The last we heard from Polish strongman turned MMA fighter Mariusz Pudzianowski we reported on his proposed US debut against former UFC champ Tim Sylvia. That was until I entered my local newsstand to see him leering at me from the cover of a MMA magazine (see photo) calling out current UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. Clearly, Pudzianowski has every reason to want to break into the lucrative US marketplace though I’m not sure the fight sport equivilaent of jumping in front of a speeding semi on the freeway is the best way to go about it.
Whether or not the Sylvia fight comes to fruition, Pudzianowski already has a future opponent. He’s signed to meet another Polish sports star, Robert Paczków, in Katowice, Poland on May 7th. Paczków is definitely a good match in terms of experience–he’s 1-0 in his MMA career with a win over James McSweeney (who would later be a cast member on ‘The Ultimate Fighter). Paczków will be an interesting test since he’s not only a big dude himself going 6’2″ 310 but has a background in Greco-Roman wrestling and sumo.
But ‘Puddin’ has already set his sights higher. Much higher. He’d already called out WAMMA Heavyweight Champion and the best heavyweight MMA fighter on the planet, Fedor Emelianenko. Now he apparently wants to fight UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar. This would make an awesome prospect for UFC betting btw. There’s always the chance that he made this challenge during Lesnar’s well publicized health issues, but that’s most likely not the case. I guess the old line about ‘your mouth writing checks your body can’t cash’ doesn’t translate into Polish.
Superficially, there’s at least *some* similarity between Pudzianowski and Lesnar–both made their bones in dubious pseudo-sports. Brock Lesnar rose to fame and fortune in the WWE, while Pudzianowski became the Lance Armstrong of the World’s Strongest Man competition. That’s where the similarities end. We can all agree that Pudzianowski is a big, powerful dude. But so is Lesnar. Lesnar is also a former NCAA wrestling champion who finished his college career with a record of 106–5. He’s also a guy that almost made an NFL team as a walk on despite not having played football since high school. And lest we forget, he’s the UFC heavyweight champion.
Pudzianowski looks like he’s taking the promotional strategy used by German-Polish boxer Dariusz Michalczewski during his prime. Michalczewski was a decent fighter, but received more press for continually calling out Roy Jones, Jr. than for anything he did in the ring. His act went like this–Michalczewski would call out RJ. At the time, Jones was on top of the boxing world so his people would suggest a fight in Las Vegas. Michalczewski would refuse and insist they fight in Germany, and then crow that Jones was ‘ducking’ him. That could be what Pudzianowski is trying to do–he can call out Lesnar, Fedor, etc. but refuse to fight them outside of Poland. He can then claim to his fans in Poland that these monsters are ‘afraid’ of him.
At this point, Pudzianowski would be better served worrying about Robert Paczków and/or Tim Sylvia. He wants nothing to do with Fedor and Lesnar, and definitely not in the short term. Still, you never know–particularly in Fedor’s case since he could headline a DREAM event in Japan fighting a mop–it could happen. ‘Puddin’ and his management would do well to heed the words of the excellent MMA writer Jake Rossen who had this to say following his debut fight:
Billed as the World’s Strongest Man, “Pudziana” throttled an outmatched Marcin Najman last Friday in Poland, landing a series of ugly, awkward punches and kicks until the referee peeled him off. It was more wild-animal attack than fight, but it apparently impressed M-1 enough to float Aleksander Emelianenko as a possible opponent.
I expect Pudzianowski has handlers to rebuff these kinds of advances, but if not, he’s about to become the latest in a long line of ill-qualified attractions that prefer money to common sense. There have been massively powerful individuals — Mark Kerr, Tom Erikson — who were able to marry actual skills with their horsepower — and still got beat. If you’re constructing a fighter, are you really going to sacrifice years of grappling ability to add a few hundred pounds to his deadlift?
Pudzianowski is a novelty act. If he’s treated like one, more power to him. If he’s treated like a fight athlete, his protein shakes are going to have to go through a wired jaw.
If this fight ever happens, all the sports betting sites will be all over this.
20 Responses to “Mariusz Pudzianowski Wants To Fight Brock Lesnar?”
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Bottom-Line is Lesner is a big and powerful meatball, and that’s the main reason he has fair so well in the UFC…. Unfortunately, that’s what made Tim Silva a sorry fighter, because, despite his size, HE SUCKS!!!! If a big powerful “Mac” truck cannot knock cars out of the way, shame on MAC…….Skill plus size is it, and I believe the “meatball” probably has both to carry him along for awhile!! Snuff said
The similarities between Pud and Lesnar are shocking but allow me point out a big flaw with Lesnar; he isn’t stronger than the Polack…he just isn’t. That is Lesnars entire angle, being a freakshow/uber-human. When Pud weights in at 300+, we’re talking hard, lean, tight muscle built on more hard muscle. To put it in perspective; while Lesnar could easily bench press Super Mario, Pud can literally hold one lesnar in each hand and do squats then walk 100 meters.
