World's strongest man making MMA debut on Friday

[Clark Kent]

12-09-2009 02:35 PM:

Mariusz Pudzianowski can pull a firetruck, lift cannon balls, squat kegs and can withstand the dreaded Hercules Hold but can he fight? The five-time winner of the World's Strongest Man competition is stepping into the fight arena this Friday against boxer Marcin Najman at KSW 12.

Who knows if he can fight but we know 6-foot, 305-pound Pudzianowski can hype a fight:

"If Najman wants to exchange punches with me I wish him luck. I won’t be as slow as an ox and I won’t let him beat me up. My mother didn’t raise me to be a bum. These hands can hurt; believe me," Pudzianowski told Fight! Magazine.

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Fight! says Pudzianowski "holds a green belt in Kyukoshin Karate and that he boxed for seven years as an amateur."

In an odd twist, Najman's nickname is "El Testosteron." Taking nothing away from his strongman accomplishments we're guessing Poland won't be testing Pudzianowski, 32, for peformance enhancing drugs. Pudzianowski is definitely a super heavyweight. According to wikipedia his diet is a bit atypical for an MMA fighter:

"My energy comes from my diet. Breakfast is 10 eggs and 2-3 pounds of bacon. Between meals, I eat lots of candy…I need it for energy. Lunch, at 1 or 2 p.m., is a double meal of a Polish pork chop, sauerkraut and potatoes. Dinner is whatever meat I can get: steaks, pork chops, bacon, plus more sauerkraut and potatoes. [After I work out] I have a protein shake and more chocolate."

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Najman is also making his MMA debut after 17 professional boxing matches. Also featured on the card are Dean Amasinger, an alum of season eight of "The Ultimate Fighter" and veteran James Zikic. Zikic, 32, lost at UFC 38 to Phillip Miller. He's also suffered losses to Vitor Belfort and Cyrille Diabate and has draws against Fabricio Werdum and Jeremy Horn.

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Cagewriter is an MMA blog edited by Steve Cofield.

 

[xfighter88]

I loved watching marius in Strong man comps. Any idea how to watch this one?

 

[CuongNhuka]

I think the UFC is becoming a bit of a freak show. Kimbo Slice lost fair and square, but was given a second chance for no particular reason, and now there letting in someone with no fighting record.

 

[jks9199]

I think the UFC is becoming a bit of a freak show. Kimbo Slice lost fair and square, but was given a second chance for no particular reason, and now there letting in someone with no fighting record.

This event isn't the UFC. And it seems like the guy's got legitimate fighter creds, through both martial arts and as a boxer.

 

[CuongNhuka]

Well, I misread the article, the guy he is fighting was in UFC. However, Pug. does not have any real martial arts training. Being an amateur boxer is not qualification for being in a Professional MMA event, and a Green Belt in Kyukoshin is a low rank. So, he is still under qualified.

 

[jks9199]

Well, I misread the article, the guy he is fighting was in UFC. However, Pug. does not have any real martial arts training. Being an amateur boxer is not qualification for being in a Professional MMA event, and a Green Belt in Kyukoshin is a low rank. So, he is still under qualified.

Why isn't a reasonable past as an amateur boxer qualification to enter a pro MMA event? There's no defined "farm league" or amateur build up to pro MMA. He at least has a basic set of stand-up/boxing skills, and has learned some kicking, right? I assume he's practiced some grappling/ground skills -- or is confident that he won't need them. The guy is a well conditioned and experienced athlete. At the very least, maybe we should base an opinion on seeing him fight, no?

 

[CuongNhuka]

Let me put my complaints to you this way. There is some guy in your area who has been in golden gloves for 7 years, has some rudimentary training in Tae Kwon Do. He plans on going into a pro-MMA fight. How well do you think this going to go? Same situation, except Pug. is a pro body builder, which means he might be conditioned for the sport.

