In a revealing interview with Michael Bisping, former World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall opened up about his physical transformation and the challenges he faced during his recent cage match against Polish strongman Mariusz Pudzianowski.
Hall, who tipped the scales at 334 pounds for the contest, described feeling surprisingly diminished despite his imposing frame. “I felt anorexic in there,” Hall admitted to Bisping. “You got to think at my peak I was 433 pounds, so I’m 100 pounds down from when I was at my biggest.”
The British strongman explained how late changes to the match format significantly impacted his preparation. “We agreed a year ago in the setup for this fight we agreed two minute rounds, right? Which suits me down to the ground. I was 160 kilo, 360 pounds. I was like, I can do two minute rounds all day long,” Hall recounted.
However, Hall revealed that Pudzianowski threw a wrench in his plans just weeks before the event. “Seven weeks out from the fight, Mariusz Pudzianowski put a stipulation in: it’s five minute rounds or I’m not fighting. And he wouldn’t budge,” Hall said.
The competitors eventually compromised on four-minute rounds, but this forced Hall to shed significant weight quickly. “I had to lose 10 kilo, which is pretty much over 20 pounds. So I went from 360 to 330, and I just felt it just didn’t suit me,” he explained.
The dramatic weight cut left Hall feeling depleted despite being in good cardiovascular condition. “I felt I was fit, but it just didn’t feel right. I didn’t feel as strong as powerful,” he concluded.
Hall’s candid comments highlight the physical and mental challenges athletes face when making significant body composition changes for competition, especially when transitioning between different strength sports.
