Meet the Beast Who is Set to Launch Terror into the Hearts of the Heavyweight Division…
If this guy can fight, he’s going to be a terrifying prospect. Former bodybuilder Martyn Ford has just signed professional terms with Polish MMA promotion KSW. KSW is basically trying to become a European version of PRIDE, so it shouldn’t be surprising that Ford is 6 ft 8in, and weighs in at a silverback gorilla-sized 320lbs.
Ford is a fitness model, a former champion professional bodybuilder and also an actor who has appeared in films such as Kingsman: The Golden Circle. He’s got all that it takes to establish a profile in the fighting game.
Of course, being a bodybuilder doesn’t mean he can fight. So it’s going to be very interesting to see just how ready this massive beast of a man is for the violence that is waiting in one of Europe’s most watchable MMA promotions. Check out this footage below.
Ready
Ford insists that he’s ready for whoever crosses his path first. With 1.3 million followers on Instagram, there’s no doubt that KSW is hoping that they have a bonafide star on their hands. Ford explained that he isn’t just jumping in the deep end without learning to swim. He has been training, as he explained to assembled media:
“I’ve loved almost all forms of martial arts. To come in here and to have the opportunity to put what I practice into this environment and this cage is an exceptional opportunity for myself.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HRvimewBTY
Really?
It will be fascinating – even if just from a freak show perspective – to see just how effective Ford is inside the cage. Many MMA heavyweight fighters do not appear to be extremely well conditioned. Look at the likes of Daniel Cormier, Roy Nelson, Mark Hunt, and even Stipe Miocic. They all look to have a bit of a dad bod, but this is incredibly deceptive. Underneath these men (at least in their primes) had the gas tanks to press forward with aggression and dynamism.
Too much muscle in the heavyweight game can be detrimental – if you don’t win by first or second round knockout. Look at the likes of Francis Ngannou. The Predator is an absolute physical specimen. However, in his title fight against Stipe Miocic, he was carrying too much muscle and expended his energy very quickly. This prevented him from being effective for the rest of the fight.
Ford might be massive but that doesn’t mean he’s going to be very effective. Another issue is that he’s probably going to be very slow. That’s a lot of height and weight to be carrying around. It will be very interesting to watch.
Limited
This is the joy of KSW though. Such a signing would never be possible in the UFC for example, because the heavyweight division has a cut-off point of 265lbs. Maybe they should have a cruiserweight division, and push the heavyweights back to 240 upwards. The fans would surely love to see some insane David v Goliath clashes.
