5, most recently dropping a decision to Thales Leites at UFC 167. Natal is fresh off a first round KO defeat at the hands of Tim Kennedy in the main event of Fight for the Troops 3.

Justin Salas vs. Ben Wall: A potential “Loser Leaves Town” match pits Salas, who has dropped 2 out of his past 3 including a most recent submission loss to Thiago Tavares in under three minutes, against the 7-1-1 TUF Smashes alum who was starched by Alex Garcia in under a minute at Fight Night 33.

Blah blah blah who do you like blah blah this gif of Genki Sudo:

–J. Jones


(“Well if I can’t get this guy to wake up and fight, YOU TRY!! Photo via Getty.)

Blah blah blah standard introductory paragraph that you don’t read blah blah blah UFC returns to Cincinnati with Fight Night 40 blah blah May 10th. Fights booked:

Soa Palelei vs. Ruan Potts – Just over a week after signing with the UFC, EFC Heavyweight champion Ruan Potts will face the streaking Australian Soa Palelei in his promotional debut. Since returning to the UFC (after going 10-1 in various promotions following his one-off stint at UFC 79), Palelei has scored back to back (T)KO’s over Nikita Krylov and Pat Barry. Expect a stand up war between these two that ends inside the distance, Nation.

Ed Herman vs. Rafael Natal – Herman is 2-2 with 1 NC in his past 5, most recently dropping a decision to Thales Leites at UFC 167. Natal is fresh off a first round KO defeat at the hands of Tim Kennedy in the main event of Fight for the Troops 3.

Justin Salas vs. Ben Wall: A potential “Loser Leaves Town” match pits Salas, who has dropped 2 out of his past 3 including a most recent submission loss to Thiago Tavares in under three minutes, against the 7-1-1 TUF Smashes alum who was starched by Alex Garcia in under a minute at Fight Night 33.

Blah blah blah who do you like blah blah this gif of Genki Sudo:

–J. Jones

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