The 2026 World’s Strongest Man returns to the familiar shores of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, from April 23-26. The first two days of the competition will feature the qualifying stage, separating the athletes into five equal groups. Consequently, the former Europe’s Strongest Man athlete and one of the best coaches in the world, Laurence ‘Big Loz’ Shahlaei, turned to YouTube and revealed his predictions for who will make it to the finals of the 2026 WSM.
The qualifiers at the 2026 World’s Strongest Man are separating the lineup into five groups of five athletes, all of which have been announced days before the competition. From there, the athletes are set to battle for the top two spots in each group, as that is the only way to qualify for the finals. For a long time, the qualifiers featured a stone-off between the second and third-place finishers in the group, but that is no longer the case, as many believed it was an unfair advantage to those who excel in that particular event.
Related: How to Watch 2026 World’s Strongest Man
Big Loz’s Predictions for 2026 World’s Strongest Man Qualifiers
Group One
Laurence ‘Big Loz’ Shahlaei had a difficult time predicting the first group, mainly because of Luke Richardson. He recognized that Luke is one of the strongest men in the world when he is in good shape. However, having placed seventh at the 2026 Europe’s Strongest Man just two weeks ago, Luke does not seem to be at the top of his game.
Consequently, Big Loz believes that Nick Guardione has the opportunity to get into second place and thus qualify for the finals. His pick for the group winner is clear, as Rayno Nel is coming into the competition as the defending champion.
Big Loz’s Prediction: Rayno Nel and Nick Guardione
“I think it would be crazy not to put the current champion in there. So, I am going to go straight off the bat and say Rayno Nel makes it through this group. Now, the real question mark for me is what shape is Luke Richardson in? Luke Richardson in top shape, I would expect him to get through that group and make the final. However, if he performs like he did at Europe’s Strongest Man, he’s going to struggle… For me, Nick Guardione can sneak through that group. I think other than the squat, he’s very, very good at every other event in the group. I don’t think it’s a killer group of squatters… If I had to put money on it at this point, I’m going to say Rayno and Nick.”
Group Two
The second group is extremely stacked and hard to predict, as confirmed by Laurence ‘Big Loz’ Shahlaei. He believes that Tom Stoltman and Austin Andrade will be the two men that qualify for the finals. However, he would also not be surprised to see Jaco Schoonwinkel replace any of the two. Big Loz pointed out that the first event will be crucial for Stoltman, as a good performance could increase his confidence and lead him to the finals.
Big Loz’s Prediction: Tom Stoltman and Austin Andrade
“I think Jaco (Schoonwinkel) is the ‘problem man’ in that group. Obviously, Mat Ragg is very, very good. I think Mat struggles on a couple of events, particularly the overhead… I would go with Tom (Stoltman) to get through and I think Austin Andrade. These events are brilliant for Austin…
I agree that if there is a banana skin in there, it’s Jaco (Schoonwinkel). The guy has consistently shocked people. It wouldn’t be the biggest surprise if it was Austin and Jaco or Jaco and Tom. It really wouldn’t be the biggest surprise in the world, but I’m going to put my money on Austin and Tom Stoltman getting through group two.”
Group Three
Laurence ‘Big Loz’ Shahlaei is quite confident that Mitchell Hooper will win the event, or at least make it through to the finals, which aligns with the opinion of many. However, the battle for second place is much more difficult to predict. Big Loz went with Eddie Williams, mainly due to his consistency across all events. On the other hand, Lucas Hatton will have events where he will contest for the win but also others that don’t seem to fit well with his skill set. However, Loz did not exclude the possibility of any other man making it through.
Big Loz’s Prediction: Mitchell Hooper and Eddie Williams
“I’m going to pick Mitch Hooper to win the group. Mitch has the least weaknesses in my opinion. There’s not an event in there you don’t expect him to pick up good points on. The next man in this group could be a real battle… If I had to put money on it, and I think I’ve thought about this long and hard… I am going to go with Mitch Hooper and Eddie Williams to get through. The reason being, I think Eddie is solid at moving. I think he’s solid at stones. I think he’s a good squatter. I think he’s a very good truck puller.”
Group Four
The fourth group is where the opinions clash, as the group consists of some incredibly powerful athletes, some of whom boast similar strengths and weaknesses. Many agree that Ondrej Fojtu is the favorite to win the group following his win at the 2026 Europe’s Strongest Man and Big Loz shares the opinion.
Laurence Shahlaei’s prediction for the second qualifying spot went to Martins Licis, mainly due to experience at the stage and his impressive performance at the 2026 Arnold Strongman Classic. Licis is also a former champion, which goes to show that he can never be ruled out. On the other hand, Bryce Johnson is one that could get into the top two spots as well.
Big Loz’s Prediction: Ondrej Fojtu and Martins Licis
“I agree that I think Ondrej currently, based off the events he did at Europe’s, the Europe’s events are very, very similar to the heat events for World’s Strongest Man as well. His form is good. He certainly looks like he can squat. He’s an amazing overhead lifter. He’s going to be hard to beat.
I’m a big fan of Bryce (Johnson) and I think he is improving all the time. But, Martins Licis has impressed me at the Arnold. He’s continued to put the work in. This is going to be his last World’s Strongest Man. I think he comes and puts everything on the line. He’s never not made it out of the heats. He has experience on this particular squat, which is an advantage… He is a former champion. I am going to go with Ondrej Fojtu and Martins Licis.”
Group Five
The outcome of the fifth group at the 2026 World’s Strongest Man will come down to many conditions. Mainly, Evan Singleton is expected to win the group, but only if he managed to recover from his pec injury in time. On the other hand, Trey Mitchell is Big Loz’s pick to take second place, but it depends on how his grip holds up on a couple of challenges, including the first event, the Farmer’s Walk.
Big Loz’s Prediction: Evan Singleton and Trey Mitchell.
“All being well, I’d expect Evan Singleton to come out on top of the group. Now the big question mark is who comes out on top out of Trey Mitchell and Pavlo Kordiyaka. If Trey gets top three on that (first) event, I think it’s over. But if Trey comes last, he puts himself in a bad position because he’s going to have to start winning the next few events… I think it will be a battle between Trey and Pavlo. I think it could be pretty close, but I would pick Trey just to sneak in. But we are going to see shocks. I mean Pavlo is a three-time finalist in the last three years.”
Watch the full video here:
Related: Luke Stoltman Withdraws From 2026 World’s and Europe’s Strongest Man After Breaking His Leg
Laurence ‘Big Loz’ Shahlaei’s predictions for the 2026 World’s Strongest Man groups definitely seem viable, but many unpredictable situations can happen, such as injuries, slip-ups, and other setbacks. So, if you want to keep up to date with everything that happens at the 2026 World’s Strongest Man, make sure to tune back in, as we will cover the full results, event recaps, and all other 2026 WSM details in real time.
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