Brighton & Hove Albion welcomed an unusual guest as German MMA star Christian Eckerlin shared Instagram photos of himself participating in a team training session.
The 32-year-old from Frankfurt performed martial arts drills alongside Premier League players such as Danny Welbeck and James Milner. Whether coach Fabian Hürzeler brought him in to enhance the squad’s physicality is unclear – Eckerlin is well known for his high-intensity approach.
Eckerlin, a middleweight and welterweight champion in the German MMA Championship, thanked Brighton with the message: “Thanks for having me.” The connection may have been facilitated through Hürzeler, also German. It remains to be seen if Brighton will continue to integrate such “combat-style” training into their sessions, both on and off the pitch.
Hürzeler’s Second Season at the Helm
Brighton started their Premier League campaign with a 1-1 draw against Fulham. On Sunday, the Seagulls face an away game against Everton.
The club is not competing in international competitions this season, having finished eighth in the previous Premier League campaign. Hürzeler has been in charge since July 2024 and currently maintains a solid points-per-game average of 1.67.
