Muhammed Ali Week 12: John Brzenk, the Undisputed Greatest Arm-Wrestler of All Time
When most people are asked for their favorite sport, the answer is pretty much unanimous:
Arm Wrestling.
A pure exhibition of grit and willpower, arm wrestling is more than a test of the body, but a test of the mind as well. The best of the best are both physically dominant and mentally sound. This is certainly the case for John Brzenk.
Nicknamed “The Perfect Storm” and “G.O.A.T.” by his large fanbase, John Brzenk is widely considered the greatest arm wrestler of all time. Beginning his professional career in 1982, Brzenk won his first arm wrestling championship streamed live in 1983 on ABC. This absolute beast of a human only lost one supermatch in his 33-year-long career, spanning from 1982 to 2015.
Brzenk’s arm wrestling journey began as a wee lad in his early school years, where he would continually challenge and beat fellow classmates in the combat sport. That was until he suffered an injury and broke his arm in a match, reportedly against another student’s father. Brzenk would be out of the playing field for a while, but later revealed that the break had allowed his arm to heal up even stronger, demonstrating what a monstrous powerhouse Brzenk became.
For 22 years as a professional, John “The Giant Crusher” Brzenk remained undefeated, a staggering and unbelievable achievement that earned him more than 500 championships, dwarfing the likes of so-called “legends” like Lebron James. Returning in 2018, Brzenk made his historic comeback and changed the arm wrestling world forever. At age 57, he became the world’s best arm wrestler in his weight class and once again proved his greatness in the sport.
His vast success would land him a cameo role in the Sylvester Stallone arm-wrestling movie Over the Top (1987) and a documentary about him called Pulling John (2009), covering four years of his career in the sport.
Brzenk will forever go down as one of the most dominant figures in sports history, and it’s important that we begin to recognize true legends like him instead of lame ones like Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. They all have nothing on John “The Golden Boy” Brzenk, the true greatest of all time.
Hi Muhammed,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your claim that arm wrestling needs “grit and willpower” and is “more than a test of the body, but a test of the mind as well.” Your blog holds a compelling tribute to John Brzenk, who is truly a legend in the world of arm wrestling! Your vivid depiction of his journey from a schoolyard challenger to a global icon is both inspiring and awe-inspiring. You convinced me that John Brzenk deserves more credit and recognition than he currently has. One aspect that stands out is your emphasis on the mental fortitude required in arm wrestling, a point often overlooked in discussions about physical sports. Brzenk's injury turning into an opportunity for strength growth is particularly fascinating and adds depth to his story. Furthermore, your comparison between Brzenk and other sports icons like Lebron James, Michael Jordan, and Tom Brady offers a fresh perspective. It challenges the conventional definition of greatness and invites readers to reconsider who truly deserves the title of "GOAT."
Hello Muhammed, I feel like it is very interesting how arm wrestling is equally a test of your mind since it seemed like a brute force type of exercise. Although I have personally battled a few classmates through the sport, and have never gotten close to winning a single match so I personally would not know the struggle of arm wrestling since there is no resistance between my arm and the desk. I love the way you write, no offense to good old John, but you take a not very dramatic set of facts and turn them into a compelling story. You twisted it into a way that I would even call John the G.O.A.T. I feel like that term the thrown around so much these days but when talking about certain people I take that term seriously and I feel like John could be the best in the arm wrestling game. (I used John instead of Brzenk because it is so silly to call people I don't know at all by there first name, same with using full name for people I do know personally).
ReplyDeleteHey Muhammed, I did not know there was such a thing as a worldwide arm-wrestling champion, and I was most certainly surprised that there were arm wrestling championships streamed on TV. You did an excellent job of framing arm wrestling as a "pure exhibition of grit and willpower," and changed my mindset on arm wrestling. I had always thought of it as a fun, comedic pass time, and nothing more. My favorite memory is watching my dad arm wrestle against my brother and two of his friends, and still win. Your blog did justice to John Brzenk's legacy, and framed him as a ground breaking and unbelievable arm wrestler. Not only did you tell his story, but you also inspired your audience by sharing his grand successes. After reading your blog, I definitely believe he reigns supreme over Michael Jordan and Tom Brady.
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