Wayne State offensive tackle Ray Rocheleau will set down his football pads and pick up boxing gloves Feb. 12, as he battles for FightXC's heavyweight championship title.
Ray "The War Machine" Rocheleau (6-1) will knuckle up with the undefeated heavyweight champion Randall "Dozer" Wallace (4-0) as they fight it out, mix-martial arts style, in the octagon.
This is Wallace's first fight since he has obtained his heavyweight title and no one wants to lose their title in the first defending match. Wallace's game plan will consist of using Rocheleau's split training (football and martial-arts) as a weakness, whereas Wallace specifically trains for his martial-arts career.
All training aside, when looking at just a size advantage, Wayne State's offensive tackle by far has the upper hand when fighting in the cage. Rocheleau has the build to be a heavyweight champion, standing at 6'7" and weighing in at 265 lbs.
To put it in perspective, Rocheleau would tower over the UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar (who stands at a mere 6'3”). Wallace, on the other hand, weighs in only at 225 lbs. and stands several inches shorter, placing the natural burdens on his shoulders.
Despite this smaller heavyweight physique, Wallace still managed to defeat the previous heavyweight champion, Josh Bezeau, with a first-round knockout this past December. Still, Rocheleau and Wallace are Michigan's top-two ranked heavyweight fighters, so like Floyd Mayweather, there's no doubt that they're both coming for that number one spot.
When asked what his biggest advantage in the fight would be, Rocheleau said, "I have all the natural advantages. I'm bigger, stronger,and faster than him. I think he's pretty scared, so I get a lot of confidence from that."
Despite these clear physical facts, Wallace refuses to budge. He told the press: "I know he's big and strong, but he doesn't have the endurance that I have. I know I'm the underdog, but I have the edge in training specifically for this sport."
So with both competitors ready for action Feb. 12, the event starts at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $25-$45 for individuals. Tickets can be purchased at FightXC.com.
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