Name: Paul Varelans Gym: Fairbanks, Alaska Wrestling Record: 9-9 Accomplishments: World Vale Tudo Semifinalist 1995, UFC 6,7,8 Semifinalist Paul Varelans was one of the very first "giants" of MMA/NHB. At 6'8'' 300 pounds with purely a wrestling base and some wild, aggressive striking. A fearsome man, Paul was a professional wrestler with ECW in 1996. However he got his very first taste of MMA/NHB at UFC 6 in Caspar,Wyoming in 1996 against Cal Worsham. This would both be their very first matches and it turned out to be quite a memorable one, as both slugged it out right from the starting horn. Paul would end up winning with elbow strikes to the back of Worsham's head. Paul would end up losing in the semifinal to Tank Abbott. Paul entered UFC 7 and 8 and fought at Ultimate Ultimate 1995 and 1996. But it was a match against Marco Ruas that made Paul Varelans rather famous for "nefarious" reasons. In that final, Marco Ruas was severely outweighed and instead of standing in the pocket, Marco Ruas utilized his Kickboxing and ended up kickinging Paulls legs til he fell and mounted while pounded out as ref John McCarthy stopped it. Paul Varelans would have an up and down career and ended up fighting some of the world's best fighters at the time including, Igor Vovchanchyon, Mark Kerr, Dan Severn and Kimo. His last and final match was against Dick Vrij in Rings (Holland) with a win. He retired from MMA in 1998. Paul Varelans wasn't a world title holder or even the best fighter, he was however a man willing to fight anyone at anytime under any circumstances. Paul Varelans vs Joe Moreira UFC 8 (2-16-1996) Paul Varelans vs Cal Worsham UFC 6 (7-14-1995)
I remember him well. He was never a world beater but he was tough and had some good scraps. He lived in that middle of the road level in the early days. He could beat up the absolute scrubs, you know, the one and done guys but the real seasoned fighters like Ruas were always going to handle him. We needed guys like him back then. Just tough and skilled enough to look good against the cab drivers and local karate teachers and tough enough to at least put up a fight against the legit guys. Plus he fought some absolute killers in his day so I'll always respect him for that.
I think Worsham could have won that fight if he was in better shape. He was spent after throwing that side kick & initial flurry of punches.
Got to love the old days. Where you could pick up a win via your opponent being too tired to keep fighting. I believe Gary Goodridge may have a submission loss via exhaustion in his early career.
