Winded Hall Forces KSW To Modify Mariusz Rules
04/02/2025 11:52 AM
Professional meathead, Eddie Hall, is fighting fellow "World's Strongest Man," Mariusz Pudzianowski, as part of the upcoming KSW 105 mixed martial arts (MMA) event, recently made official for Sat., April 26, 2025 in Gliwice, Poland.
The unified rules of MMA call for three, five-minute rounds in most cage fights, though five, five-minute rounds are not uncommon in title fights or select main events. Hall was hoping to get KSW all the way down to two, two-minute rounds.
Hall had to settle for two, four-minute rounds.
"I wanted two-minute rounds," Hall said in a recent interview with Uncrowned. "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 (352 pounds). 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."
Hall's first attempt to train MMA ended with a shin sandwich.
"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 continued. "But it was literally, I say yes to that or the fight 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 fight."
Hall abandoned his boxing career after getting stopped by Hafthor "Thor" Bjornsson back in early 2022. He was expected to make his MMA debut in a four-way dance opposite Brian Shaw, Martyn Ford, and Mitchell Hooper; however, their Qatar clash went up in smoke.
The 37 year-old Hall was last seen smashing and trashing a pair of hapless influencers during the World Freak Fight League 1 event early last year in Blackburn (highlights here). Unfortunately, calls for an "Iranian Hulk" fight (mostly from me) continue to fall on deaf ears.
