Size plays a very big role in multiple sports, but it is especially important in Strongman since athletes have to endure the pressure of handling tremendous amounts of weight. So, the sheer size of professional Strongman athletes often surprises any fans that get to meet them in person. Therefore, Laurence ‘Big Loz’ Shahlaei made a YouTube video listing Top 20 Heaviest athletes to ever compete at the World’s Strongest Man competition.
The majority of well known Strongman figures have had the chance to compete at the World’s Strongest Man competition at some point in their career, which provided data about their bodyweight at the time. So, the weights listed refer to the bodyweight at the time of the competition, and not the all-time heaviest that some athletes achieved at other times.
Top 20 Heaviest World’s Strongest Man Competitors
20. Zydrunas ‘Big Z’ Savickas — 397 pounds (180 kilograms)
Zydrunas Savickas is easily one of the greatest Strongman athletes in the history of the sport. So, it might surprise many that he takes the 20th spot on the list of heaviest World’s Strongest Man competitors. He is best known for winning four WSM competitions and tallying 82 International victories, along with additional 17 gold medals in National competitions.
“The Lithuanian legend stands at 6 feet 3 inches tall and his heaviest weight listed at the WSM was 397 pounds (180 kilograms).”
19. Mika Törrö — 397 pounds (180 kilograms)
Mika Torro made only one appearance at the 2022 WSM, where he finished fifth in his group. However, he has made 45 International appearances in total and was crowned Finland’s Strongest Man on multiple occasions.
“Also weighing in at 397 pounds (180 kilograms) and standing at 6 feet 9 inches is Finnish athlete Mika Törrö.”
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18. Mike Jenkins — 400 pounds (181.4 kilograms)
Mike Jenkins spent just three years competing at the higher stages of Strongman, but made three appearances at the WSM. His best result came in 2013, when he finished in fourth place. He made the finals on other two occasions as well, finishing 5th in 2012 and 8th in 2011. Mike also won the 2012 Arnold Strongman Classic. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2013.
“He stood at 6 feet 6 inches tall and weighed 400 pounds (181.4 kilograms).”
Related: Every Winner of The World’s Strongest Man Competition Since 1977
17. Terry Hollands — 400 pounds (181.4 kilograms)
Terry Hollands is one of the most well-known figures in Strongman, having competed for over 15 years. In that time, Terry made appearances in 89 International and 12 National competitions. Moreover, he made 15 appearances at the WSM, making it to the finals in nine of those. His best finish at the WSM is third place, which he achieved in 2011 and 2007.
Although he carried a humongous physique during his Strongman days, Terry Hollands underwent an incredible transformation after retiring from the sport.
“Also standing at 6 feet 6 inches and weighing 400 pounds (181.4 kilograms) is British superstar Terry Hollands.”
16. Torfi Ólafsson — 403 pounds (183 kilograms)
Torfi Ólafsson was active in Strongman from 1995 up until 2011, during which he accumulated a total of 20 International appearances. He never managed to secure a gold medal, but his presence and performances in certain events were truly impressive. Torfi appeared in five WSM competitions, most notably finishing in fourth place in 1997.
“Torfi Ólafsson stood at an impressive 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighed 403 pounds (183 kilograms).”
15. O.D. Wilson — 406 pounds (184 kilograms)
O.D Wilson only competed for two years professionally, but that was enough to stamp his place among the most elite Strongmen in history. Despite not winning any international competitions, Wilson still presented impressive performances throughout his nine appearances. Most notably, O.D. Wilson finished in second place at the 1990 World’s Strongest Man competition.
“At number 15 is ‘The American Nightmare’, O.D. Wilson. Standing at 6 feet 6 inches tall and weighing 406 pounds (184 kilograms),”
14. Tom Stoltman — 408 pounds (185 kilograms)
Tom Stoltman is already one of the greatest Strongmen in history, despite just entering his 30s. He has gained weight throughout the years and has seemingly gotten better results proportionally. Tom prides himself in being the 3x WSM Champion, but has goals of matching or beating Mariusz Pudzianowski’s record of six wins.
“In the 14th spot is none other than ‘The Albatros’ Tom Stoltman, standing at 6 feet 8 inches tall and weighing 408 pounds (184 kilograms).”
13. Joe Onosai — 410 pounds (186 kilograms)
Joe Onosai competed in the 1990s, as well as the early 2000s, during which he accumulated 12 International appearances. Impressively, four of those occurred at the World’s Strongest Man, where his highest placing turned out to be 7th in 1994.
“At 13, we got the only World’s Strongest Man competitor from Samoa, Joe Onosai. Joe is 6 feet 4 inches, and at his peak, he weighed 410 pounds (186 kilograms).”
12. Eddie Hall — 410 pounds (186 kilograms)
Eddie Hall is another familiar name on the list, as he is the 2016 World’s Strongest Man and the first man to deadlift 500 kilograms (1,102.3 pounds). Hall competed in 23 International and 8 National competitions, claiming nine wins in total. His heaviest ever bodyweight at the WSM was 410 pounds (186 kilograms), but there have been speculations about him being even heavier during his half a ton deadlift.
“In the 12th spot is ‘The Beast’ Eddie Hall, who in the 2016 and 2017 WSM came in weighing 410 pounds (186 kilograms) at 6 feet 3 inches tall.”
11. Andy Black — 419 pounds (190 kilograms)
Andy Black is relatively new to Strongman, having made his debut at major competitions back in 2021. Since then, he has made 14 International appearances but did not manage to win any of them. He also appeared in the 2023 World’s Strongest Man, where he finished fifth in his group. Despite not having any International wins, Andy’s rise in Strongman has been impressive.
