Former World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall is gearing up for his professional mixed martial arts debut — and he’s turning to UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall for guidance.
Hall will face off against fellow strongman legend Mariusz Pudzianowski in the co-main event of KSW 105 on April 26 in Poland. Pudzianowski, with nearly 16 years of MMA experience and 26 professional fights under his belt, enters the bout as the heavy favorite.
Despite being a massive underdog, Hall isn’t going in unprepared. “I’m going up to the Tom Aspinall camp on a regular basis,” Hall revealed. “We talk about what I should and shouldn’t be doing. I’ve also got a great coach, Gee Oakes, whose son is a European K1 kickboxing champion. We’ve got a solid game plan.”
One of Hall’s biggest concerns is his cardio. Weighing in at 160 kg (352 lbs), he pushed for two-minute rounds, while Pudzianowski wanted five. The compromise? Four-minute rounds. “I’m not too happy,” Hall admitted. “I’ve never fought MMA before, and the adrenaline dump can kill your cardio.”
Hall’s previous fight experience includes a boxing match against Hafthor Bjornsson and an unusual 2-on-1 MMA bout. Understandably, he admits to feeling nervous ahead of this real test.
“If you’re not scared, something’s wrong,” he said. “I’m going up against a man with 26 fights and five World’s Strongest Man titles. But I said, ‘sod it’ — let’s get it done.”
The showdown at KSW 105 promises to be a clash of titans — a battle not just of strength, but of will, endurance, and heart.
