Former World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall has managed to negotiate modified round times for his mixed martial arts bout against fellow strongman legend Mariusz Pudzianowski, scheduled for April 26, 2025, in Gliwice, Poland.
The 37-year-old British powerhouse, who weighs in at a staggering 160 kg (352 pounds), pushed for shorter rounds during contract negotiations, citing concerns about his cardiovascular endurance against the more experienced Pudzianowski.
“I wanted two-minute rounds,” Hall revealed in a recent interview with Helwani. “Mariusz wanted five-minute rounds, and somehow we’ve met in the middle, nowhere near the middle at four. I’m not too happy. I wanted the two-minute rounds because I’m so big. I’m 160 kg. My fitness isn’t going to be anywhere near what Mariusz is, and I’ve never fought MMA before — and I know MMA is a lot more taxing on the body.”
While standard MMA rules typically call for three five-minute rounds, Hall had initially hoped to reduce this dramatically to two two-minute rounds. The compromise of two four-minute rounds still leaves Hall feeling disadvantaged.
“When you get that adrenaline dump, all that cardio goes out the window as well, so four-minute rounds is a big ask for me,” Hall explained. “But it was literally, I say yes to that or the bout is off, I had no choice. This is one of Mariusz’s demands, and we all know why. Obviously he’s going to get the advantage in the cardio aspect, so I can’t really blame him for wanting that, but it’s definitely giving him a massive advantage going into this bout.”
Pudzianowski, 48, brings significant experience to the cage with a professional MMA record of 17 wins and 9 losses. The Polish veteran appears well aware of the strategy needed against his larger opponent.
“Eddie is not like some bar room brawler,” Pudzianowski stated. “I know what it means because I come from the same source so for the first two minutes it will be an unstoppable steam engine. It’s only that I still have some of this strength and I have the experience before youth and some cunning. So if I do not let myself be caught by a cheap trick it should be fine. But let’s not underestimate it. He is a heavyweight and his hands weigh a lot.”
Hall’s combat sports career has had mixed results so far. After losing his boxing debut against Hafthor “Thor” Bjornsson in early 2022, he found success in MMA with a knockout victory over the Neffati Brothers during the World Freak League 1 event last year.
A previously planned MMA debut in Qatar featuring Hall, Brian Shaw, Martyn Ford, and Mitchell Hooper never materialized, making the upcoming KSW bout only his second professional MMA appearance.
With Hall expected to enter the cage at around 330 pounds and carrying significant power, and Pudzianowski bringing years of MMA experience, the clash of these two strength titans promises to deliver an explosive spectacle for fans in Poland next April.
