Watch: When 400lb ‘The Mountain’ Hafthor Bjornsson Grappled a 170lb UFC Fighter You Need to See
Once upon a time, two of Iceland’s greatest exports—UFC welterweight standout Gunnar Nelson and legendary strongman Hafthor ‘The Mountain’ Bjornsson—went toe-to-toe on the mat.
While most fight fans will recognize Nelson from his 15-fight run inside the Octagon where he earned wins over Alan Jouban, Alex Oliveira, and Bryan Barbarena, others will undoubtedly remember Bjornsson from his memorable turn as ‘The Mountain’ on the beloved HBO series Game of Thrones.
A few years back, the two fan favorites from two very different worlds decided to hit the mat in a battle of sheer strength versus skill.
“I’ve been wanting for a long time because a lot of my friends have been saying, I have no chance against you on the floor,” Bjornsson said in the video which was posted on the Strongman’s official YouTube channel. “I’m just interested. To see if the technique and the experience is going to overcome the strength. Not only the strength but also the body weight.”
Gunnar Nelson was surprised by Bjornsson’s Stamina
While Nelson held a clear advantage given his experience inside the Octagon and being a BJJ black belt. Even so, ‘Gunni’ was admittedly surprised by how agile Bjornsson was considering how big he is.
“When he asked me if his strength was surprising, I was like no but his conditioning was,” Nelson said. “He was able to keep going and not just conditioning but he was smart with his fights. He used his weight well. He’s not just heavy and strong but he’s athletic with his weight.”
Nelson will be back inside the Octagon on March 22 when the UFC heads back to London for a loaded Fight Night card inside the iconic O2 Arena. There, ‘Gunni’ will square off with Kevin Holland in what is sure to be one of the more intriguing bouts on the card.
