In the world of arm wrestling, there has been a long-running debate on who is the No. 1 arm wrestler in the world. Today, we will answer that question. Arm wrestling is a sport where strength is important. An arm wrestler must have a powerful hand that can put down the opponent’s hand. Although the sport of arm wrestling is not one of the most famous sports in the world, it does have its own loyal fanbase. There have been many arm wrestlers but only a few have managed to leave a legacy behind. Today we will rank the No. 1 arm wrestler in the world and some of the best arm wrestlers in the world. So without any further Ado, let’s get started.
John Brzenk
John Brzenk is an American professional athlete, who is hands down the No. 1 arm wrestler in the world ever competed in the sport. He has countless wins and records in his name, out of which the most significant is his Guinness Book record. He is often referred to as the GOAT of arm wrestling because of his records and achievements. He has won more iconic championships than anyone in the history of the sport, in total he has won more than 500 championships. John once mentioned that his father is also an arm wrestler and his huge forearms are a product of good genetics. Nobody can know if that’s the case or not, but one thing is for sure, he is the greatest and No. 1 arm wrestler in the world.
Best Arm Wrestlers In The World
Before starting this list we must tell you that we’ve ranked these arm wrestlers based on the championships they won, their influence in the sport and their dominance in the sport. The most prestigious championship in the world of arm wrestling is the WAF championship.
1. Cleve Dean
Another legend of the sport, Cleve Dean was born in 1953 in America and began his career in arm wrestling at the age of 22. He is not the No. 1 arm wrestler in the world, but you cannot leave out Cleve Dean from the conversation of the best arm wrestlers in the world. He was one of the heaviest and best arm wrestlers in the history of the sport. Although he died at a relatively young age of 58, his career was nothing short of extraordinary as he won a majority of his matches with ease. In an interview, he said that the secret of his strength is his upbringing. Countless hours on his parent’s farm gave him immense strength.
2. Devon Larratt
Devon Larratt is probably the most famous arm wrestler in the history of arm wrestling. He is a Canadian arm wrestler and he also served in the Canadian armed forces before pursuing his career in arm wrestling. He has a record for the highest winning percentage in the sport of arm wrestling at 90%. Unlike other arm wrestlers, Devon has also competed in combat sports which added to his fame. He had a boxing match with a world’s strongest man, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson where he lost the bout in the very first round by way of technical knockout. He comes at number 3 after John Brzenk, the No. 1 arm wrestler in the world.
3. Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge was a Canadian arm wrestler who was famous among the fans of arm wrestling as well as combat sports. He is one of the best arm wrestlers having defeated the likes of John Brzenk. Apart from arm wrestling, he had a long career in kickboxing and MMA, and he has also fought for UFC multiple times. In the world of arm wrestling, he is loved by many people for his antics and brute strength. He might not be the No. 1 arm wrestler in the world but he is widely respected by fans of multiple sports.
4. Travis Bagent
Travis Bagent, nicknamed ‘The Beast’, is one of the greatest and most famous arm wrestlers ever. He has been competing since he was a 15-year-old boy. Since then he has won more than 30 major titles nationally and internationally. He is a left-handed arm wrestler who loves to compete and perform in the biggest tournament the sport has to offer. He is widely recognised for his cold demeanour and brash personality.
5. Alexy Voyevoda
A Russian arm wrestler, Alexy Voyevoda is one of the best arm wrestlers ever. Throughout his career, he has had a pretty good name in the world of arm wrestling. He has won numerous Russian championships and he also became the world champion in 2011. Previously, Alexy lost to Travis Bagent in the 2003 WFA championships but he didn’t lose his hope and came back stronger, defeating the likes of John Berzenk in the 2004 WFA championships. He truly stands at the top of the list of the best arm wrestlers in the world but was just short of becoming the No. 1 arm wrestler in the world. He later retired from the sport after a few controversies and started his career as a Russian politician from the ruling party, United Russia.
6. Andriy Pushkar
Andriy Pushkar was a Ukrainian professional arm wrestler widely regarded as one of the best arm wrestlers in the world. His career and dream to become the No. 1 arm wrestler in the world was cut short in 2018 after he died at the age of 33 due to a car accident. Pushkar was a powerful man who dominated his competition fairly easily. When he was 11 years old, he watched an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, ‘Commando’, and after watching that movie he decided that he wanted to be an athlete. He won his first world championship in 2003 in the heavyweight division.
7. Dave Chaffee
Dave Chaffee is another arm wrestler who can’t be left out when talking about the best arm wrestler in the world. At the beginning of his career, Dave faced some real adversity. He started his career in 2006 but a few years after that he broke his hand while arm wrestling which kept him on the sidelines for a bit. If this wasn’t enough, he also suffered from neck problems and other ailments. He remembers a day when his father asked him to change his hobby and find a real job but instead of doing that he told his father that he will be a world champion in the near future. This became a reality when he won the WAF title in 2010. He also competed against the No. 1 arm wrestler in the world.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it, these are the best arm wrestlers in the world and among them is the No. 1 arm wrestler in the world, John Brzenk. All of these arm wrestlers have faced adversity in their lives and that is what shaped them into the people they really are.
Q- Who is the best arm wrestler in the world?
A- John Brzent is widely regarded as the best arm wrestler in history.
Q- Who is the most famous arm wrestler in the world?
A- Devon Larratt is the most famous and widely recognised arm wrestler in the world.
Q- what is the most prestigious title in Arm wrestling?
A- World Arm Wrestling or WAF title is the most prestigious title in the sport of Arm wrestling.
Q- Where did arm wrestling originate?
A- Arm wrestling is said to have originated in ancient Egyptian or Greek culture.
Q- What is more important in arm wrestling; skills or strength?
A- When it comes to Arm wrestling, skills and strength are equally important and a player shall have both of these things to succeed in the sport of Arm wrestling.