I don’t think Lesnar has EVER trained with someone that strong and the moment his armour is cracked, you’ll watch the ‘never should have’ be tossed around like a rag doll. His only hope is that he learns more than just wrestling and maybe knocks this guy out, if he tries to wrestle he will get picked up like a 12 year old boy and slammed so hard his eyes come out the back of his head. Cardio could be an issue but I don’t know, everyone looks at someone that big and takes that angle…I want to see Pud in 2 – 3 more fights against REAL opponents and then see where he stands.
cheers!
Sylvia is a human coat hangar with 10 inch shoulders. Lesnar was sick now every muscle head wants a piece of him. Too bad most of these knuckle draggers cannot improve the strengths of their brains. Now the Polish power man wants his shot. Is there a college degree lurking any where in MMA?? Looks too me that the future janitors of this country and trash men will be ex MMA veterans, punch drunk, over steroided, little intelligence and sagging waistlines. Bunch of fricking idiots and iron bangers.
give him what he wants let brock run his ass over lol
im so tired of writers saying fedor is the best. this writer made a great example of of the boxer who wanted to fight roy jones jr but only in germany so he could say hey, roy is afraid to fight me. well, what the hell does everyone think fedor did with randy. and the sad thing is, randy is one my favorites but after the break he took he hasnt been the same and fedor would probably beat him now. not when randy beat gonzaga though. anyway, why on earth would the UFC allow anyone to co sponser an event. it doesnt make sense. even dana who is cheap, offered a ton of money to fedor to fight randy and they turned it down. also, i watched fedor’s last fight, THE GUY IS FAT, CHUNKY, and could barely breathe against competition that wouldnt make it onto any TUF team. it pains me to say it, but Brock would rip his head off. it makes sick to hear people call him the best. especially writers. because then i cant read their articles anymore cause i shouldnt know more than them. but after 25 plus years of watching both boxing and my favorite MMA, i guess i do.
Until Fedor loses legitimately, he’s the best. Whether or not he wants to fight in the UFC, and whether or not the UFC wants to co-promote with M1 are business decisions–I understand why the UFC doesn’t want to co-promote, but I also understand why M1 insists on it. The reason Fedor was having trouble breathing against Brett Rogers is that his nose was broken early on. You’ll notice that at the end of the fight Rogers was looking up at the lights. Just because Dana White wants to wish Fedor away doesn’t mean you have to listen to his spin.
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Adrian, you apparently have never wrestled. Huge bulky steriod induced muscles mean nothing on the mat. At the collegiate level, I faced many opponents who came out looking as though they could military press me with one arm, only to get gassed in the first round because they tried to use their strength as a their primary weapon. As experienced wrestlers know, it’s not the muscular guys you worry about_ typically, they’re not as well versed in strategy on the mat and they don’t have the cardio to last beyond the first period. Pudzianowski was always fun to watch on the strongest man competitions, but he’s not a serious fighter at this point. He’s not match for any of the top echelon fighters.
Roger brings up some very good points–Lesnar may actually be a worse matchup for Pudzianowski than Fedor. Lesnar is also a big insanely powerful dude, but has a serious amateur wrestling background and is a conditioning freak. For a guy who walks around near 3 bills, Lesnar’s cardio is sick. As Roger points out, big muscles and brute strength mean zilch in fight sports unless you’ve got the rest of the package. There’s a reason that you can count the fighters that have come to MMA or boxing from bodybuilding and strength sports on one hand and have fingers left over.
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LOL oh please with the Lesnar will run over people. The guy has 4 fights. Winning the title from a 47 year old that wasat 70lb lighter. Lesner have done nothing for ma to feel like this strongman is out of his league. Lesner didnt almost make it in the NFL. He tried out. Didnt make it. Huge difference. Im not saying this strongman is an MMA threat, just saying that saying Lesner is out of his league is just plain dumb
I’m far from a Lesnar fanboy, but at this point in his career Pudzianowski has zero chance against the reigning UFC champ. For the time being, he’s better off worrying about Robert Paczków (who’s got a good shot of beating him) and Tim Sylvia.
