(Props to Strongest Man.)
by FIGHT! contributor Thomas McCullough
Five-time World’s Strongest Man winner Mariusz Pudzianowski makes his MMA debut on Dec. 11. “Pudzian” will face professional boxer, Marcin “El Testosteron” Najman, at KSW 12 in Warsaw, Poland.
Founded in 2004, Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki, or “Martial Arts Confrontation” in English, is Poland’s leading MMA organization. Modeled after Pride, KSW still stages one-night four and eight-man tournaments and has promoted fights featuring Jason Guida, Antonio Mendes, Peter Sobota, Jordan Radev, and Mamed Khalidov.
Featured on the fight card is a KSW Middleweight title fight between Vitor Nobrega (7-1) and Aslambek Saidov (5-1). TUF veteran Dean “The Renegade” Amasinger (5-1) will also appear and face Maciej “Highlander” Gorski (7-3), and explosive striker and member of Poland’s national Karate team. James “The Messenger” Zikic, (17-5-2) will face Daniel “Kociao” Dowda (5-2) in a middleweight contest. Ranked in the top ten in the UK, Zikic, is a UFC veteran and former Cage Rage Light Heavyweight champion. KSW 12 will also feature an eight-man heavyweight tournament.
“Pudzian” who last won the World’s Strongest Man competition in 2008, will headline the fight card in this heavyweight bout. Holding a green belt in Kyukoshin Karate, he boxed for seven years as an amateur before competing in strong man competitions.
His opponent, Najman, who signed a four-fight deal with KSW, will also makes his MMA debut and holds a professional boxing record of (13-4) with 9 wins coming via KO.
“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,” said Pudzianowski.
Comments are closed.