Former Chelsea goalkeeper Ricardo Prasel picked up the biggest win of his MMA career as he submitted UFC veteran Daniel Omielanczuk at KSW 70.
Prasel, 31, started playing football at the age of five and was signed to Brazilian side Atletico Paranaense as a teenager. After spells at transferred to Joinville EC and CA Juventus, he was signed by top Premier League side Chelsea as an 18-year-old.
He was only with the Blues for a few moths before being transferred to Belgium to play for RFC Liege. A hip injury forced him to retire from football in his early 20s and Prasel eventually took up jiu-jitsu.
Prasel was competing in his 16th fight at KSW 70 on Saturday night since turning professional over a decade ago. He was a big underdog against former UFC heavyweight Omielanczuk but after surviving some heavy punches early on, Prasel secured a straight ankle lock that forced his opponent to tap in just 98-seconds.
Speaking after his win, Prasel said: "Where is the underdog now? F*** you underdog, my name is Ricardo Prasel that is my name. I now I want a chance for the belt, this is my dream. I have two wins against two big fighters now [in KSW] and I'm very happy."
Prasel, who stands at 6'7", only took up jiu-jitsu to keep fit whilst studying at college and to mend his hip injuries. He is grateful that his football and fighting careers have allow him to travel the world through competition.
”Even if not for a long time, stepping a foot on the Chelsea field and seeing so many stars was a dream come true,” he told MMA Fighting. “Fighting now is as incredible as playing for Chelsea. I saw the world through both sports.”
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”When I started in jiu-jitsu I had no intention to become a professional. I started in college and trained jiu-jitsu for fun, but things started to happen. Leaving a sport and get to this level in another one is sensational. My family is proud of me, my father would be proud of me. It’s awesome.”
Prasel admitted that playing with some of the biggest stars in football whilst at Chelsea was "f****ng unbelievable". The former third choice goalkeeper admitted that Didier Drogba and Michael Ballack used to get the better of him in training.
"I played with them every day because after training they wanted to practice free kicks and I had to be there to try to defend it," he added. "Thirty minutes every day, Drogba and Ballack shooting free kicks. My God, they didn’t miss one [laughs]. It was incredible."
