In 2007, famous boxer Eric “Butterbean” Esch decided to try MMA, and he won a big fight with a powerful knockout against a tall fighter called “The Colossus.” But before that, in 2006, he fought in Japan’s PRIDE but got drop-kicked and lost to a fighter who was much smaller than him. Then, in 2010, after quickly losing to Jeff Kugel in a fight, Butterbean wanted to make a comeback and show he could do better.
Butterbean Faces Off Against the ‘World’s Strongest Man’ in Epic MMA Clash
In September 2010, Butterbean was set to face Mariusz Pudzianowski, a former “World’s Strongest Man”. Mariusz had won the title five times and was known for his incredible strength. He had a strong, muscular build, which made Butterbean, who weighed 450lbs, seem even more out of shape in comparison. Before the fight, Butterbean didn’t think Mariusz’s punches would be too powerful, but the matchup would prove to be very different from what he expected.
“Mariusz Pudzianowski hits like a girl,” he said. “Mariusz must be crazy to have challenged me. I’ve knocked people out all over the world, be it in Australia, China, Korea, England, or anywhere else. Mario, be prepared.”
Butterbean, who was a favorite among fans, quickly realized he was in trouble. From the moment the fight started, Mariusz Pudzianowski took him down and started hitting him hard. Butterbean ended up on his back, taking punch after punch, and after just 75 seconds, he had no choice but to tap out, meaning he couldn’t continue. It was the second time in a row that Butterbean had to stop a fight due to being overwhelmed by punches. Despite the defeat, Butterbean still insisted that Mariusz “hits like a girl,” even though his words didn’t go as planned.
After his MMA career, Butterbean retired from fighting. He had a total of 126 fights in boxing, kickboxing, and MMA. But when he stopped fighting, his weight became a problem, and he grew to 515 pounds. Over the years, he worked hard and lost a lot of weight, getting back down to around 300 pounds, which is similar to his weight when he was at his peak.
A long time ago, nobody would think a 58-year-old could step into the ring again. But Mike Tyson, who’s the same age as Butterbean, just had a big fight with Jake Paul that got 60 million views on Netflix. Now, the big question is who will be the perfect fighter for Butterbean’s last match.
