GLIWICE, Poland — In a clash of titans that barely lasted longer than a commercial break, Eddie Hall, the 2017 World’s Strongest Man, demolished five-time champion Mariusz Pudzianowski in a jaw-dropping 30 seconds at KSW 105 on April 26, 2025. The PreZero Arena in Gliwice, Poland, buzzed with anticipation for what was billed as “The World’s Strongest Fight,” but no one expected it to end before most fans could settle into their seats.
Hall, a 37-year-old British behemoth tipping the scales at 334 pounds, stepped into the MMA cage for his professional debut against Pudzianowski, a 48-year-old Polish legend with 26 MMA fights under his belt. The size difference was stark—Hall outweighed his opponent by 67 pounds. Special rules, including two four-minute rounds with a 90-second break, were set to account for Hall’s admitted cardio struggles. None of that mattered. Right out of the gate, Hall landed a short right hand that wobbled Pudzianowski. The Pole, desperate to recover, lunged for a takedown, but Hall shrugged him off like a ragdoll, slamming him to the mat. A flurry of hammerfists followed, some questionably close to the back of Pudzianowski’s head, until the referee waved it off at the 30-second mark. The crowd roared, stunned by the sheer ferocity.
Hall, who broke his right hand during the onslaught, later admitted he was shocked by the speed of his victory. Pudzianowski, a KSW mainstay since 2009 with a 17-10 record, walked away wincing, holding the back of his head. Replays showed a couple of stray shots landed illegally, but officials ruled them unintentional in the heat of battle. The fight, a co-main event, overshadowed the night’s welterweight title bout, where Adrian Bartosiński defended his belt against Andrzej Grzebyk via unanimous decision after a grueling five rounds.
KSW, a leading European MMA promotion, had hyped the matchup for nearly a year, banking on the global followings of both strongmen. Hall, who’d dabbled in boxing and arm-wrestling since retiring from strongman in 2018, called the fight a chance to test himself against a “formidable” foe. Pudzianowski, coming off two knockout losses, aimed to reclaim his dominance but was outmatched by Hall’s raw power. Talks of a rematch surfaced immediately, with KSW’s CEO even floating a potential co-promotional clash against PFL heavyweight Francis Ngannou for the winner.
The event, streamed live on KSWTV.com for a $13 pay-per-view fee, drew eyes worldwide. Prelims aired free on YouTube, but the main card’s brute-force spectacle was the real draw. Hall’s victory marked his first official MMA win, while Pudzianowski’s loss dropped his record to 17-10.