Eddie Hall, also known as “The Beast”, threatened to cancel his anticipated bout with Mariusz Pudzianowski due to disagreements over the fight rules. The clash, which brings together two former World’s Strongest Man champions, is scheduled for April 26 in Poland as one of the co-main events of KSW 105.
Hall revealed that serious arguments broke out over the duration of the rounds – he wanted two-minute rounds, while Pudzianowski insisted on five-minute ones. In the end, they agreed on four minutes – a compromise Hall wasn’t happy with. “I wanted shorter rounds because I’m a big guy – I weigh 160 kg. My fitness is nowhere near Mariusz’s, and I’ve never fought MMA before,” Hall told The Ariel Helwani Show.
“Four-minute rounds are a lot for me. But it was literally an ultimatum: either I agree or the fight is off. I had no choice.” He admitted that this was one of Mariusz’s demands, clearly giving him the advantage. Pudzianowski has nearly 16 years of MMA experience and has competed in 26 professional fights. In contrast, Hall has only one MMA bout under his belt.
“If you’re not scared, something’s wrong. I know who I’m going up against. Mariusz is a five-time World’s Strongest Man and an MMA veteran. I’ve got a lot to be afraid of, but I said to myself: sod it, let’s go with the four-minute rounds. Let’s just get this done.”
Despite doubts and challenges, Eddie Hall is ready to step into the cage against one of Poland’s most iconic athletes – and prove that his power goes beyond lifting weights and into the world of combat sports.
