I remember the first time I stumbled upon armwrestling, and I want every potential fan out there to do the same…
Armwrestling is a magnanimous sport filled with positive vibes and an eclectic group of talented athletes. Some of these athletes sport Muhammad Ali-levels of showmanship, with a level of trash talk both hysterical and outright engaging.
So, why is the sport struggling with promotion and growth?
Armwrestling has been around for a millenia. It was practiced and integrated into global cultures by Ancient Egyptians (c. 2000 BCE), Greeks (c. 800-500 BCE), Romans (c. 27 BCE – 476 CE), Native American tribes (pre-Colonial era), Vikings (c. 800-1100 CE), South Asians (medieval and early modern eras), and Eastern Europeans/Russians (medieval to modern era), evolving into formalized competitions in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries worldwide—ultimately, culminating into the bombastic East vs. West tournaments we see today.
I stumbled upon armwrestling in the modern era the way most did: endlessly scrolling on YouTube during the 2020 pandemic, until I found this tarantula-hulk character who went by the name, Devon Larratt. But, unfortunately, some of the renaissance has died off and the base for armwrestling has plateaued. This not a jab at the sport, the athletes, or the presentation of armwrestling—this is a jab at its lack of promotion right now, at this present moment.
What Armwrestling Gets Right
Armwrestling gives boxing and the NFL a run for its money in terms of personas and showmanship. Devon Larratt routinely refers to the sport as “battling” and his comment is aptly given. Whether it’s Devon “No Limits” Larratt, Matt “Wild Horse” Mask, Michael “Monster” Todd, or John “Perfect Storm” Brzenk, armwrestling has no shortage of warriors, trash talkers, and scary-stoics who never lift their menacing gaze from the table.
In terms of hulking individuals fighting with raw strength, inducing rivers of sweat, callous tears of blood, and biceps detaching via grusome injuries, armwrestling hits the war-like nature of combat sports dead center.
Lastly, the competition atmosphere itself is unparalelled. Everyone watching is devoted and welcoming. The athletes are gregarious, humble, and love teaching newcomers (as long as the athletes themselves are not at the competition table). When the match starts, there is a palpable rush of adrenaline felt by the crowd and the athletes. The sport moves at a lightening pace—matches last an absolute maximum of 30 seconds.
What Armwrestling Needs To Do Better To Grow More
Devon Larratt has worked day and night to grow armwrestling in North America. He has websites, merchandise, and routinely travels the world for armwrestling competitions. But in Canada, and the states below, he can’t do it alone. Luckily, Brain Shaw, a famous strongman athlete from Colorado, is happily joining the ranks of armwrestling, which should increase viewership. But, we need younger athletes to get involved in this sport and bring it to more local competitions and schools—it’s fun, relatively safe (much safer than sports involving tackling), and an insane workout. Truly, it can be family fun for everyone.
As for East vs. West competitions, the tournament is insane. Having Eastern European behemoths compete against the best North America has to offer is a ludicrously entertaining premise, and it works! But promotions and televised representation of the sports is lacking. Ditch the pay-per-view, get it on cable and streaming, and make the money pot public and bigger. As soon as you make the top winners compete for pots of $100,000+, you will start to see some serious action at the top of the armwrestling food chain. It will take some investors and some heart, but it is a worthwhile endeavor for those fronting the cash. Also, there is an under-abundance of engaging content due to the Hollywood strikes, get yourselves a spot on Netflix, while the content falls short.
And to wrap up my argument…digital prescence. While Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok have no shortage of coverage, the East vs. West tournament website needs to stay current and updated—especially with the most recent tournament results. And someone from East vs. West has to publish the entire, complete tournament, with closed captioning in multiple languages on YouTube…thank you.
The Future For Armwrestling Is Bright
Armwrestling has the potential to be a whirlwind of fun, money, and insane athletes. Televise the personalities, get the funding for larger prizes, and make the viewing free to expand your audience (in the interim). Show the world what you can do, and I promise the world will watch and listen.