Raul Flores stepped into the spotlight only recently, once strongman fans and organizers realized just how powerful he was in the deadlift. That strength earned him an invitation to the 2026 Giants Live World Deadlift Championships, which took place on September 5th at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham, UK. Taking full advantage of the opportunity, he achieved a historic feat on the platform by setting a brand-new world record with a 511 kilograms (1,126.6 pounds) deadlift.
Despite the fact that a dozen men stepped up to compete in the event, Raul Flores seemed to be the only athlete who could realistically aim for the world record on the day. Hafthor Bjornsson was also in the lineup, but he decided not to go all out for the competition. After making a couple of massive deadlift attempts in recent months, Hafthor chose to take it easy and give his body some needed time to rest.
Raul Flores performed the 511-kilogram (1,126.6-pound) lift using all standard equipment, including a deadlift suit, a lifting belt, and lifting straps. He managed to get the bar moving off the floor quite quickly, but the speed slowed down a bit once the weight traveled above his knees. After a hard-fought grind near the top, he pulled through and managed to lock it out to secure the new record, breaking Hafthor’s previous World Record by 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds).
Raul Flores turned to Instagram to share his thoughts, where he revealed an interesting fact. Namely, once his dog Tayzon passed, Raul promised that his name would be known around the world. So, Raul picked up the nickname ‘Tayzon’, broke the Deadlift World Record, and pointed to a tattoo of his dog after completing the lift. As Flores states, he wasn’t just lifting a barbell, he was lifting a promise.
Watch Raul Flores’ lift here:
Eddie Hall was the very first person to deadlift 500 kilograms (1,102.3 pounds) back in 2016. Hafthor Bjornsson later broke that record by a single kilogram (2.2 pounds), pulling 501 kilograms (1,104.5 pounds), but his lift drew controversy because it was done in his home gym rather than on a traditional competition stage. To silence the naysayers, Hafthor came out of retirement years later and officially set a 505 kilograms (1,113.3 pounds) record at the Eisenhart Black Competition, eventually improving that mark to 510 kilograms (1,124.4 pounds) at the 2025 World Deadlift Championships.
Hafthor Bjornsson then spent the majority of 2026 pursuing a higher number to extend his record. He first aimed to set a new mark at the 2026 Enhanced Games, where he pulled 515 kilograms (1,135.4 pounds) up to his knees but was unable to lock it out. He got another chance soon after at the Enhanced Record Breakers event, but he could not complete the pull at 511 kilograms (1,126.6 pounds).
Hafthor Bjornsson was one of the first men on site to congratulate Raul on his new world record. He later took to social media to share a post about the event, expressing how glad he was to finally have someone alongside him pushing the limits of the sport and giving him real competition.
“I’m genuinely happy to see the record pushed to another level. Having a rival like you makes this sport more exciting, and I have nothing but respect for the work you’ve put in.
Enjoy the moment, and keep pushing. The battle continues,” wrote Hafthor Bjornsson.
Check out Hafthor Bjornsson’s reaction here:
Raul Flores is just 26 years old, but he has already claimed the most prestigious record in the sport of Strongman. So, many wonder just how far he will be able to push it, as there is no doubt that he will continue improving in the coming years. Hafthor Bjornsson will also undoubtedly be even more motivated now, since this is the first time in over half a decade that the Deadlift World Record is not in his possession.
