Brian Shaw has spent just under two years training for arm wrestling and has climbed up the ranks quickly. As such, he accepted a right-hand match against Leonidas Arkona at East vs. West 23, which took place on April 18th in Germany. The match turned out to be a true spectacle, but Brian ended up suffering his first professional loss.
Brian Shaw vs. Leonidas Arkona Overview
Brian Shaw had size on his side, coming in with a huge height advantage and being over 100 pounds (45.4 kilograms) heavier than Leonidas Arkona. On the other hand, Arkona is 17 years younger than Shaw and boasts more professional arm wrestling experience than his rival. Brian has, however, been climbing up the ranks thanks to his dedication to the sport and anything related to it, such as the diet.
Round One
Coming into the match, it was nearly impossible to predict who the winner might be, as both are making significant improvements with each passing week. However, the first round was a great indicator, as Leonidas achieved a very quick flash pin. This shocked the crowd, revealing that Brian could find himself in a very difficult situation.
Related: Brian Shaw Acquires Unique ‘Beast Caged’ Arm Wrestling Tool to “Build the Strongest Arm on Earth”
Round Two
Brian Shaw tried to hold on to Leonidas’ hand in the second round, hoping to avoid the strap. However, Arkona managed to slip, forcing the referees to implement the strap. However, that cost him one foul. Once the strap was on, Leonidas was close to achieving another pin but committed an elbow foul in the process. Two fouls in the same round amount to a point for the other athlete, thus making the score 1-1.
Round Three
Since the first two rounds saw Leonidas slip from the start, the rules mandated that the strap would be used until the end of the match. Shaw tried to put pressure on Leonidas in the third round but ended up losing his position in the process. This gave Leonidas a clear path to victory, as he utilized a top roll to make the score 1-2.
Round Four
The fourth round did not go in Brian Shaw’s favor, which is why he decided to commit a foul in order to restart the round. On the restart, Leonidas was the one who committed a foul, prompting the judges to stop the round and re-establish the starting position. Brian’s best showing came on the second restart of the fourth round, as he was going to pin Leonidas. However, the German arm wrestler committed his second foul in the same round, giving the point to Brian and making the score 2-2.
Round Five
The fifth round was similar to the first one, since Leonidas Arkona managed to get into a better position from the start. This allowed him to achieve another flash pin and thus beat the 4x World’s Strongest Man.
Final Score: Brian Shaw (2) – (3) Leonidas Arkona
Check out some of the match highlights here:
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Leonidas Arkona vs Brian Shaw#armwrestling #armwrestler
Related: Brian Shaw Reflects on His Arm Wrestling Match Against Eddie Hall: “Eddie Did Cross the Line”
Brian Shaw now has two wins and one loss on his arm wrestling resume. He has achieved his victories against Eddie Hall and Brandon Allen. Moreover, his loss against Leonidas Arkona serves as an important learning experience. His strength and power were definitely not an issue, but it is clear that his technical ability still lacks compared to athletes such as Arkona.
