Mariusz Zbigniew Pudzianowski (; born 7 February 1977), also known as 'Pudzian' and 'Dominator', is a Polish former strongman and mixed martial artist. With 43 international titles at a record 70% win percentage, 58 total wins, 71 podiums and 28 world records in his strongman career, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most decorated strength athletes of all-time.

During his career as a strongman, Pudzianowski won five World's Strongest Man titles in 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2008, the most in the 48 year history of the competition. He also won two runner-up titles in 2006 and 2009 and made 9 out of 9 appearances into the World's Strongest Man final (a feat replicated only by Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson since then). While securing eight World Strongman Cup Federation wins and twelve Strongman Super Series wins, he also won the Europe's Strongest Man title a record six times and the Poland's Strongest Man title a record seven times.

In 2009, Pudzianowski started his career as a mixed martial artist. By 2022, he won his 17th professional fight under his trainer Janusz Gałkowski, who has sadly passed away during covid-19.

Early years

Mariusz Pudzianowski was born in Biała Rawska, Poland. His father, Wojciech, was a weightlifter. He began strength training at the age of thirteen.

Pudzianowski returned at the 2002 World's Strongest Man and won his first title. He retained his title at the 2003 World's Strongest Man with an event to spare, winning by the largest margin ever achieved in the competition; across the seven disciplines in the final, he scored a remarkable four first place finishes, two second place finishes and one third place finish, resulting in the points margin between first and second (20) being greater than the margin between second and ninth (18). British strongman Laurence Shahlaei has since called this performance the most dominant victory ever seen at a World's Strongest Man event. In March 2004, he also became the Strongman Super Series World Champion.

He initially finished third in the 2004 World's Strongest Man but was later disqualified for breaching the governing body's Strongman Health Policy.

He competed in the 2009 World's Strongest Man competition the following year in Malta, trying to win a remarkable sixth title in 8 years. He eventually placed second after Žydrūnas Savickas returned to the competition to win the title for the first time. Following the competition, Pudzianowski said in an interview that he would not continue participating in strongman events, because of his career in Mixed Martial Arts, which required totally different training to strongman.

  • Keg drop Squat – x 7 reps in 27.53 seconds (2005 World's Strongest Man) (former world record)
  • Log lift – (2005 Met-Rx Grand Prix)
  • Log lift (for reps) – x 14 reps (2006 Moscow Grand Prix)
  • Axle press (for reps) – x 11 reps (2006 WSMC Poland) (World Record)
  • Apollon wheel press – x 4 reps (2004 Arnold Strongman Classic)
  • Viking press – x 12 reps (2007 Mohegan Sun Grand Prix)
  • Kettlebell press – x 8 reps (2009 Globe's Strongest Man)
  • Atlas Stones – 5 stones weighing on tall platforms in 21.09 seconds (2006 Strongman Super Series Moscow Grand Prix) (World Record)
  • Ding carry – for 90 metres (2005 World's Strongest Man) (World Record)
  • Africa Stone carry – for 110 metres (2000 World's Strongest Man - Group 5) (World Record)
  • Block carry – for 80 metre course in 41.32 seconds (2002 Europe's Strongest Man) (World Record)
  • Farmer's walk (no straps) – per each hand for 60m course in 19.90 seconds (2006 Strongman Super Series Poland Grand Prix) (World Record)
  • Power Stairs – (230 kg (507 lb) total of 23 shallow steps) – 26.33 seconds (2006 World's Strongest Man) (World Record)
  • Power Stairs – (200 kg (441 lb), 230 kg (507 lb) & 250 kg (551 lb) total of 15 high steps) – 31.22 seconds (2004 Europe's Strongest Man) (World Record)
  • Power Stairs – (225 kg (496 lb), 250 kg (551 lb) & 275 kg (606 lb) total of 15 steps) – 28.56 seconds (2005 Nautilus Grand Prix) (World Record)
  • Conan's wheel (Basque circle) – 765° rotation (2006 World Strongman Cup Russia) (World Record)
  • Conan's wheel (Basque circle) – 1,203° rotation (2003 Strongman Super Series Holland Grand Prix) (World Record)
  • Truck pull – for 20 meter course in 26.05 seconds (2003 IFSA Strongman World Record Breakers) (World Record)
  • Squat – After several brief standup exchanges, Pudzianowski secured a takedown early in the fight and was then able to dominate Esch with ground and pound. Esch, unable to get back to his feet during the attack, tapped out to the strikes, making Pudzianowski the winner by submission at 1:15 of the first round. He came into the fight notably slimmer, having lost around 20 lbs from his previous fight. Many believe his large muscle mass to have caused his stamina problems in his earlier fights.

In September 2011 Mariusz Pudzianowski started professional training in the well known MMA camp in the USA – American Top Team.

