All-Time Top Male Puller from Each State

​Who is the top male puller of all time from each U.S. state? This is a question I decided would be fun to try to answer. I’ve analyzed results from the open divisions of most of the big events (national, world, professional, etc.) of the past 50 years, and considered several factors, with consistent success being my biggest consideration. I associated pullers with the state or where they first started pulling (to my knowledge).
 
For some states, it was extremely difficult to pick just one puller. For example, California and Georgia have had a large number of elite pullers over the years. For other states, pullers might not be quite as accomplished, as armwrestling activity there has generally been limited.
 
With this type of list there will always be some debate. As such, I hope you will take it for what it is: an attempt to recognize the achievements of some of the best pullers the country has produced.

Alabama - Danny Stone

Heavyweight Danny Stone started competing in 1977, and from the beginning he consistently placed near the top of the standings. He won the big-money AAA Stand-Up Nationals in 1980 and a WPWA world title in 1981, but his peak years in terms of performance in major events were during the mid-‘80s when he won three AAA Stand-Up national titles in a row.

Alaska - Ron Bennett

Alaska has produced relatively few top-level pullers, but among these few Ron Bennett was likely the best. Active in the mid-to-late 1970s, Ron travelled to California on several occasions to compete in the biggest tournaments of the era and did very well. In 1975, he was runner-up in both the WPAA U.S. Pro Armwrestling Championships and the World’s Wristwrestling Championship. The following year he won the WPAA middleweight U.S. Pro title and in 1978 he won the WWC lightweight world title.

​Arizona - Todd Demasseo

​Mesa’s Todd Demasseo was a middleweight puller who was active between the mid-1980s and mid-1990s. Most often seen at the biggest west coast tournaments of the era, he racked up four WWC world wristwrestling titles between 1988 and 1991, and finished in third place at the 1994 Yukon Jack Finals in San Francisco. Todd was also on the American team that attended the inaugural Golden Bear tournament in Moscow in 1990, where he won his class.

Arkansas - Michael Todd

Michael Todd has been pulling since the early 1990s, and over the years his performances have improved steadily. He has won at least 24 open division national titles (mix of AAA, USAA, and USAF). During the 2000s, he was victorious in several right-hand UAL, NAL, PAL, and Arm Wars supermatches against various elite pullers such as Tim Bresnan, Marcio Barboza, Sergey Tokarev, Modestas Grigaitis, and even Andrey Pushkar. He is also one of a very small handful of pullers to have multiple wins over Denis Cyplenkov. By the tail end of the 2010s, he had established himself as the king of the WAL, winning the super heavyweight hammer in 2017 and securing supermatch wins over Devon Larratt in 2018 and over Dave Chaffee and Jerry Cadorette in 2019.

California - Clay Rosencrans

For some states, it’s quite clear which puller is the all-time best. For others, like California, identifying a single person among an extremely strong field is not an easy task. So much talent has emerged from the state over a more than 65-year history of organized tournaments. But of all these greats, I’m giving the nod to Clay Rosencrans based on his consistent ability to pull multiple classes and do well in the biggest events of the era. His ability to find a way to win was simply incredible. At 18 years of age, he made it all the way to the quarter-finals in the lightweight division of the 1974 World’s Wristwrestling Championships (his first ever tournament) before being eliminated. He returned for the 1975 championship and won the lightweight class. This gave him such confidence that he began to routinely pull multiple classes at tournaments, usually placing in or winning all of them. Over the course of the next ten years, he had amassed no less than 14 word titles (from the AWI, IWC, and WWC, and Carling O’Keefe organizations). Included among these were five WWC world titles in a row between 1979 and 1983! And in 1982 he became the first person to win TWO weight classes at the World’s Wristwrestling Championship.  

Colorado - Matt Girdner

Heavyweight Matt Girdner’s string of victories between 1998 and 2005 grants him the honour of being recognized as Colorado’s all-time best puller. During this span of time, he won a Main Event title, back-to-back PAC Ultimate Las Vegas titles, a West Coast Pro-Am title in 2004 (the year’s biggest cash tournament), and nine national titles (mix of AAA, USAF, and USAA). In addition, he won a silver medal at the 2002 WAF World Championships, and was runner-up in the right hand absolute division of the 2004 Zloty Tur, behind only Alexey Voevoda. On top of all this, he returned to the sport following a ten-year break and won his class at the 2015 WAL Western Regionals!

