World’s Strongest Man legend Eddie Hall has stated that a potential fight against jiu-jitsu ace Dillon Danis would likely be structured with significant strategic advantages for Danis, despite Hall’s considerable size and strength. The British strongman, who recently transitioned into combat sports, acknowledges the disparity in professional fighting experience and the stringent conditions he would face, particularly a drastic weight cut, should the highly anticipated bout materialize.
The prospect of Hall facing Danis gained significant traction following their heated encounter at a Misfits Boxing event in Manchester, England, earlier this year. This confrontation effectively laid the groundwork for a future contest, capturing the attention of combat sports enthusiasts and media alike. However, subsequent negotiations and logistical hurdles have caused delays, including Danis’s withdrawal from a December bout against Anthony Taylor and Hall’s ongoing challenge to meet a mutually agreeable weight.
Hall, known as "The Beast" during his strongman career which culminated in winning the World’s Strongest Man title in 2017, made a successful mixed martial arts (MMA) debut at KSW 105. He defeated fellow strongman icon Mariusz Pudzianowski, a five-time World’s Strongest Man winner with extensive MMA experience, via technical knockout. This victory marked a significant step for Hall into the professional fighting arena, showcasing his developing combat skills. Prior to this, Hall’s only other combat sports appearance was a boxing loss to Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, famously known as "Thor," in 2022.
In discussions on the Disruptors Podcast, Hall openly addressed the perceived imbalance of a potential clash with Danis. He underscored Danis’s background as a lifelong professional fighter, contrasting it with his own comparatively brief year and a half in the sport. "He is a professional fighter," Hall stated. "He’s been doing it full-time for his whole life. I’ve been doing it a year and a half. … By the time you’ve factored in the weight loss, his weight gain, the round times, obviously everything’s going to be in his favor. It’s going to be five-minute rounds. I have to sort of give him every advantage because I’ve got the biggest advantage, which is size and strength."
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The proposed stipulations for the fight, particularly concerning weight, are central to Hall’s assessment. He currently weighs approximately 165 kilograms (364 pounds), while Danis typically weighs around 80 kilograms (176 pounds). However, Hall anticipates a significant narrowing of this gap under the agreed-upon conditions. "So from face value, it looks very unfair, because he weighs 80 kilo and I weigh 165," Hall elaborated. "Hear me out, though. So at face value it seems very unfair, but from what I gather, he walks around at close to 100 kilo (approximately 220 pounds) and as part of the stipulation, I’ve got to come down to under 300 pounds (135 kilograms). So come the fight, there will only be around 35 kilo difference. It’s still a lot but it’s nowhere near 80 kilo."
This required weight cut presents a formidable challenge for Hall, who has not weighed under 300 pounds since he was 21 years old. To reach the 135-kilogram target, Hall estimates he would need to shed approximately 30 kilograms (66 pounds) within a potentially short timeframe, such as three months if a February fight date is finalized. Such a drastic reduction, especially for an athlete of Hall’s muscular stature, would likely necessitate not only significant fat loss but also a reduction in muscle mass.
"I honestly don’t know," Hall admitted regarding his weight-cutting strategy. "If we were to get the deal done for February, it gives me just over three months. It’s going to be a hard process because I’ve got to lose 30 kilo pretty much. If I were to be, like, zero percent body fat, I could probably lose 30 kilo and be zero percent body fat. That’s just unrealistic, it’s not going to happen. So, I’m going to have to lose muscle. I’m going to have to pull some muscle back as well as the fat to get down to that weight, so it’s going to be a super strict diet. Be carnivore only. It would just be meat, eggs, and dairy, and it would be a little bit of calorie restriction I would imagine to get down to that weight pretty fast."
The physiological impact of such an extreme weight cut on Hall’s performance is a critical factor. Rapid and substantial weight loss, particularly involving muscle, can diminish strength, endurance, and power. It can also affect a fighter’s ability to absorb punishment, commonly referred to as their "chin." Conversely, Danis, a highly decorated jiu-jitsu practitioner with multiple titles and an association with former UFC champion Conor McGregor, stands to benefit from potentially gaining weight and fighting closer to his natural walking weight, which could enhance his power and resilience. His extensive grappling background also makes the five-minute round duration a potential advantage, allowing him more time to work submissions or control positions against a less experienced grappler.
