Strongman Eddie Hall, known as the 2017 World`s Strongest Man, recently made his debut in mixed martial arts at KSW 105 held in Poland. He made a significant impact, achieving a swift 30-second knockout victory over five-time World`s Strongest Man champion Mariusz Pudzianowski. Immediately following this impressive performance, questions began to surface about who Hall might face next in the cage.
Hall has indicated interest in a potential rematch against the Polish strongman, Pudzianowski, who has raised accusations of Hall using an illegal blow to the back of the head. However, Hall`s immediate plans depend on recovering from a broken knuckle sustained during the fight and determining his best course of action moving forward.
Eddie Hall Explicitly Rules Out Fight Against Francis Ngannou After MMA Debut
Prior to his fight with Mariusz Pudzianowski, Eddie Hall`s name was already being discussed as a potential opponent for former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. KSW promoter Martin Lewandowski publicly mentioned the possibility, even stating he was in contact with people from PFL, the promotion where Ngannou currently competes, regarding a potential cross-promotional bout.
However, Hall himself wasted no time in humorously and explicitly dismissing the notion of facing Ngannou. Speaking to the media after his KSW victory, Hall used colourful language to convey his absolute lack of interest, suggesting he would prefer an extremely unpleasant alternative rather than stepping into the cage with Francis Ngannou. He firmly requested that his name not be linked with Ngannou`s in future discussions.
During the same post-fight media session, Hall clarified his motivations and goals within combat sports. He stated his preference for competing against other `freak` athletes, emphasizing that at 37 years old, his aim is not to climb the ranks or pursue the number one spot within a promotion like KSW, but rather to participate in entertaining spectacle fights.
Eddie Hall Reportedly Holds Record for Hardest Punch, Surpassing Ngannou
While a fight between them seems unlikely based on Hall`s comments, Eddie Hall does appear to hold one notable advantage over Francis Ngannou: raw punching power. Hall is reported to have recorded a higher measurement than Ngannou on the PowerKube machine located at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas, a device designed to quantify striking force.
Francis Ngannou, the ex-UFC Heavyweight Champion, previously held the record for the world`s hardest punch on the PowerKube. His record was later surpassed by former light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira by a significant margin. However, last year, Eddie Hall reportedly shattered the existing record, registering an extraordinary 208,901 units on the machine.
Commenting on this achievement before his recent MMA bout, Hall expressed confidence in his power. He told reporters, “As of now, I don’t wanna make the claim officially, but I have got the hardest punch on the planet. That’s been recorded via a punch measuring machine at the UFC [Performance] Institute.”