Connecticut - George Givens

George Givens’ run during the 1980s was simply amazing. He attended the same major events every year throughout the decade, pulled in the same weight class, and almost always won. His victories included and incredible eight AAA Sit-Down national titles at 185 lbs in a row between 1983 and 1990. He also won four AAA Stand-Up national titles during these years as well as four WWC world titles in a row between 1985 and 1988.  He's one of very few pullers to have won both AAA Nationals as well as the WWC world title in the same year: a feat he accomplished three times!

Delaware - Kenn Hoban

For whatever reason, organized armwrestling got a late start in Delaware. For this reason, relatively few high-level pullers have emerged from the state. Of those who have, Kenn Hoban was likely the most successful. His top years were in the 1990s, when he made it to the podium five times at the AAA Stand-Up or Sit-Down Nationals. He is believed to be the only man from Delaware to have won a national title. He did so in the right-hand super heavyweight class at the 1992 AAA Stand-Up Nationals.

Florida - Bobby Hopkins

Bobby Hopkins was a very powerful super heavyweight puller who was most active in the 1980s and 1990s. He had success right out of the gates, winning the AAA Stand-Up Nationals, the AAA Sit-Down Nationals, and the WAWF World Championships in his first year of competition! He’s also one of very few men to secure a win over Cleve Dean in the mid-‘80s. In his time in the sport, he won six national titles (AAA) and two world titles (WPAA and WAF) in the open division, plus many more national and world titles later in his career in the masters division.

Georgia - Johnny Walker

Georgia is another state that has had more than its share of elite competitors. But of them all, I give the slight edge to Johnny Walker for his consistent top-level performances over a span of almost 20 years in the middleweight division. Whether it was stand-up or sit-down, armwrestling or wristwrestling, he could do it all. Between 1977 and 1994, he won approximately 50 national or world titles across all of the major organizations of the era (AAA, AWI, WPWA, IWC, WWC, WPAA, WAF, etc.). His most impressive achievements were probably winning two classes at the super-stacked 1981 AAA Stand-Up Nationals, winning nine WPAA world titles in a row (1977 to 1985), easily winning the Over the Top title in 1986, and capping his career off with three Yukon Jack Finals titles in the early 1990s when he was in his late 40s! 

Hawaii - Homer Keanu

Hawaii’s top puller of all time may be big Homer Keanu from Honolulu. Weighing north of 300 lbs, he was hard to miss when he attended the World’s Wristwrestling Championships in Petaluma in the late 1960s and 1970s. While he never made it to the podium, he was always a tough competitor and was usually eliminated by one of the favourites in the single elimination tournament (e.g. Jim Dolcini in 1970, Virgil Arciero in 1976). In Hawaii he is believed to have been unbeaten in official competition.

Idaho - Stan McEntire

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Pocatello’s Stan McEntire successfully competed in the super heavyweight division with both arms for many years, but his biggest achievements were realized in the early 1990s. Between 1990 and 1993, he won a world wristwrestling title in Petaluma (in addition to being runner-up twice) and made the podium on two occasions at the Golden Bear International Tournament in Moscow.

Illinois - John Brzenk

Though most associated with Utah, which is where he lived during most of his pulling career, John Brzenk actually got his start in McHenry, Illinois. After being initiated to the sport by his father, he quickly became a major force at the table. Over an approximate 35-year span between the early 1980s and the mid 2010s, he won titles in virtually all of the major organizations of the time, often in multiple classes, all over the world. This led him to amassing the most impressive résumé the sport has ever seen. In all, it is estimated that he has won approximately 500 titles, the majority of which were high level professional events. He always tried to attend the tournaments that offered the biggest prizes, and he competed in all but two of the biggest cash events held each year between 1984 and 2009. Of the 24 he attended, he won titles at 23 of them! He also won the biggest prize ever awarded in the sport: a Volvo White semi truck which he received for winning the Over the Top International Championship.

Indiana - Bill Ballinger

Middleweight Bill Ballinger was a terrific armwrestler with both hands, but his left was particularly dangerous. During the 1990s, he won at least eight major titles with his left arm, including two AAA national titles, world titles four years in a row (1990 to 1993 – three WWC and one WAF), as well as titles at both Main Events. In addition, he won titles with both arms at the Mike Gould Classic and had podium finishes at many of the biggest tournaments of the 1990s and 2000s, including at the Arnold Classic, the Yukon Jack Finals, and the 2005 PAC Ultimate Armwrestling Las Vegas event.

​Iowa - Steve Lusby

​A featherweight puller active between the mid 1970s and mid 1980s, Steve Lusby exploded onto the scene when he dominated the competition at the 1976 and 1977 World’s Wristwrestling Championships. In 1979 he won a WWC national title and the following year he won titles at the Sands International tournament in Reno, at the WPWA World Championships, and yet again in Petaluma. 

