‘The Beast’ Eddie Hall Announces MMA Debut After Unsuccessful Boxing Attempt Against Hafthor Bjornsson, Leaves Fans Amazed

Strength is one of the most important parts of mixed martial arts. And the sport could see some of the strongest people in the world compete in it. Strongman and World’s Strongest Man winner Eddie Hall has announced that he has signed with MMA promotion Finishers Championship to compete in an MMA bout soon.

This comes after fellow strongman, friend, and 4X WSM winner Brian Shaw has already started training MMA at the High Altitude MMA gym in Denver, Colorado. The Englishman made the announcement and revealed the date of his first fight in a post on his Instagram account, and fans had mixed reactions.

Eddie Hall announces move to MMA

Hall is best known for his record-breaking deadlift of 1,100 pounds (500 kg) and his YouTube channel, where he has amassed a large following. And now he is aiming to test himself in the Octagon.

In his Instagram post, he wrote that he would have his first fight on February 17 and that he would be fighting in a four-man eliminator against Brian Shaw, strongman Martyn Ford, and bodybuilder Mitchell Hooper at the Finishers Championship. He revealed that he had started training for the bout, too.

“Today I signed a contract to fight MMA! February 17th 4 man eliminator against @shawstrength @martynfordofficial & @mitchellhooper @finisherschampionship Training has begun and I’m loving the challenge this has brought to the table.
#mma #fight #fighting #champion
Big Love
The Beast” he wrote.

Hall’s last combat sports experience was a memorable one. He lost to rival Hafthor Bjornsson in a boxing match that saw plenty of action. And this move is certainly an interesting development for MMA fans. While the immense strength Hall and his ilk bring to the table will be an advantage, fighting requires skill, speed, accuracy, and technique to succeed. A contest between fellow strongmen and bodybuilders is a good first step to dipping one’s toes in the combat sports pool. And fans had a lot to say about it.

Fans react to Eddie Hall announcing move to MMA

Fans took to the comments section of Eddie Hall’s post announcing his MMA transition. Here is a sample of their comments.

One fan felt Hall was doing it for the money:

“Not sure how you can call these three friends and then want to fight them in a cage (laughing emoji) anything for a few quid though.”

Another applauded Hall for the move:

“Worlds strongest fights (clap emoji)”

Another felt the UFC should create super heavyweight division for heavier guys like him:

“UFC should start a super heavy weight division for you guys.”

One fan quipped he thought Hall would bulk up and cut to look like Mr. Olympia Chris Bumstead:

“I thought he was going to bulk and then cut and turn into Ebum”

Also Read: Post UFC 295, Dana White Accused of Stalling Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou in Co-Promotion With PFL Despite Several Trials

Another had some helpful advice for the strongman:

“Try some BBJ and take care about the cardio! You are the champion! “

Another was excited about the bout:

“God damn that will be entertaining”

Another shared this sentiment:

“Holy sh*t its gonna beee an epic battle”

One fan was glad to see strongmen transitioning to MMA:

“Strong man to mma man is a trend that I am glad I am not missing”

What do you think about Eddie Hall’s decision to try out MMA? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.

Watch This Story: Joe Rogan and Chael Sonnen’s most iconic moments in the UFC