Challenge Accepted
The 2025 Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC) has gotten much spicier. On January 10, 2025, Rogue Fitness announced a $101,000 bounty to any strongman who can deadlift 501 or more kilograms during the Elephant Bar Deadlift event. That means should any competitors match or exceed the heaviest deadlift ever pulled, they will be awarded a six-figure prize purse separate from the ASC prize pool.
The Challenge is Accepted
The challenge was quickly accepted by the only athlete ever to pull such a monstrous weight: three-time ASC champion Hafthor Björnsson.
The Roster
Below are the athletes who have the opportunity to make history and score $101,000 in the process:
- Mitchell Hooper — Two-Time Reigning ASC Champion
- Hafthor Björnsson — 2018 WSM champion
- Austin Andrade
- Bobby Thompson
- Evan Singleton — 2024 WSM Bronze Medalist
- Lucas Hatton
- Mateusz Kieliszkowski — 2024 Magnus Ver Magnusson Strongman Classic Champion
- Maxime Boudreault
- Nick Guardione — 2024 Official Strongman Games Men’s Open Champion
- Tom Stoltman — Three-Time Reigning World’s Strongest Man
- Trey Mitchell — Two-Time Shaw Classic Champion
The History-Making Attempt
In 2024, it appeared that Björnsson had enough in the tank to potentially exceed his current Elephant Bar Deadlift world record. However, he declined to make that attempt as he had already secured the event win with a top pull of 460 kilograms and wanted to conserve energy for the remainder of the competition. Similarly, Hooper had strategized securing a second-place finish to Björnsson in the deadlift event on the premise that he could outperform Björnsson in the other events — a prediction that came to fruition.
Conclusion
With a six-figure incentive to enter the 500-kilogram club, the competing strongman are unlikely to pass up their attempts at history. We’ll see how far they can push the all-time Elephant Bar Deadlift world record when they converge on Columbus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the $101,000 bounty offered by Rogue Fitness?
A: The bounty is offered to any strongman who can deadlift 501 or more kilograms during the Elephant Bar Deadlift event at the 2025 Arnold Strongman Classic.
Q: Who has accepted the challenge?
A: Hafthor Björnsson, the only athlete ever to pull such a monstrous weight, has accepted the challenge.
Q: Who are the athletes participating in the 2025 Arnold Strongman Classic?
A: The roster includes Mitchell Hooper, Hafthor Björnsson, Austin Andrade, Bobby Thompson, Evan Singleton, Lucas Hatton, Mateusz Kieliszkowski, Maxime Boudreault, Nick Guardione, Tom Stoltman, and Trey Mitchell.