Despite his limited MMA record, Danis’s prowess in jiu-jitsu is well-established, having competed at high-level tournaments like ADCC trials and Polaris. His technical ground game presents a stark contrast to Hall’s nascent combat skills, which are still in development. Hall acknowledged Danis’s reputation, stating, "So I’m talks at the minute with a few federations about fighting Dillon Danis, who is the world-renowned—probably, I think he won some big titles in jiu-jitsu. So he’s quite a badass. You know, he’s had a lot of fights and obviously you’ve seen him fight on Misfits and stuff like that. A bit of a ‘love him, hate him’ character. … We get some contracts signed and hopefully off we go." The ongoing negotiations with various "federations" indicate the unique nature of this crossover bout and the challenge of finding a suitable promotional platform.
Other News From the World of Combat Sports
MMA Fighting Crew’s "Best of 2023" Awards Conclude
The MMA Fighting Crew recently concluded its annual "Best of the Rest" awards, recognizing outstanding achievements and moments from the past year in mixed martial arts. Categories such as Event of the Year, Round of the Year, and even "Bozo of the Year" were celebrated, offering a comprehensive review of the sport’s highlights and controversial moments. These awards typically highlight memorable performances, dramatic finishes, and significant events that shaped the competitive landscape.
Khabib Nurmagomedov Criticizes UFC’s Stance on Trash Talk
Former UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has voiced his concerns regarding the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s alleged practice of cutting fighters who refrain from engaging in trash talk. Nurmagomedov, known for his dominant performances rather than pre-fight theatrics, questioned the fairness of this approach, suggesting it prioritizes promotional spectacle over pure athletic merit. His comments ignite a long-standing debate within the combat sports community about the balance between entertainment value and competitive integrity in fighter promotion.
Arman Tsarukyan Dominates Shara Bullet in Grappling Match
Rising UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan demonstrated his formidable grappling skills by securing an impressive slam victory over fellow UFC fighter Shara Magomedov, also known as "Shara Bullet," in a recent grappling match promoted by Hype FC. Tsarukyan’s dominant performance against the striking specialist further solidified his reputation as one of the most well-rounded and promising talents in the lightweight division, adding another highlight to his competitive record outside the octagon.
Matt Brown Weighs in on Francis Ngannou’s UFC Departure
Veteran UFC fighter Matt Brown expressed his belief that Francis Ngannou should harbor no regrets about his decision to depart from the UFC. Brown suggested that Ngannou, the former UFC Heavyweight Champion, has ultimately achieved his primary objective in terms of prizefighting, having secured lucrative boxing matches against Tyson Fury and a multi-fight deal with the PFL. This perspective underscores the evolving landscape of fighter compensation and autonomy in combat sports, particularly for high-profile athletes.
Multimedia Highlights
Recent media offerings include comprehensive year-end breakdowns from prominent figures such as Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo, analyzing the best moments and performances of the past year. Additionally, the "On To the Next One" podcast by MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee revisited their past predictions, evaluating their accuracy in the ever-unpredictable world of combat sports.
Social Media Tributes
The combat sports community mourned the passing of Abbey Subhan, with numerous tributes circulating on social media platforms.
Upcoming Fight Announcements
The Royal Air Force (RAF) 6 event on February 28 is slated to feature two notable wrestling bouts: Henry Cejudo vs. TBD and Clay Guida vs. TBD. Further details on opponents for these highly anticipated matchups are expected to be announced soon.
Concluding Remarks
As the year draws to a close, the combat sports world extends wishes for safe and joyous New Year’s celebrations to all. In light of recent events, those able to contribute are encouraged to donate to the GoFundMe campaign established to support Abbey Subhan’s family during this challenging time.
If you find something you’d like to see in the Morning Report, hit up @AlexanderKlee or @JedKMeshew on Twitter and let us know about it. Also, follow SportsBreakNews on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and like us on Facebook.
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