I'm sure Pug. will have a good fight, but that's because I'm willing to bet that the guy he's going to fight is going to be some one with similar fighting mind set. His opponent (I'm going to guess) is going to want to Box.

 

[MJS]

Well, I misread the article, the guy he is fighting was in UFC. However, Pug. does not have any real martial arts training. Being an amateur boxer is not qualification for being in a Professional MMA event, and a Green Belt in Kyukoshin is a low rank. So, he is still under qualified.

I would say that his guy has more skill under his belt than say Brock, who came from a pro wrestling background, and who was given a fast track to the top of the food chain, with some of the guys he's already fought.

I'll also add that early UFC fighters such as Dan Severn, Mark Coleman and Mark Kerr, as well as Randy Couture, really didn't have much under their belt either, in the beginning, aside from wrestling, yet they dominated many in the ring. It wasn't until they all started becoming more well rounded, did they really start to shine.

 

[CuongNhuka]

Weren't they more then just amateur wrestlers though?

 

[MJS]

Well, I misread the article, the guy he is fighting was in UFC. However, Pug. does not have any real martial arts training. Being an amateur boxer is not qualification for being in a Professional MMA event, and a Green Belt in Kyukoshin is a low rank. So, he is still under qualified.

Weren't they more then just amateur wrestlers though?

Did they have any 'real' martial arts training, as you stated in the above post? IMO, everyone has to start out somewhere, so just because this guy in question never went pro, does that mean he's not worthy of stepping into the cage?

 

[Nolerama]

As much as I hate to say this some pro fights happen because of a fighter's background; and not necessarily an MA background. Fight promotions, by their very essence, are designed to sell tickets. So you bill the "World's Strongest Man" and have him fight another newcomer that shows some promise, people will buy tickets.

On another topic touched on in this thread; collegiate wrestling goes a long way in a MMA fighter's arsenal, showcased by Dan Severn (Greco), Randy Coture (Greco), Brock Lesnar (NCAA All-American wrestler), Rampage Jackson (HS & Junior College wrestling), etc.

Yes, they all supplemented their overall MMA game with a striking art, and even cross-trained in other grappling arts. I think Severn does MMA seminars with a catch-wrestling mentality, and Couture does have BJJ training. Jackson has even won some of his earlier fights with a submission you wouldn't see.

But ultimately, they're wrestlers. And good ones with just as much credibility and MA training as any black belt out there in a variety of arts. As wrestlers, their conditioning and strength are ideal for an MMA match.

So I would never discount a collegiate wrestler when it comes to entering a MMA match.

Come full circle, there's a really strong guy that wants to fight? Well, I'll pay to see the smaller, slightly weaker guy try to figure that one out. It seems that Pud won in under a minute with a KO. His opponent shouldn't have tried to trade blows with a really strong dude.

There's nothing wrong with that, IMHO. I mean, someone paid to see it. And here we are, talking about it online.

 

[CuongNhuka]

Did they have any 'real' martial arts training, as you stated in the above post? IMO, everyone has to start out somewhere, so just because this guy in question never went pro, does that mean he's not worthy of stepping into the cage?

Of course you have to start somewhere, but going from being a amateur boxer to a pro mma fighter is a load of crap. He's never had a pro fight, never been in an MMA fight, and his only real qualification isn't that great of a qualification. Being in TWSM means you're strong as hell, but it doesn't mean you have any cardio ability.

Edit: I wouldn't be saying anything if he had many some pro fights, or had been in a few amateur MMA bouts, but that is not the case.

 

[SensibleManiac]

Brock also has a amateur wrestling background.
Actually he's a very good wrestler, though not Couture's caliber.
The only reason he beat him was size and athleticism.

 

[jks9199]

Let me put my complaints to you this way. There is some guy in your area who has been in golden gloves for 7 years, has some rudimentary training in Tae Kwon Do. He plans on going into a pro-MMA fight. How well do you think this going to go? Same situation, except Pug. is a pro body builder, which means he might be conditioned for the sport.

