“Fangzz” raring to go ahead of UFC debut
Former EFC heavyweight champion Ruan “Fangzz” Potts' wait for his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) debut is nearing its end, with his first fight scheduled for Saturday, May 10 (May 11 South African time).
Having vacated his EFC title early this year, the hexagon-savvy Potts will face off against Australian heavyweight, Soa “The Hulk” Palelei at UFC Fight Night 40 in Cincinatti, US.
Following his impressive run including convincing wins over Egypt’s Mahmoud Hassan at EFC 21 and Ricky Misholas at EFC 24, followed by a dominant showing against Andrew van Zyl at EFC 26 to regain the title in style, Potts was landed a six-match deal by EFC to fight at the US-based international promotion.
This makes him the first EFC fighter to join UFC.
Asked about his feelings going into his first UFC fight, Potts said: “There’s definitely a lot more pressure than the normal EFC fight, because a lot more eyes will be on me. It’s not only about me, because I’ll be representing the country and Africa as a whole, and I want to show what African fighters are made of.
“No one is invincible, and no one is unbeatable, but I’m working hard and I’m prepared.”
Potts, who is currently training in Boksburg and Sandton ahead of his expected departure on May 1, added that he’s included more variety to his lethal submission game as part of his preparations.
“Training is going very well. I’ve added a bit of boxing into my programme, and I’m working with boxing legend, Harold Volbrecht. I’ve also added a bit of Muay Thai where I’m working with Thai Combat Gym trainer, Kru Lloyd Kemertgoglou.”
Asked about his length of stay in the US, Potts responded: “I still live in South Africa and I’m not moving to America,” he chuckled.
“The six fights on the contract are spread over a period of time, so I’ll go to the US when my fights are due.”