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to aronn you trying to say lesnar has done nothing for the sport is outrageous if anything he brought a new fanbase to the ufc and look at his what hes done he won a ncaa national title for wrestling that is the hardest sport to win in for a college athlete. And in most peoples books theyll say he was in the nfl he did play in preseason games and then got cut so technically he did. Now im not the hugest fan of Lesnar, and he did only have four fights all against top guys. I think Fedor is better then him with his hands and submissions but its not all about Lesnar’s strength its his intensity and tenacity and conditioning that noone can keep up with, and really thats what can win you fights if your not better than someone in a particular area. I’ve wrestled for 10 years and have been playing judo for a year and between those 2 sports I’ve learned someone can be better then you but if your conditioning is better you’ll win in the later part of the fight
Mark Henry was The World’s Strongest Man also, search youtube on how Lesnar man-handled Mark Henry, who weighed at +400 lbs.
Lesnar was strong enough to lift guys like the Big Show weighed at around 500lbs give or take some.
Only if this dude has some fantastic fighting skills, or his raw power will not be so advantageous when facing a beast like Brock Lesnar.
Mark Henry is not a WSM champion and he holds no international titles at all. He is not a top anything in WSM, he would be well outside any ranking and to compare him with MP is a joke.
Marius Pudzianowski has competed with the very strongest, fastest, biggest men on the planet, he has faced more elite level competition per contest than anybody in MMA comparatively.
Brock would not even rank as a top 10,000th or even 1,000,000th strongman in the world to get some perspective, Why on Earth would Marius fear him?
WSM they have a sumo wrestling format which is manhandling another super strongman and its a instant knockout format. Its more mental than physical and the Dominator has that edge.
Pudzianowski has a Boxing, Judo and Kickboxing background, he is one of the very few WSM that can do full splits, box and straddle. His balance, stability and insane strength combined with an ultra competitive nature would see him past almost all current heavy weights in MMA by sheer determination alone, yet he is amongst the 5 strongest men on the planet.
The advantage Brock had against Frank Mir was simply strength, Pudzianowski strength advantage is much greater, there is nothing like him in MMA.
Pudzianowski could do what Lesnar did to Frank Mir in half the time, its also the situation Lesner would be in against Pudzianowski, he will be the weaker guy getting his face punch out from under him by the much stronger man.
That is how the cookie crumbles.
Until Pudzianowski gets a few more wins under his belt against legit competition talk of him fighting Fedor or Lesnar is pure speculation. If he fights either at this point in his career, he gets schooled. If he shows development as a fighter it may be a different story. Maybe, but I doubt it.
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Brock will tear him a new one
roy jones throughout his career ducked tough fights. he was at least as guilty as ‘mick’ ,since roy was offered more money to fight overseas.
RJ always got a bad rap for that–earning him the derisive nickname ‘Reluctant Roy’. It’s obviously been a few years and admittedly my memory could be failing but with the exception of Michaelewski I can’t recall a legit opponent that he didn’t fight. Maybe a Hopkins rematch circa 1995 I guess. He was similar to Larry Holmes in that he was in his prime during a time where there wasn’t much depth at his natural weights (middleweight and light heavyweight). I’d like to have seen him fight Michaelewsi but I sure don’t blame him for not taking the fight on his terms.
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1) No offense, but this writer is a little bit pathetic. If he wants to write about sports he should know that sportsmen either win or lose. The way he wrote about Lesnar :
“he ALMOST made an NFL team” – LOL.. Seems like Lesnar’s mom wrote this article.
2) I see that the author is also trying to push the same BS that Roy Jones was pushing to his fans over here. Michalczewski was asking to fight him for many years. Roy Jones was afraid to go to Germany, and Michalczewski stated that he would fight him in Las Vegas ONLY if he gets AT LEAST the same amount of money that he would get in Germany. Jones Jr’s people knew this fight was too risky for him and made sure it never happened. Make no mistake ; Im the biggest fan of Roy Jones but in this case he F@<ked up his image big time. (I only hope that money will not destroy MMA as quickly and brutally as it did professional boxing)
3) As to Pudzian, I don't think he has any serious future in this sport. His heart is in the right place..he's a real competitive sportsman, but money hungry sharks will simply use him to fill up their own pockets and they'll end his carrier too soon.
yeah roger is right in my rookie wrestling year i won state out of strenght but on my novice year i wrestled kids 2 years older than me and lost because i didnt have teqniqe puginowski is just a mucle head lesnar will win
Pudz lost 2 sylvia.Evryone talkn bad. ITS HIS 3RD FIGHT LAY OFF.His 1st 2 opponents where like 6 year oldz. Pudz is way stronger den Brock, but brock got experience.If this comes down to topics such as;Strength, Pudzian on full mount, Brock will get wooped. If its like experience or like Variety of moves, Submission, cardio, Pudz will go for bout 1/2 round. u cant just say, ” Brock will kill him” or “Pudz will toss him” the match isn’t like that. 1 day pudz will kill him, another brock will kill him. It depends on how da match goes. In general, Pudz has a 51% chance of beating brock.