Posted on December 14 2016
We’re always excited to tell you about the big name fighters who we proudly sponsor and few are bigger than our latest star Soa “The Hulk” Palelei.
Currently in Phuket, Thailand preparing for his upcoming UFC 190 bout against Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, The Hulk stopped by at Fightlab HQ to pick up some training gear and sign a bit of sponsorship paperwork.
Standing at an intimidating 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 265 lbs, the Australian heavyweight fighter, known for his aggressive style, currently boasts a professional MMA record of 22-4-0.
Probably best known for his brutal ground and pound displays, Palelei started his fighting career with a preference for wrestling and was close to competing for Australia at the Sydney Olympics. MMA would be his true calling, however, and he is now proficient in Brazilian Ju-Jitsu, wrestling, Muay Thai and boxing – a dangerous combination.
The Hulk will be looking to silence his critics next month with a victory over Bigfoot Silva in the UFC. In a matchup being dubbed “the battle of the giants” by many, The Hulk is facing a formidable opponent in Bigfoot.
When you’ve got two guys as big as Palelei and Silva, one punch is all it takes to end a fight. The Hulk will have a slight agility advantage, but with past victories over elite fighters Alistair Overeem and Travis Browne, Bigfoot should never be underestimated.
A win against Silva would likely see Palelei break into the UFC’s top 10 heavyweight list for the first time in his fighting career. He seems confident that he can beat Bigfoot and having seen his training regime here in Thailand, we’re not going to argue.
UFC 190 is being held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on August 1 and will be shown live around the world. The card’s main event will see Ronda Rousey defending her women’s bantamweight belt against undefeated contender Bethe Correia.
Other notable fights on the card include:
- Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
- Minotauro Nogueira vs. Stefan Struve
- Demian Maia vs. Neil Magny
As always, we’ll publish a full post-fight update, but in the meantime be sure to keep your eye on our buzzing Facebook page for more news about everything Fightlab.