I'm sure Pug. will have a good fight, but that's because I'm willing to bet that the guy he's going to fight is going to be some one with similar fighting mind set. His opponent (I'm going to guess) is going to want to Box.

He's not a body builder; he's a strength competitor. Very different sports, with very different training involved. Strongman competitions actually require a whole lot of USABLE strength, rather than extreme hypertrophy and symmetrical development. Pudzianowski has to have a lot of strength coupled with a high level of endurance, both aerobic and anaerobic as well as being able to recover quickly from maximal efforts.

None of that could possibly be useful in the MMA ring...

But... If a Golden Gloves boxer wants to try pro MMA rather than go pro boxing, go for it. Especially if he trains and prepares for it... I do believe a fair number of boxers have done just that. (I would suggest doing otherwise; more money even at the club fighter levels in boxing.) Why not? Might be interesting to see a skilled boxer against an MMA fighter; what might happen if the boxer keeps it to a stand up game?

 

[jarrod]

besides the heavy weight division isn't very deep. here they've got a chance to sell some tickets & possibly make the division more interesting. good move i think, too. i don't follow mma very closely these days but i'm interested to see what this guy can do.

jf

 

[Journeyman]

Well, looks like he kicks pretty dang hard.

 

[jks9199]

Thanks for posting that. Looks like he was reasonably effective and capable of handling himself, huh?

 

[punisher73]

It's not as if he is competing right off the bat for a title fight. There are MANY competitions that are considered "pro" even though they are small and pay VERY little.

As has been pointed out, there is no real "amateur" MMA comps out there. It's pretty much a degree of how big the competition you are entering. Smaller shows vs. Bigger shows (UFC, Pride, etc.) many of those have the intermediate shows like King of the Cage to get to the big payday shows.

This guy has 7 yrs experience as a boxer. That would be more than enough time in most schools to earn a blackbelt. If he had a blackbelt in something would you still complain?

He has to start somewhere...

 

[punisher73]

I think the UFC is becoming a bit of a freak show. Kimbo Slice lost fair and square, but was given a second chance for no particular reason, and now there letting in someone with no fighting record.

Ummm, The Ultimate Fighter is a TV show that has to get good ratings to make money and stay on TV. Kimbo was not the first fighter to lose and be brought back when another fighter dropped out off the show. Chris Leben comes to mind and others. They are brought back because they are fan favorites and people want to see them. It is a smart financial reason to do so. If you goal is to expose more people to the sport and get more ratings, why not keep people on there that people want to see?

If you can get some "hype" matches that people will pay money for and get more PPV buys, that is good because it means that there is even more money to pay fighters and bring in the best talent you can find for the other fightcards.

 

[punisher73]

I would say that his guy has more skill under his belt than say Brock, who came from a pro wrestling background, and who was given a fast track to the top of the food chain, with some of the guys he's already fought.

I'll also add that early UFC fighters such as Dan Severn, Mark Coleman and Mark Kerr, as well as Randy Couture, really didn't have much under their belt either, in the beginning, aside from wrestling, yet they dominated many in the ring. It wasn't until they all started becoming more well rounded, did they really start to shine.

That is incorrect about Brock Lesnar. Here is what most people don't know about Lesnar. He was 106-5 as a collegiate wrestler winning the NCAA HW title in 2000 while attending Minnesota and finishing second place in 1999. He has a BIG fighting background. Later he did sign with the WWE and later left there to play for the Minnesota Vikings before being cut. Lesnar had his first pro fight in K-1 (2007) where he submitted his opponent. It was after this that Lesnar signed with the UFC.

Just because someone decided to make money in the WWE does NOT mean that they have no legitimate fighting skills. Gold medalist, Kurt Angle signed with them after winning his Olympic medal. Ken Shamrock also signed with WWE for a time to make some money and bank on his popularity. Yes, the WWE is fake and many of those guys are athlete/actors, but it does bring in some legit people as well.