Speculations Zeff used to be in Rocks

[thedarkdragon11]

Yes, Zeff and Sanji were until they were rescued...

 

[Finalbeta]

Evil zeff , evil Sanji soon

Invincible couple tbh

 

[Zenos7]

2.) We know Zeff has gone to New World in search for the All Blue. He was first person to name drop the first-half of the Grandline as Paradise.

this is pretty much the only actual argument, but this isnt even necessarily the case.

when kid entered the new world, he came across people trying to get back to paradise. Assuming they arent the only ones (they arent, buggy and shanks come to mind), then its perfectly possible for someone to know about "paradise" without the need to go the new world. and even in that panel you brought up, apparently zeff only said that some refer to it as paradise. . .

 

[Finalbeta]

I bet that he was never someone too special