He’s a fighter

Gareth ‘Soldierboy’ McLellan hopes to be the first South African-based Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter in history to win the International Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC), and will compete in the middleweight division of the competition in Vancouver, Canada, at the end of August.

“I think Gareth will bring home the win, no doubt,” said Ginnie McLellan, Gareth’s wife, PR and sponsorship manager.

“He knows his purpose and role, both in South African MMA and on an international platform. He has set goals and will stop at nothing to achieve them.”

First held in 1993, the UFC is the foremost and largest MMA promotion in the world and is attended by some of the top-ranked fighters in the sport globally. McLellan will participate in the middleweight division of the competition.

But his sporting career didn’t begin with MMA. At 19, McKellan entered the world of professional rugby when he joined the Durban Crusaders as a flank, eventually being selected for the National Rugby Union in 2007.

It was during Gareth’s time with the Natal Sharks that Jason Vorster, the team fitness coach and, at the time, South Africa’s leading MMA coach, saw that Gareth had a natural ability for the sport, which Vorster encouraged players to do as a form of fitness training. Gareth took part in an amateur fight and became hooked, eventually ending his amateur career undefeated.

He turned professional in 2008 and his career has gone from strength to strength, most recently when he achieved a total knock-out victory against Swede Magnus Cedenblad in Rotterdam earlier this year.

“It’s a dream come true,” said Gareth about what it means for him to fight in the UFC. “And [it’s] extremely humbling to reach the level it brings. I’m grateful for the opportunity and excited to show my ability.”

Gareth will compete in the Ultimate Fighting Championship in Vancouver, Canada on 27 August, against Alessia Di Chirico of Italy.