Pudzianowski fought on the KSW 17 event, which was held on 26 November 2011. He faced James Thompson in a rematch. He won the fight via majority decision. This decision caused controversy as Thompson had virtually full control in both rounds, and after the fight Thompson, who was clearly angered by the decision, took the microphone from the announcer and launched a verbal assault directed at the promotion in which he ranted: "F...g joke. Give Mariusz a big round of applause. Come on. What a f...g joke. I thought KSW was really trying to be serious. If you can watch that back and call that serious, then (looking at the promoter) you're f...d, and KSW is going down the f...g toilet." Two days later the promotion changed the result to a No Contest. During a conference held on 28 November, the ruling was deemed to be a "judge's error" and the fight result was changed.

Mariusz's next opponent was Bob Sapp in a fight took place in Łódź, Poland on KSW 19 on 12 May 2012. Mariusz won via a TKO in the first round, battering Sapp with a barrage of punching and securing a takedown followed with more punches to win just 39 seconds into the fight.

Mariusz then faced Christos Piliafas on 15 September in the main event of KSW 20. Mariusz won via TKO in the first round, after dominating Piliafas on his feet, he then secured a takedown followed by posturing up and raining down some ground and pound to win at 3:48 seconds into the fight.

On 8 June 2013, Pudzianowski fought Sean McCorkle at KSW 23, losing the bout in the first round by kimura submission. Pudzianowski fought McCorkle again in a rematch on 28 September at KSW 24, avenging his loss via unanimous decision. After the second fight, Sean McCorkle expressed interest in a third fight.

On 17 May 2014 at KSW 27, Pudzianowski defeated Oli Thompson via a 2nd round unanimous decision. During the fight, Pudzianowski was able to gain points by controlling the entire fight through landing punches and securing multiple takedowns in both rounds eventually leading to his victory. At the end, Thompson requested a rematch, to which Pudzianowski agreed.

On 6 December 2014, Pudzianowski defeated the olympic veteran Paweł Nastula via unanimous decision on KSW 29's co-main event. It was his third win in a row.

Pudzianowski next fought Rolles Gracie Jr. in KSW 31, on 23 May 2015 in Gdańsk, Poland. He defeated Gracie Jr. via knockout in the 1st round, winning the Knockout of the Night bonus award with the performance.

At KSW 32 on 31 October 2015, Pudzianowski lost to Peter Graham via TKO in the second round.

Then on 27 May 2016 at KSW 35 against Marcin Różalski, he lost also in the second round this time by guillotine choke.

In his next fight in KSW 37 on 3 December 2016 Pudzianowski defeated Paweł Mikołajuw with TKO in the first round.

On 27 May 2017 at KSW 39 Pudzianowski defeated Tyberiusz Kowalczyk via submission to elbow strike in the second round.

Pudzianowski was expected to face James McSweeney at KSW 40 on 22 October 2017. However, after McSweeney was medically cleared, he eventually faced Jay Silva and won by majority decision.

Mariusz faced Karol Bedorf on 9 June 2018 at KSW 44: The Game. He lost the bout via first round kimura.

Mariusz faced Szymon Kołecki in a heavyweight bout at KSW 47 on 23 March 2019. Pudzianowski lost the fight after suffering a leg injury in the first round.

Winning streak

Next, Pudzian faced former bodybuilder Erko Jun on 9 November 2019 at KSW 51: Croatia. He won the bout via second round TKO.

Pudzianowski was then scheduled to headline KSW 53 against Quentin Domingos on 21 March 2020 before the bout was scrapped due to Pudzianowski's injury.

Pudzianowski was set to return after a fifteen month layoff against the undefeated Senegalese heavyweight Serigne Ousmane at KSW 59: Fight Code on 20 March 2021. However, on the day of the fight, Ousmane Dia suffered an acute appendicitis attack and had to be hospitalized. Stepping in on just a few hours notice was Serbia's Nikola Milanovic. Pudzianowski won the bout via TKO in the first round.

Pudzianowski faced KSW 1 tournament winner Łukasz Jurkowski on 5 June 2021 at KSW 63: Crime of The Century. Pudzianowski won the fight via TKO in the 3rd round.

The fight with Serigne Ousmane Dia was then rebooked and took place at KSW 64: Przybysz vs. Santos on 23 October 2021. Pudzianowski won the fight via knockout 18 seconds into round one.

Pudzianowski faced former KSW Middleweight champion Michał Materla at KSW 70: Pudzianowski vs. Materla on 28 May 2022. He won the bout in the first round, knocking out Materla with an uppercut. He was awarded the Knockout of the Night bonus with the win.

Pudzianowski faced former two-division champion Mamed Khalidov at KSW 77: Khalidov vs. Pudzianowski on 17 December 2022. Pudzian's 6-win streak was ended after he tapped to ground and pound in the first round.

Pudzianowski faced boxer-turned-mixed martial artist Artur Szpilka at XTB KSW 83: Colosseum 2 on 3 June 2023. He lost the bout via technical knockout in the second round.

Championships and accomplishments

  • Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki
  • Knockout of the Night (Two times) <small>vs. Rolles Gracie Jr. and Michał Materla</small>

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