Eddie Hall has apologised for an illegal strike delivered during his swift 27-second victory over Mariusz Pudzianowski at KSW 105. The 2017 World's Strongest Man addressed the incident in a post-fight interview, admitting to punching his opponent in the back of the head and stressing that he does not condone such actions.
Hall, competing in just his second MMA fight, floored Pudzianowski with a heavy right hand before tossing him to the ground and finishing the fight with a series of ground strikes. The referee quickly intervened as Pudzianowski failed to defend himself. However, footage showed Hall landing a shot to the back of Pudzianowski’s head during the final sequence, a move deemed illegal under MMA rules.
Speaking after the fight, Hall said, "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 I wouldn't want it done to me." Hall also revealed he had broken his hand during the bout, contrasting the experience with his MMA debut against the Neffati brothers ten months earlier.
Hall, who weighed in at 334 pounds compared to Pudzianowski’s 267 pounds, entered the fight with a significant size advantage but faced a more experienced opponent. Pudzianowski held a professional record of 17 wins and 9 losses, although he had not competed since April 2023.
Hall credited his training with interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall for helping prepare him for the bout, noting the value of training alongside elite fighters. He also reiterated that while he enjoys competing, he has no aspirations to challenge for world titles, preferring to remain active in “freak fight” events.
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