Kansas - Mark Nutsch

Derby’s Mark Nutsch first got into the sport in the 1990s at the local and regional level and enjoyed considerable success with both arms, but it is during the 2010s that he rose to national prominence. He had seven podium finishes at AAA and USAA Nationals during the decade and won a national title in 2011. But his peak performance occurred at the 2014 WAL Las Vegas event, where he finished in third place in the left-hand super heavyweight class behind only Devon Larratt and Christian Binnie. 

Kentucky - Josh Reichert

Josh Reichert was a credible threat in every super heavyweight class he entered during the second half of the 2010s. This period of time saw him win at least four national titles, including with the AAA, the USAA, and the USAF. He also made the podium at the 2015 WAL Southern Regionals, which was arguably the most stacked left hand class among the three regions that year.

​Louisiana - Craig Tullier

Craig Tullier’s biggest successes in the sport occurred in two different time periods and in two different weight classes. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, he dominated the 143-lb weight class in the US, winning a string of pro titles at the Main Event, the Arnold Classic, the Harley Pull, and the GNC Show of Strength. In addition to this, he won eight right arm titles in a row at the AAA National Championships between 1997 and 2004 (plus another two with his left)! He also made it to the podium on six occasions at the WAF World Championships. After an approximate seven-year break from the sport, he returned around 2012 at a significantly higher body weight. Over the next five years at around 195 lbs, he would win another two Arnold titles, a few more National titles with the AAA and the USAF, and would be a huge force in the WAL, winning two regional championships and making it the finals of the year-end championships in 2016 and 2017. 

Maine - Eric Guevin

During the first decade of the 2000s, Eric Guevin was a very strong competitor in the super heavyweight class. He won no less than five titles at the IAF Can-Am Championships, one of the northeast’s biggest annual tournaments of the era. He also finished in the runner-up spot at the 2004 Harley Pull, in the runner-up spot at the 2006 PAC World Championships, managed two top-six finishes at the big money PAC Ultimate Armwrestling tournaments in Las Vegas, and reached the podium on a handful of occasions at the AAA and USAA Nationals. 

Maryland - Jim Northern

​Jim Northern was a very active and successful 242-lb puller during the 1980s. Despite getting a relatively late start in the sport (he was 38 when he competed in his first tournament), he made up for lost time in his 40s by winning 10 AAA national titles, two North American titles in Amos, Quebec, and two WAWF world titles between 1983 and 1990.

Massachusetts - Jerry Cadorette

Massachusetts has had many champions in the sport over the years, but based on top-level performance over a span of 30 years, Jerry Cadorette receives the nod for the all-time best. Still just a teenager in the early 1990s, he was already good enough to make it to place top 6 at the Yukon Jack year-end championships. His performances at that event steadily improved, until he eventually reached the runner-up position at the 1996 tournament. 1996 also saw him win a AAA National title and a WAF world title. Over the next few years he would win a handful more AAA national titles, a Main Event title, the inaugural Arnold Classic title, a Harley Pull title, and a New York City King of Arms title. After a short break in the early 2000s, he burst back onto the scene in 2005 when he defeated Travis Bagent in a $15,000 supermatch. In the 2010s, Jerry had his share of pro tournament victories, but his supermatch performances were particularly impressive with wins over John Brzenk and Richard Lupkes in the UAL, and over Michael Todd, Todd Hutchings, Ryan Espey and Matt Mask in the WAL. He also made it to the podium at every major WAL tournament he entered during the decade.

Michigan - Todd Hutchings

Todd Hutchings has moved several times during his pulling career, but he grew up and got his start in Michigan. He made steady improvements during his first years in the sport and then made a big splash in 2005. That year, he became what is believed to be the first person under 200 lbs to beat John Brzenk in a right-hand match in 20 years at the PAC Ultimate Armwrestling in Las Vegas (the biggest pro tournament of the decade in North America). He followed this up less than two months later by winning AAA national titles with both arms, earning a second place finish at the Superstar Showdown a month after that, finishing second at the Zloty Tur in October, and winning the Florida State Mega-Match in December where he defeated much bigger legendary pullers Dave Randall and Cleve Dean. In 2006 he won titles at the PAC Ultimate Armwrestling III with both arms before taking an approximate 5-year hiatus from the sport. When he returned, it was as though he had never left, because he was still competing at the top level of the sport. He received considerable attention at a 2012 PAL Armfight where he defeated Khadzimurat Zoloev by a score of 6-0. The next few years would see Todd win a Nemiroff title, an A1 Russian Open title, and multiple UAL titles (including at two of the league’s biggest events: UAL IV and UAL 8). Between 2014 and 2017 he also won titles (either right, left, or both) at every WAL tournament he entered, which earned him an incredible four championship hammers in a row with his right arm! 

