The year 2025 is shaping out to be an incredible season for Strongman, with exciting news coming out at the start of the year. This time it was Brian Shaw who made a thrilling announcement. Namely, he revealed the names of athletes who received an invite for the 2025 Strongest Man On Earth (SMOE) via a YouTube video. Moreover, Brian talked about how he and his team choose who to send an invite to.
The 2025 Strongest Man On Earth competition will take place on August 16-17 in Loveland, Colorado. It is expected to be one of the most difficult Strongman competitions in the world, featuring innovative but challenging events. However, as per the recent news, the show will also feature a stacked lineup, guaranteeing a weekend of thrill and enjoyment.
Brian Shaw Explains Qualifying Criteria for 2025 Strongest Man On Earth
Brian Shaw believes that, because of the insanely heavy weight used at the Strongest Man On Earth, those who have done well in the 2024 edition of the show deserve an invite more than anyone else. So, the top five athletes from last year
“My opinion is that the best indicator of who will perform the best at the Strongest Man On Earth is who performs well at the Strongest Man On Earth. So, we are going to automatically take the top five competitors from 2024.”
The next spots will be filled out by the podium finishers from the other three elite competitions. However, some names found themselves on podiums in two or more major competitions. Brian revealed that, in that case, the qualification will not carry over to a fourth-place finisher automatically.
“From there, we are going to take the top three from the Rogue Invitational, Arnold Strongman Classic, and World’s Strongest Man…
Get Fitter, FasterLevel Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!
From there, the winner of North America’s Strongest Man in 2024… The final place goes to the winner of the Shaw Classic Open Men’s Division.”
Once all of the aforementioned athletes have received an invite, a total of 8 other spots remain unfilled. So, Brian Shaw and his team plan to analyze the performances of athletes in all types of elite Strongman competitions to determine who would be the best fit for the 2025 Strongest Man On Earth.
“There is a carryover where certain names are going to fill spots more than once… It will be looking at performances across the board in all of the big strongman contests… For example, Magnus Ver Magnusson Classic, Giants Live, potentially Strongman Champions League.”
2025 Strongest Man On Earth Invites
Note: Brian Shaw still has 8 invites remaining but has not decided who that will go to yet.
- Mitchell Hooper
- Hafthor Bjornsson
- Lucas Hatton
- Trey Mitchell
- Austin Andrade
- Tom Stoltman
- Maxime Boudreault
- Josh Spurgeon
Watch the full video here:
Related: Brian Shaw Reflects on His Arm Wrestling Match Against Eddie Hall: “Eddie Did Cross the Line”
The 2025 Strongest Man On Earth is scheduled to take place in the summer, meaning that a lot of time still remains. This means that Brian Shaw and his team can analyze all potential candidates and send out the remaining invites. Moreover, the events for the competition have not been revealed yet, which is another task for Brian.