EFC AFRICA - Ruan Potts

Fighter's Biography

Training:

All the elements of MMA that are required to prepare for a fight, from standing striking, to ground and pound.

When and why did you start training for fighting?

I started judo when I was 15 and excelled rapidly. I instantly fell in love with the sport for the discipline and dedication required to become a success. I enjoy a challenge and this is what makes me what I am. In 2000 I moved overseas to pursue rugby, but gave that up to become a heat engineer. In 2008 I decided to try MMA and joined ZT Fightskool in Hove, England. I soon started competing and never lost a fight. When I returned to SA in 2010 I continued MMA and soon discovered EFC AFRICA.

Accomplishments in pro or amateur competition:

Taking Gold in the SA National Judo Open and Heavy weight divisions. (Johannesburg, South Africa) Taking Gold at the Abu-Dhabi Pro European Heavyweight division 2009 (England, UK) Taking 2 Golds for African Abu- Dhabi African Championships in Heavy weight and Open Weight Divisions. (Kempton Park, Johannesburg) Taking Gold and receiving his national Muaythai Colours at the SAAMF SA Muaythai Championships (Cape Town, South Africa)

Favourite technique:

Submissions, KO’s

What does it mean for you to fight in EFC AFRICA?

It is an honour to have been chosen to fight in the top MMA circuit in Africa and to be given the chance to prove to my fans and students that hard work pays off. My first two EFC AFRICA fights were taken at very short notice, but I just couldn’t pass up the opportunities. First it was 2,5 weeks, second time it was 3 weeks. At least I get a few more days each time! When I got the call for EFC AFRICA 08 I was preparing for the Abu Dhabi championship, essentially the Olympics of BJJ. It’s a very prestigious competition, so I had to make a difficult choice before pulling out. EFC AFRICA wanted me to fight again and in terms of the sport of MMA and my career moving forward, EFC AFRICA was the best choice.

Fighting Calven Robinson at EFC 07:

The fight was over quite quickly. I think I started by landing a good leg kick which went into a grapple against the cage and I finished it with a knee to the jaw and ground and pound. As there are with all fights, there were things to be corrected and worked on but, on the whole, I was satisfied with my performance.

Fighting Obutobe Baygon at EFC 08:

It was like going into a fight blind folded. I had no footage on or about him or his style. I knew only that he was a top Judoka, Kyokushin Karate coach and competitor, and a boxing champion with wrestling skills. Needless to say I was quite cautious. I waited for him to make the first move, but nothing happened, so I made the first move. I landed a few leg kicks and took him to the cage. We progressed to the ground where I finished the fight via TKO due to ground and pound stoppage. I am normally ready for anything and I learned that one must not worry about what they are told about another fighter — rather just stick to the game plan.

Fighting Obutobe Norman at EFC 09:

It was a good fight in general but I felt that after round two I really got my head in the game and went in to finish it. Yes the elbow that cut him did play a part, although the punches immediately afterward were what rocked Norman the most. The elbow didn’t seem to affect him as much as I thought it would, but it definitely took its toll and a lot can change when someone sees their own blood. Throughout the fight I felt that Norman was cautious of my ground game. I expected more from him on the ground, but I take my hat off to him for being able to get out of danger. I didn’t really feel threatened at any stage of the fight but I did get caught with a few good body kicks. Norman was a good opponent and a well-rounded fighter but at the end of the day the best man won.

Other interesting information?

My wife and I are qualified dental technicians. We make teeth, we don’t take them out, that’s the dentist’s job. We make crowns, bridges, dentures and professional custom-made mouthguards. Making mouthguards is also where I got my fighting name. My company name was FANGZZ because that was the design I specialized in. I later got known as ‘Fangzz’ because my students and other fighters said once I got my fangs (meaning hooks, a BJJ term) in, you couldn’t get them out. People are often scared of the dentist and dental technicians, but most survive the dentist – not a lot of people survive my ground and pound!

Besides MMA, you are an accomplished Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. Tell us about grappling.

I enjoy grappling as it is a three part game: It takes skill and technical expertise; it takes fitness and conditioning; and it takes strategy and intelligence. Advancing in BJJ requires dedication and knowledge of terminology, moves and positions, and of course proof of your skills by actually winning big tournaments. In terms of moving forward, it is also extremely fulfilling to know that your coach thinks you are ready to go to the next level, something I know from when I advanced to purple belt under Ivam Maciel, a Brazilian second-generation Gracie black belt.