Paul Varelans

Paul Varelans (September 17, 1969 – January 16, 2021) was an American professional mixed martial artist. He competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship from 1995 to 1996, and had a worked match in Extreme Championship Wrestling in 1996.

Background Varelans attended West Valley High School in Fairbanks, Alaska, where he participated in football and wrestling. Varelans was a walk-on athlete at San Jose State University before starting his career in no holds barred. In the early days of UFC, he was billed as a practitioner of "Trap Fighting," one of the nominal fighting styles created at the time to give fighters more legitimacy.

Career Varelans made his UFC debut on July 14, 1995, at Ultimate Fighting Championship 6: Clash of the Titans, winning by KO over Cal Worsham.

On June 22, 1996, at ECW's Hardcore Heaven event, Varelans faced, and was choked out by, ECW star Taz, in what was promoted as a "shoot fight". Although the event was promoted as a legitimate shoot fight, Varelans agreed beforehand to lose via submission. In her 2001 autobiography Missy Hyatt, First Lady of Wrestling, Missy Hyatt claims that Varelans agreed to lose if she performed fellatio on him afterwards, but Hyatt refused saying that she did not "blow jobbers". Subsequently, Varelans allegedly became irrational and destroyed the locker room. He preceded this with two house show matches, defeating Jason Helton.

On July 29, 1997, he went to Japan for a one night appearance for Kingdom and lost a worked fight to Yoji Anjo by knockout.

Death In December 2020, news surfaced that Varelans contracted COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and as a result, was placed on mechanical ventilation and then put into a medically induced coma. He died in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 16, 2021, aged 51.

Championships and accomplishments International Fighting Championship IFC Kombat in Kyiv tournament semifinalist Ultimate Fighting Championship UFC 7 tournament finalist UFC 6 tournament semifinalist UFC 8 tournament semifinalist UFC Encyclopedia Awards Fight of the Night (Two times) vs. Marco Ruas and Dan Severn World Vale Tudo Championship WVC 5 tournament semifinalist

Mixed martial arts record Win

Dick Vrij KO (punch) Rings Holland: The King of Rings

Amsterdam, Netherlands Loss

Nick Nutter TKO (cut)

Win

Waldir dos Anjos TKO (submission to punches)

Loss

Carlos Barreto TKO (elbows and punches) Brazil Open '97

Brazil Win

Scott Taylor Submission (forearm choke) Extreme Challenge 6

Battle Creek, Michigan, United States Loss

Ryushi Yanagisawa Decision (lost points) Pancrase: Alive 4

Urayasu, Chiba, Japan Loss

Mark Kerr TKO (knees and punches) World Vale Tudo Championship 3

São Paulo, Brazil Loss

Kimo Leopoldo TKO (corner stoppage) Ultimate Ultimate 1996

Birmingham, Alabama, United States Win

Shinji Katase TKO (submission to punches) U-Japan

Japan Loss

Igor Vovchanchyn KO (punches)

Win

Valery Nikkolin TKO (corner stoppage)

Win

Joe Moreira Decision (unanimous) UFC 8

San Juan, Puerto Rico Loss

Dan Severn Submission (arm-triangle choke) Ultimate Ultimate 1995

Denver, Colorado, United States Loss

Marco Ruas TKO (leg kicks and punches)

Win

Mark Hall Submission (americana)

Win

Gerry Harris TKO (submission to elbows)

Loss

Tank Abbott TKO (punches)

Win

Cal Worsham KO (elbow)