Hafthor Bjornsson is undeniably one of the greatest strongman athletes to ever live and is one of the most interesting competitors to watch. The Icelandic titan was set to showcase his power once again at the 2026 Rogue Invitational, which is scheduled to take place on October 23-25 at P&J Live in Aberdeen, Scotland. However, Laurence “Big Loz” Shahlaei revealed on his YouTube channel that Hafthor Bjornsson has withdrawn from the competition. Pavlo Kordiyaka will replace him in the lineup.
As of this moment, we have no clear answer as to why Hafthor Bjornsson pulled out, as neither he nor Rogue have released an official statement explaining his decision to withdraw. That being said, Big Loz noted that Hafthor’s initial announcement post has been deleted and that his name has already been scrubbed from the official athlete lineup on the Rogue Invitational website.
While losing an athlete like Hafthor Bjornsson is always a huge blow to the roster, Pavlo Kordiyaka steps in as a great replacement. The Ukrainian athlete proved his place at the absolute top of the sport by winning the 2023 Europe’s Strongest Man title. He also arrives in peak condition straight off a victory at the 2026 Global Strongman Summit of Strength. Kordiyaka is known for his elite speed, athleticism, and overhead pressing power, which will undoubtedly inject high energy into the Rogue Invitational and result in some interesting battles.
Check out Pavlo Koriyaka’s announcement post here:
This marks the second consecutive year that Hafthor Bjornsson has pulled out of the Rogue Invitational. In 2025, he suffered a shoulder nerve injury, which had a significant effect on his pressing power, which is why he decided to pull out. It remains to be seen what prevented him from competing this year, but his absence is certainly very unfortunate, especially considering that he claimed the silver medal back in 2024.
Hafthor Bjornsson devoted most of his 2026 season to pushing the limits on the deadlift, even skipping the 2026 Arnold Strongman Classic to focus exclusively on breaking the record. He initially targeted a massive 515-kilogram (1,135.4-pound) pull at the 2026 Enhanced Games, but couldn’t lock it out after getting the bar to his knees. He had another 511-kilogram (1,126.6-pound) attempt at the 2026 Enhanced Breakers just weeks later, but unfortunately also fell short. Bjornsson returned to full competition to win the 2026 Giants Live Strongman Open, proving that he is still one of the strongest men on earth. However, Raul Flores pulled a historic 511-kilogram (1,126.6-pound) at the accompanying World Deadlift Championships and officially broke Hafthor’s world record.
Hafthor Bjornsson’s legacy is firmly cemented among the greatest in strength sports history. His decorated career includes winning the 2018 World’s Strongest Man title, three Arnold Strongman Classic victories, five Europe’s Strongest Man titles, and a decade of dominance at the Iceland’s Strongest Man competition. He also held the deadlift world record for over half a decade.
With less than four weeks left until the 2026 Rogue Invitational, Hafthor Bjornsson’s withdrawal has given Pavlo Kordiyaka enough time to properly prepare for the challenge. He will now have to take on nine other world-class athletes in what promises to be one of the greatest competitions of the year.
