Brian Shaw is undoubtedly one of the strongest men in history and one of the most influential Strongman athletes we have ever seen. However, after winning four WSM titles, and countless others, Brian decided to retire from the sport. This occasion happened just a few months ago at the 2023 Shaw Classic. So, many people wondered what was next for him. Well, Brian has just revealed what’s in his sights, and it came as a huge surprise. As he stated in his recent YouTube video, Brian is preparing to have his first MMA fight.
Brian Shaw posted a video with a captivating title, specifically reading ‘Becoming The Most Dangerous Man On Earth’. In the video, Brian explained what has been happening in the past month or so and revealed that he has ventured into MMA. However, like everything, Brian took MMA very competitively and decided to put on a fight with an undisclosed opponent for now.
Related: Brian Shaw Crushes 200-lb (91-kg) Dumbbell Bench Press for 5 Reps in Prep for Final Strongman Show
Brian Shaw’s MMA Fight
Although Brian Shaw showed interest in arm wrestling at first, he decided to switch over to MMA by surprise. Even he did not expect his situation to unwind like this, but the right opportunity came and Brian got intrigued.
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“I had no clue that I was going to be presented with an opportunity to get into MMA fighting… I thought it was something that wasn’t real, and it did get my attention because there is a contract involved.”
Being as successful as Brian Shaw is, one might wonder why he has decided to move over to a sport where he will have to start from scratch. Well, that is exactly what lured him in, as he will now learn new things.
“I started to think about what I would gain from doing this. I did want to drop weight, and this is something that will force me to do that. In turn, I also get to learn; I get to go back to being a beginner… It is very mentally stimulating for me.”
Brian Shaw always paid attention to MMA fighting, but the weight cut meant that he would have to weigh in under 265 pounds. However, the contract that Brian signed stated that he will compete in the open weight class, meaning that his bodyweight will not be capped.
Brian Shaw has already been training specifically for the past few weeks and has assembled a team consisting of Cody Donovan, Vinnie Lopez, Loren Landow, and Joe Kenn.
“I will approach this just like I have approached anything else in my life. You put this in front of me; give me a deadline; give me an MMA match; I am going in to win. I’m going in to dominate. I feel as though you can put anybody in front of me, and I am going to figure out a way to make this happen.”
The reigning “Strongest Man On Earth”, Brian Shaw, understands that this will be a very difficult task and that it will have its ups and downs. However, as Brian is now learning how to fully utilize his gigantic frame, he is slowly becoming a true machine and a threat to every other fighter on the scene.
“With what I am learning right now, I think the danger level for anyone going against me is going to be very very high… It is going to get very exciting as we lead up to this coming in early 2024.”
Watch the video here:
2023 has been quite an eventful year for Brian Shaw since he first suffered from leg cellulitis, which could have required an amputation. However, he managed to avoid that with an early visit to the doctors and then continued preparing for his final WSM appearance. He went on to place seventh and switched his focus to the 2023 Shaw Classic, where he would ultimately retire. Brian won his final ever Strongman competition, but did so at the cost of a pec tear.
Now, after getting some treatment for his pec tear, Brian Shaw has switched over to MMA, which has surprised everyone. However, judging by the way that Brian talks about the journey ahead of him, it is clear that he is already very passionate about it. So, there is no doubt that he will be successful and smash anyone who steps into the ring with him.
Brian Shaw’s potential in MMA was recently pointed out by Joe Rogan, who is one of the most famous and credible MMA enthusiasts. Joe saw some of Brian’s Strongman highlights and stated: “Imagine trying to do Jiu-Jitsu with that guy (Brian). He’d smoke everybody”. It might have seemed impossible in the past, but Brian will make it happen.
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