UFC: Soa Palelei goes from ‘Little Lomu’ to ‘The Hulk’ and will fight American Walter Harris

SOA Palelei was once a Wallabies wannabe. Now he is a UFC heavyweight, all tattoos, intensity and killer right hand.

Soa 'The Hulk' Palelei Australian UFC fighter ready for Saturday's bout pictured at Bondi .Picture Gregg Porteous

SOA Palelei wasn’t meant to be a fighter.

“No, I was supposed to be the next Jonah Lomu,’’ he laughs. “When I was playing with English rugby club Bristol, everyone was saying it. Calling me ‘Little Lomu’.

“At the time Jonah was starring with the All Blacks and ... yeah, people thought I could do the same for Australia.”

So how does he end up here?

Once a Wallabies wannabe — and a bloody winger, no less — Palelei is now a UFC heavyweight, all tattoos, intensity and killer right hand.

Soa 'The Hulk' Palelei will fight American Walt Harris at Allphones Arena.

An enforcer known globally as, ‘The Hulk’.

Gone is the son of Tongan parents who thought his fame would come on a rugby pitch.

A devastating flyer who, born in Newcastle, starred in his UK stint under coach Bob Dwyer and alongside internationals Willie ‘O’ and Frank Bunce.

“But in the end, there were guys better than me,’’ he shrugs. “So I came home, found Mixed Martial Arts and fought my way into the UFC.”

And hasn’t that been a story too?

Now 37, Palelei says he is finally ready to “make my run” in the heavyweight division — starting this Saturday against American Walt Harris at Allphones Arena.

After losing his UFC debut way back in 2007, ‘Hulk’ waited another six years for his second chance — winning three straight before suffering a shock loss last start against Jared Rosholt.

“But I won’t lose again — ever,’’ he insists. “I want to go top 10, then top five. Eventually fight for the title.”

Soa Palelei: “I want to go top 10, then top five. Eventually fight for the title.”

Apart from that devastating right hand, Palelei is also a budding actor who recently appeared alongside Ewan McGregor in ‘Son of Gun’.

“That,’’ he laughs, “and a movie called ‘Zombie Ninjas versus TRG’.”

Elsewhere, the fighter has a website, two teenage daughters, Mack workboot range and Twitter account showing: Followers 144K.

Oh, yeah he also has a son.

Jonah.

Originally published as UFC: Soa Palelei goes from ‘Little Lomu’ to ‘The Hulk’ and will fight American Walter Harris