Tonight (from 5.30 p.m. Live on RTL+*) In Hamburg there is the big cage comeback from MMA star Christian Eckerlin (38) in Hamburg. The “King of Germmany” rises against the “Prince of Bratislava”, Robert Pukac in the cage. One who is particularly feverish is his wife Dominique.
Christian and his dominique have been married for 13 years, have a son and a daughter. Already at yesterday’s show on the Hamburg Reeperbahn, his family was there. Dominique too RTL: “The anticipation is already great. We were in Cologne and Frankfurt. Now being here in Hamburg is very nice.”
With a view to the fight, she has a good feeling: “I was very excited in Frankfurt and I am still excited today, of course I’m also afraid for him. Nevertheless, it is not that bad this time. I have a feeling and hope that it can be done quickly.”
Interest around Eckerlin’s octoagon opponent
Eckerlin has prepared intensively over ten weeks. Reduced an incredible 15 kilos – 77, 4 kilos were on the scales yesterday.
However, it is precisely the weight that causes a stir in the run -up to the fight. Because while Eckerlin made his weight, Pukac already weighed 1.5 kilos more yesterday morning. A little later it was even six kilos. Today the Slovak has to weigh about 88 kilos, which means that Eckerlin’s opponents in the worst case weigh a whole eleven kilos more.
One aspect that his wife also thought about. Dominique worried: “My husband really kept up to the diet for over ten weeks, he was lying next to me with a stomach growl next to me – had trained to 84 kilos. The rest is done with water, which is also dangerous. Now he weighs just seven kilos more than me. And if the opponent does not stick to it, it is super unfair and somehow an advantage for him.”
What she means: the so -called Weight Cut. For several days, the athletes drink up to ten liters of water a day. It is eaten very salty, sometimes even the water is slightly mixed with salt. The result: The kidney’s hormone balance changes and urine outline increases. This is followed by a day with a comparatively very low water supply (one or two liters), but the body continues to separate water, which leads to natural weight reduction.
With saunas, thermal blankets and salt baths, MMA professionals try to reach their combat weight just to have a small weight advantage towards their opponent. The extreme water loss in a short time hits the kidneys massively.
Nevertheless, Eckerlin will fight Pukac tonight. In front of his family. Eckerlin: “The family is the most important thing for me and now having them here means everything and is of course a huge motivation.”
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