Eddie Hall, the former World’s Strongest Man (2017), recently made a dramatic entry into the world of mixed martial arts (MMA). He faced five-time WSM champion Mariusz Pudzianowski at KSW 105 in Poland and secured a knockout victory in a mere 30 seconds.
Despite weighing in at a substantial 334 pounds for this fight, Hall commented after the bout that he felt surprisingly underweight, even going so far as to describe the sensation as “anorexic.” This feeling is relative to his peak condition as a strongman, where he weighed around 440 pounds when he set a world record by deadlifting over 1,000 pounds. For his MMA debut, he had clearly undergone significant weight loss, still outweighing his opponent Pudzianowski by approximately 67 pounds at the weigh-ins.
Eddie Hall`s Post-Fight Reflections and Future Plans
In a video shared after his successful debut, Eddie Hall discussed his next steps. He suggested that his potential next MMA fight is likely to happen towards the end of the year, possibly in November or December, and mentioned a few potential opponents.
However, before returning to the cage, Hall plans to shift his focus back to weight training, having taken a ten-week break. His goal is to regain muscle mass, driven by his feeling of being “a bit anorexic” at his current weight. His immediate schedule also includes an arm-wrestling competition against Robert Oburst at the Shaw Classic in mid-August, which will involve specific training and bulking up.
Hall outlined two possible paths for his career following the arm-wrestling event: using the gained muscle mass either to prepare for another MMA fight, if a suitable promotional offer materializes, or as a base for a cut towards competing in a bodybuilding show. His decision will ultimately depend on securing a compelling fight deal.
Carnivore Diet Strategy for Weight Cutting
Ahead of his fight, Eddie Hall spoke about his dietary approach for cutting weight, revealing he followed a carnivore diet. This strict plan involved eating only meat, eggs, and dairy, avoiding fruits, but allowing him to eat these permitted foods without quantity restriction to ensure high protein intake and strength retention.
Hall found the diet effective for maintaining muscle mass while reducing body fat, also crediting it with giving him high energy levels and improved endurance. During his preparation camp, he reduced his weight from an initial 170kg (roughly 375 pounds) to 158kg (approximately 348 pounds), with a potential target of 155-156kg (around 342-344 pounds) by the time of the fight.
He emphasized that his training focus was on functional fitness and recovery capabilities for sustained rounds, rather than solely on the number on the scale. Feeling good and noting his sufficient cardio, he stated he had no plans to lose an excessive amount of weight.
