Eddie Hall made a statement on Saturday night, dominating Mariusz Pudzianowski in under a minute at KSW 105 in Gliwice, Poland. However, what should have been a triumphant MMA debut quickly turned controversial.
Mariusz Pudzianowski and Fans Slam Eddie Hall Over Illegal Blows
Mariusz Pudzianowski, a five-time World’s Strongest Man, found himself on the canvas after a furious barrage of ground strikes from Eddie Hall. Yet after the fight, Pudzianowski immediately voiced his discontent, claiming Hall’s rapid-fire punches to the back of his head caused him to black out.
Taking to Instagram, the 48-year-old wrote, “I lost!!! Five hammers to the back of the head were enough, and I blacked out. A hit to the back of the head was enough!!!”
EDDIE HALL ABSOLUTELY DESTROYS PUDZ IN 30 SECONDS WTFFFFFF pic.twitter.com/PgDHJURPm8
— ACD MMA (@acdmma_) April 26, 2025
Fans quickly echoed Pudzianowski’s sentiment across social media. Many pointed out the strikes’ illegal nature, questioning the officiating and Hall’s tactics. One user commented, “How many total shots to the back of the head, lol?”
how many total shots to the back of the head lol
— Hope Dealer (@m3lchizedek) April 26, 2025
Another added, “I love the guy, but that’s a lot of hitting behind the head.” A third fan wrote, “Back of the head shots galore.” A fan questioned, “Are shots to the back of the head allowed in this organization?”
Another fan hilariously compared him to Michael Chandler, who has been accused of the same in the UFC.
Even interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall weighed in, but he had nothing bad to say about his fellow Brit. The Manchester fighter congratulated Hall in a light-hearted Instagram post, celebrating the victory but steering clear of the controversy swirling around the finish.
Eddie Hall Open to Rematch Amid Growing Backlash
Despite the criticism, Eddie Hall remains open to running it back with Pudzianowski.
Speaking after the fight, ‘The Beast’ made it clear that he has no ambition to climb the MMA ranks, preferring fun matchups and spectacle-style fights.
“If a rematch is there, I’ll take it,” Hall said. “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.”
Saturday’s fight marked just Hall’s second official MMA contest. His first was an unconventional “2 vs. 1” bout against the Neffati brothers last year. Meanwhile, Pudzianowski, a veteran of 26 professional fights, entered the clash with a 17–9 record but could not match Hall’s early aggression.
The finishing sequence saw Hall rock Pudzianowski with a punch before overwhelming him on the ground, leading to the referee stepping in. However, Pudzianowski’s claims of illegal blows have added a cloud over Hall’s dominant performance.
EDDIE HALL ABSOLUTELY DESTROYS PUDZ IN 30 SECONDS WTFFFFFF pic.twitter.com/PgDHJURPm8
— ACD MMA (@acdmma_) April 26, 2025
Pudzianowski, nearing his 49th birthday, admitted he may not have much time left in the sport. “I’m not thinking about the future,” he said.
“This sport is for young people. What’s next? I don’t know.”
Hall, for his part, apologized for any illegal strikes, stating, “I do hold my hands up when I say, ‘I’m sorry for hitting you in the back of the head.’ I don’t condone that and wouldn’t want it done to me.”