Does Strength Help in a Fight? Strongman in MMA and Athletic Barriers to Entry

Many get into strength training because it helps improve performance in other physical tasks. Many strength specialists (powerlifters and gym bros), however, will be over confident in what their strength actually allows them to do, especially when fighting or combat is concerned. Every sport has a 'barrier to entry' when it comes to performing, meaning you have to have a minimum amount of skill or a minimum amount of physical ability. Here, we use strongman champion and MMA convert Mariusz Pudzianowski as a case study to examine how important strength is in a fight.