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“We got another Scottish giant, this time in the form of 419-pound (190-kilogram) 6-feet 7-inch Andy Black.”
10. Robert Oberst — 420 pounds (190.5 kilograms)
Robert Oberst has made eight appearances at the WSM, making him a familiar face for fans of the modern era of Strongman. His greatest ever placement was 8th in the 2018 edition of the show, which was notorious for a stacked lineup. Furthermore, Oberst has competed in a total of 15 International competitions, managing to win one of them.
“Into the top 10 now, and we are starting with USA’s Robert Oberst, who stands at 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighed 420 pounds (190.5 kilograms) in the 2020 WSM competition.”
9. Rick Brown — 420 pounds (190.5 kilograms)
Rick Brown takes the number nine spot on the list, but that perhaps does not portray his size subjectively. He stood at 5 feet 11 inches, which is significantly shorter than many other names on this list. So, carrying 420 pounds (190.5 kilograms) on his frame was truly an incredible sight. He competed in the 1985 and 1986 WSM competitions, finishing 6th and 8th, respectively.
“Also weighing 420 pounds (190.5 kilograms) was Rick Brown from the USA.”
8. James Perry — 432 pounds (196 kilograms)
James Perry only took part in one International competition, the 1992 World’s Strongest Man competition, where he placed 9th. However, despite not having a large competition record, James made history as one of the heaviest Strongman athletes ever to compete.
“At 6 feet tall, James Perry wasn’t tall by Strongman standards, but he weighed a whopping 432 pounds (196 kilograms).”
7. c — 440 pounds (∼200 kilograms)
Perhaps the most mind-blowing of them all, Jerry Blackwell weighed in at 440 pounds (∼200 kilograms) at a height of 5 feet 9 inches. His only competition was the 1979 WSM, but he was forced to withdraw due to an injury.
“American Wrestler, Jerry Blackwell, weighed in at a colossal 440 pounds (∼200 kilograms) at the 1979 World’s Strongest Man.”
6. Dominic Filiou — 441 pounds (200 kilograms)
Dominic Filiou took part in 20 International competitions, but was unfortunately not able to secure a victory in either one. However, his third place finish at the 2005 WSM remains an incredibly impressive achievement.
“Taking the sixth spot is the first and only Canadian athlete on our list, Dominic Filiou, who weighed 441 pounds (200 kilograms).”
5. Glenn Ross — 441 pounds (200 kilograms)
Standing at 6 feet 1 inch tall, Glenn Ross is among the top five heaviest Strongman athletes to ever compete at the WSM. Speaking of which, Glenn competed in five WSM editions, but was never able to reach the final. Although his tremendous weight helped him in certain events, it definitely hindered his abilities when it came to moving and agility.
4. Hafthor Bjornsson — 441 pounds (200 kilograms)
Hafthor Bjornsson’s size served him well, not only in Strongman but also in acting, as he is famous for being ‘The Mountain’ character in Game of Thrones. His bodyweight of 441 pounds (200 kilograms) filled out his 6-feet 9-inch frame and allowed him to perform some unimaginable feats of strength. It is also speculated that Bjornsson weighed even more during his 501-kilogram (1,104.5-pound) Deadlift World Record.
Hafthor Bjornsson competed in 64 International and 11 National competitions, racking up a total of 38 victories. His most notable win came at the 2018 World’s Strongest Man competition. However, Hafthor was also triumphant in multiple Arnold Strongman Classic and Europe’s Strongest Man competitions.
3. Cleve Dean — 450 pounds (204 kilograms)
Cleve Dean competed in two International competitions and both came at the World’s Strongest Man competition. In turn, he placed 6th in 1979, and 8th in 1980. Dean also found success in arm wrestling.
“The American arm wrestler, Cleve Dean, is in third place, thanks to competing in the 1979 and 1980 WSM while weighing 450 pounds (204 kilograms).”
2. Gavin Bilton — 452 pounds (205 kilograms)
Gavin Bilton is one of the only athletes on the list who is still active in the sport. He takes second place with a bodyweight of 452 pounds (205 kilograms) and a height of 6 feet 6 inches. Gavin has taken part in 25 International competitions and won one of them. He has also lowered his bodyweight in recent years.
“Number two on the list is the ‘Welsh Bull’, Gavin Bilton, who in the 2020 WSM weighed in at 450 pounds (205 kilograms).”
1. Brian Shaw — 454 pounds (205.9 kilograms)
The heaviest man to ever compete at the World’s Strongest Man is none other than the 4x champion, Brian Shaw. The colossal size worked in his favor, as he became the greatest strongman of all time, in the opinion of many fans. Shaw competed in a total of 65 International and 3 National competitions, winning a total of 29 shows. During the second half of his career, Brian decided to focus on the most elite competitions, which he often won as well.
“Number one on the list is not just a big man, but a huge name in the sport. At 6 feet 8 inches tall, Brian Shaw has always been a big man. But at the 2017 WSM, his listed weight was 454 pounds (205.9 kilograms), making him the heaviest man to compete at the show.”
Watch Laurence ‘Big Loz’ Shahlaie’s video here:
Related: Laurence ‘Big Loz’ Shahlaei Sheds 102 Pounds Following a Remarkable Physique Transformation
Although size does play an advantage in Strongman, in excess of bodyweight the athletes might start performing worse due to a lack of endurance and agility. However, all of the athletes at the highest level are absolutely huge, with the ones listed above reaching into the absolute limits of what the human body can handle while remaining functional.
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