Eddie Hall told talkSPORT he nearly joined WWE as a Strongman but walked away from negotiations for his family’s benefit.
The 2017 World’s Strongest Man explained that being away from his loved ones was something he couldn’t do after talks with WWE executives, admitting the negatives simply outweighed the positives.
Still, Hall hasn’t ruled making a WWE appearance, revealing what it would take to step into the ring with one of its top superstars and former UFC fighter, Brock Lesnar – whom he described as ‘one of the scariest men on the planet.’
Hall returns to the combat sports world this month for what will be his second fight under MMA rules, where he’ll take on five-time World’s Strongest Man, Mariusz Pudzianowski.
Ahead of the bout, Hall, 37, discussed his preparations and admitted that the billion-dollar wrestling promotion WWE had once been a serious opportunity.
“There’s been some conversations with the WWE in the past,” Hall said.
“To be honest, I’ve got friends in that industry and it’s just so brutal, and the money is not. Unless you’re a super superstar, the money is not that what you think – it’s not crazy money.
“So just at the time when I was having these conversations, the money I was earning versus what they were offering versus the workload, it just wasn’t worth it.
“You know, at the time they want you on the road around 48 weeks of the year. Sometimes you’re doing three, four shows a week.
“And my strongman sort of took me away from my family so much. I just don’t think I could do it to them again: go on the road and make a living.
“Traveling the world and being absent is something I couldn’t do again. So the pros and cons, there was a lot more cons than there was pros for me.”
WWE hosts its biggest event of the year this weekend as John Cena and Cody Rhodes headline a doubleheader for WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas.
talkSPORT.com will keep you up to date with all the latest build-up and reaction on the night, with the entire event broadcast live on Netflix as part of their record-breaking $4 billion deal.
“Oh yeah. 100 per cent,” Hall added when asked if he would be interested in a one-off WWE appearance. “We’ve had those conversations at some points as well, but they’ve just never really come off.
“But I’d love to, I love the WWE. It’s a childhood dream. I grew up with wrestling, Hulk Hogan and The Rock [Dwanye Johnson] and Stone Cold [Steve Austin] and they’re some of the best memories.
“So to go and be involved with that would be insane. [I’m not ruling that out], No no – not al all.”
In a parallel universe, Hall could’ve found himself somewhere on the two-event card, but the Brit wouldn’t fancy a mammoth showdown with Lesnar, unless, of course, the money was right.
“F*** off,” Hall said instantly when asked about a fight with his fellow ‘Beast’. “Brock Lesnar is one of the scariest men on this planet.
“People think that wrestling’s fake. You go and have a go, go and get thrown in that ring, go and get slammed on your back and put on your neck and choke slammed and picked up in the air and thrown down.
“It’s a f***ing hard, brutal sport. Then he’s gone into MMA and he’s done good.
“He’s fought world champions and he’s done bloody good. Brock Lesnar is a phenomenal athlete.
“His jujitsu is through the roof. He’s probably one of the last men on the planet I’d want to fight.
“Again, though, if the money was right, you would take a chance.”
Hall started his fighting journey with a unanimous decision defeat to Hafthor Bjornsson in 2022 before he transitioned to MMA for a 2v1 bout last June when he knocked out both of the Neffati Brothers.
His co-main event fight at KSW 105 is part of a stacked card for one of Europe’s biggest MMA promotions that features two world title fights.
Adrian Bartosinskif faces Andrzej Grzebyk in the main event for the KSW welterweight title.
Hall concluded saying he has zero ambitions of being a world champion in mixed martial arts, and instead wants to continue in the ‘freak fight’ industry from here onwards.
He even suggested teaming up with Pudzianowski for an incredible 2v4 MMA fight against other Strongmen down the line.
Hall had originally signed to fight fellow Strongmen Brian Shaw, Martin Ford and Mitchell Hooper in Qatar in February last year.
He trained for around seven months for the Middle East bouts, and when it all collapsed, Hall was eager to get a new opponent.
After long negotiations, he finally tied down Pudzianowski to a huge fight deal.
Hall was left disheartened after an original agreement on the length of rounds quickly changed to suit his opponent’s demands.
It will be officially be contested in four-minute rounds with 90 second breaks between each round, and Hall is ‘fully prepared’ for all scenarios.
