A highly anticipated bout featuring strongman champions Eddie Hall and Mariusz Pudzianowski is scheduled for 2025, and according to KSW`s CEO, the potential stakes could be higher than anticipated.
The two former World`s Strongest Man titleholders are set to headline KSW 105 this Saturday in Gliwice, Poland. KSW CEO Martin Lewandowski recently addressed the possibility of a cross-promotional fight between the victor of the Hall vs. Pudzianowski contest and PFL heavyweight, former UFC champion Francis Ngannou.
Lewandowski confirmed his interest in such a matchup. “I`m in touch with the guys from PFL,” Lewandowski stated. “So definitely we can talk about this kind of match if they would be willing to share the fighter, no problem… I can say from now that I`m interested to do that, definitely.” He expressed strong willingness to explore the potential crossover bout, provided PFL is open to sharing Ngannou.
Given that this marks Hall`s professional mixed martial arts debut, the rules for the fight have been adjusted. While following traditional MMA combat rules, the bout is limited to two rounds of four minutes each. Additionally, the rest period between rounds will be 90 seconds, longer than the standard one minute.
Lewandowski highlighted that finalizing this special ruleset was a significant part of arranging the fight, a process he noted took longer than many might expect. “It`s been, I think nearly a year I`ve been trying to match up this fight,” Lewandowski revealed. He explained how he reached out to Hall through Pudzianowski and spent close to a year convincing Hall to make his debut under the KSW banner. Describing the negotiation path as “a long, bumpy road,” Lewandowski found the process of bringing the two large athletes together in the cage to be interesting.
Pudzianowski is set to make his 27th professional MMA appearance, aiming to end a two-fight losing streak. Hall`s only prior MMA experience was a widely viewed 2-on-1 exhibition match that occurred last year.
According to Lewandowski, Hall`s current agreement with KSW includes multiple fights. “Two fights [on his deal],” Lewandowski confirmed, adding that there`s potential for further fights depending on the outcome of the initial bout and Hall`s busy schedule. He observed that Hall appears to be taking this fight very seriously, noting his training preparation.
Marcus Blakely