UFC champion Tom Aspinall took to social media to congratulate his friend, Eddie Hall, following Hall`s impressive mixed martial arts debut victory. Hall, the 2017 World`s Strongest Man, secured a brutal knockout win against five-time champion Mariusz Pudzianowski in their super-heavyweight bout at KSW 105 on Saturday night. Hall, who weighed in 67 pounds heavier than his opponent, looked dominant throughout the short contest.
Hall has previously trained with Aspinall, with the UFC champion jokingly remarking that Hall`s grappling made him `feel like a little girl`. The two fighters have maintained their friendship and were in contact during Hall`s fight camp.
Tom Aspinall Reacts to Eddie Hall`s Devastating Win Over Mariusz Pudzianowski
Footage of Eddie Hall`s swift 30-second knockout of the veteran Mariusz Pudzianowski at KSW 105 quickly went viral. Early in the fight, Hall landed his powerful right hand, known for setting records at the UFC Performance Institute, sending Pudzianowski staggering. When `Pudzian` attempted a desperate takedown, Hall easily tossed him aside like a much smaller opponent. Hall then followed up with ground and pound, leading to the stoppage, although Pudzianowski protested, claiming he was hit in the back of the head.
While other major combat sports events, like Conor Benn vs. Chris Eubank Jr., were happening concurrently, the super-heavyweight clash between Hall and Pudzianowski attracted significant attention. Among the viewers was Tom Aspinall, the UFC interim heavyweight champion. Aspinall, a Manchester native who knows Hall well, expressed his delight at the victory. He posted on social media to congratulate Hall, sharing a meme that depicted Hall as `Me` effortlessly throwing around `responsibilities`, captioned with `Go on big Eddie Hall!`
Eddie Hall Discusses Future Plans After Dominant KSW 105 Victory
Despite his emphatic win, Hall seemed realistic about his position in the MMA world. He acknowledged that he is far above the standard heavyweight limit of 265 pounds and suggested his future lies in fighting other large individuals or `freaks`.
“Maybe Mariusz will do the rematch with two minutes rounds,” Hall told the audience after his win. “I’ve got no aspirations to be number one in KSW. That’s just not for me. I want to come and have fun. I want to fight my heroes. I want to fight the freaks of the world.”
However, Pudzianowski didn’t sound eager for a rematch, stating in his interview:
“I’m not thinking about the future. I turned 48, almost 49. The sport is for young people. What’s next? I don’t know.”
