I used to think the meaning of life was somewhere inside the cut Jose Benevidez left on Miguel Torres’ forehead, but it turns out those were just Miguel’s deepest thoughts about the perfect plate of carnitas after a warm bath. If the meaning of life was actually hidden in plain site, it would probably be found somewhere between Mariusz Pudzianowski’s deltoids. A few months ago, I drove to Moosin to get a good look for myself, but after a full sixty seconds of staring at his back, all I saw was testosterone-enriched sweat hitting the canvas, splashing into my camera lens. About a minute later, the world’s strongest man was submitted by Tim Sylvia in a barrage of strikes, silencing a crowd of Polish fans that collectively consumed more alcohol than David Hasselhoff stocks in the barn behind his house.
I was pretty disappointed leaving Boston without the answers humankind have been seeking eternally, but luckily, we get to see Mariusz return to action against Butterbean on September 18th at the Atlas Arena in Lodz, Poland. We’re not sure if he plans on revealing the meaning of life, but he does plan on showing the world that he has at least two full rounds of cardio and that he doesn’t hit like a girl.
“You’ll see a much leaner and fifteen kilograms lighter Pudzian. When I started MMA trainings I weighed one hundred and thirty-eight kilograms, now it’s only one hundred and eighteen. I’m smaller, but much faster.”
I have lifted weights for more than twenty years, it was impossible to built an MMA conditioning in a few months. I have concentrated on improving this aspect for the last three or four months. After the Sylvia fight I took a week off to recharge my batteries and immediately got back to training. I started a specialized cardio program to prepare my body for MMA exertion.”
“First we started on a bike, then after four or five weeks I began running. I had to loose some of my weight to better endure oxygen exertion. The process is ongoing, but I feel that everything is going the right way. I have a few weeks of hard trainings left and I need to use them to the full extent. I know my schedule and believe me it won’t be easy at all. Nothing but, training, sleeping and eating over and over again.”
“Butterbean you said that Pudzian hits like a girl. Come to Poland and I’ll show you how Polish girls hit!“
In MMA, most fighters come back stronger from their losses. In Mariusz Pudzianowski’s case, that’s the scariest possible outcome for any future opponent. Although Butterbean has been hinting at retirement for the past few years, that doesn’t mean he’s less dangerous an opponent for Pudz. With a 77-8 professional boxing record and a 15-7 Pro MMA record, Butterbean is bringing well over a decade more experience into the ring with him on September 18th. Win or lose, it’s probably going to be his last fight. After that, he plans to focus on promoting Moosin and managing his BBQ Restaurant in Jasper, Alabama. On a completely unrelated note, if you’re ever at a karaoke bar with Butterbean, never pass him the microphone and ask him to sing ‘Poker Face’. I’ve already tried and he said no. [Source]
