Former KSW featherweight champ Robert Ruchala arrives in the UFC on Saturday, where William Gomis will welcome him to the octagon at UFC Paris. The Fight Night event is headlined by Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho, with several big debuts expected on the night (though sadly, not that of Losene Keita).
Robert Ruchała
Standing at five-foot-ten
Fighting at 145 lbs (featherweight)
27-years-old
Fighting out of Nowy Sącz, Poland
Training out of Grappling Krakow
A pro record of 11-1
3 KO/TKOs, 3 Submissions
Standing at five-foot-ten
Fighting at 145 lbs (featherweight)
27-years-old
Fighting out of Nowy Sącz, Poland
Training out of Grappling Krakow
A pro record of 11-1
3 KO/TKOs, 3 Submissions
Ruchała, a long-time top European prospect and former KSW champion, now makes his UFC debut. Unlike most newcomers, he arrives with a wealth of high-level experience, having already faced and beaten several quality opponents: six of his eleven wins come against fighters I rate highly. His lone loss came against Salahdine Parnasse, widely regarded as one of the best fighters outside the UFC.
Ruchała is billed as a grappler, but he often chooses to test himself on the feet. Stylistically, he’s an out-fighter, constantly circling, working off his back foot, and relying heavily on kicks to manage distance. He mixes up his targets well, attacking the legs and body to set traps before going upstairs, often chaining roundhouse kicks into spinning techniques. He’ll throw in combinations, mixing hands and kicks, and switching sides to create different looks.
That said, the optics can work against him. Judges don’t always favor fighters who are constantly retreating, and Ruchała doesn’t carry much power— his strikes don’t cause significant damage. The backward movement also taxes his gas tank, leading him to fade late in fights. Combined with low hands, poor body language, and defensive lapses, he can be an easy target on the feet.
On the mat, Ruchała is tricky. While his pure wrestling isn’t at the UFC level yet, his clinch game is solid, and he chains transitions together well. He’s a strong positional grappler, dangerous with ground-and-pound, and a legitimate submission threat, even off his back. Still, relying too heavily on fighting off his back won’t serve him well against elite competition.
Overall, Ruchała is talented but flawed. Offensively, his striking lacks sharpness, and defensively, he leaves openings. His grappling remains his best asset, but without stronger wrestling to dictate where the fight takes place, he’ll hit a ceiling. Expect him to stick around in the UFC as a tough, durable fighter, likely hovering just outside the rankings.
