P. Varelans (left) and M. Ruas (right) in a confrontation held in 1995. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
Ultimate lost one of the people most responsible for spreading the company around the world. Paul Varelans, Marco Ruas's eternal rival, died at the age of 51, a victim of Covid-19. The former fighter had contracted the disease in December and was unable to recover. Varelans was admitted to the ICU, but did not survive.
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Standing over 2m tall, Varelans drew attention in his first appearance in Ultimate, in 1995. At the time, athletes had more than one fight on the same night and were subjected to brutal situations that impressed spectators.
With a victory and a defeat in UFC 6, it was in the following edition that the athlete stood out worldwide, reaching the final of the tournament. With the belt in dispute, the 'giant' faced the legendary Marco Ruas and, on September 8, 1995, the two fought a confrontation that went down in the history of the sport.
Smaller and theoretically weaker, the Brazilian ended up leaving his trademark in the octagon against a dangerous opponent. In the confrontation, Ruas used the strategy of kicking the 'giant's' legs and, throughout the confrontation, he ended up injuring his rival, who collapsed and ended up being knocked out.
Professional in mixed martial arts from 1995 to 1998, Varelans had 18 professional fights. The athlete won nine and lost nine. In addition to Marco, Paul also has Carlão Barreto on his list of rivals.
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