Minnesota - Richard Lupkes

Richard Lupkes first competed in the 1970s at around 200 lbs. At the end of the decade, he pretty much quit the sport due to elbow issues and decided to focus on lifting weights. He re-emerged in 1986 for the Chicago Regional Over the Top Qualifier stronger than ever and won that contest. By 1988, his size and strength had become downright scary. He easily won the AAA Sit-Down Nationals, the AAA Stand-Up Nationals, and the WAWF World Championships that year. He has never lost a sit-down match, ever! His peak strength was likely in 1989, where in addition to winning multiple national titles, he soundly defeated both John Brzenk and Gary Goodridge. Following a 17-year break from the sport, he returned to the sport in 2007 and didn’t waste time showing the world what a super-heavyweight puller in his 50s could do. At the 2008 Arnold Classic, he won his class ahead of pullers such as John Brzenk and Tim Bresnan. A few years later he would have an absolute war with Denis Cyplenkov, making a huge impression on the young Russian. In 2011, he won his class at UAL II ahead of Travis Bagent. And before the 2010s were up, he would add several USAF and USAA national titles to his already lengthy résumé. 

Mississippi - Wayne Withers

Organized armwrestling has not existed in Mississippi for as long as it has in many other states, but in recent years, many competitive pullers have started to emerge. 6’6” Wayne Withers might be the most successful of the group. He secured a couple of runner-up spots at the USAF and AAA Nationals during the second half of the 2010s, and in 2019 he enjoyed the biggest victory of his career when he defeated Canada’s Matt Mask in a supermatch.

​Missouri - Don Underwood

Kansas City’s Don Underwood has been pulling since the 1990s and has won several national and pro titles over the years, but it is his performances between 2009 and 2012 that led him to being selected for this list ahead of a small handful of other very accomplished pullers. During that three-year span he won three national titles (USAF and USAA), the unlimited class at the Arnold Classic twice, and registered supermatch wins over several elite pullers including Mike Gould, Yoshi Kanai, Chris Chandler, and Travis Bagent. He also came within a hair of defeating Devon Larratt in an Arm Wars supermatch.

Montana - Bryan Johnson

Helena’s Bryan Johnson’s performances during the first decade of the 2000s earn him the distinction of Montana’s all-time top puller. Very competitive with both arms, but particularly dangerous with his left, between 2004 and 2009 he won three Ruler of the Nation titles, two WWC World Wristwrestling titles, five national titles (USAA and USAF), pro titles at the 2006 Reno Reunion and West Coast Pro-Am tournaments, and made the podium at the Arnold Classic, the PAC World Championships, and the WAF World Championships twice!

Nebraska - Jerry Janing

Jerry “Vise-Grip” Janing was a natural when he first got into competitive armwrestling as a 17-year old in 1981. He stayed somewhat under the radar during his first few years, but people took notice when he beat 150-lb king Dave Patton twice in an event in 1985. Over the next few years, he would obtain a handful of wins on Dave – something no other puller in their weight class was able to do at the time. 1988 was a banner year for him: he won an Atlantic Coast title, both AAA Stand-Up and Sit-Down national titles, and a WAWF world title. He won AAA national titles every year between 1988 and 1992 and he repeated as WAF world champion in the 154-lb class in 1989, 1990 and 1992. Following his 1992 victory, he retired from the sport due to nagging injuries, but in 2016 he resurfaced at the AAA Nationals and took first place in the open 165-lb class!

Nevada - Bob Howell

​A great light heavyweight puller out of Reno, Bob Howell won titles at several of the biggest events of the 1970s and early 1980s. His first big wins came in 1974 when he won at both the World’s Wristwrestling Championship in Petaluma and at the WPAA’s huge inaugural event: the U.S. Pro Championships. Over the next seven years he would win another title in Petaluma, a WPAA World title, both a national and world title with the NAWA, at least two Can-Am titles, and an AWI pro world title. In 1979 he even travelled to Canada to compete in the Carling O’Keefe World Championships -- he entered two of three classes and made it to the finals in both of them!

New Hampshire - Maurice Baker

​Though most associated with Connecticut, Maurice “Moe” Baker learned to armwrestle when he was a teenager living in New Hampshire. He honed his skills in lumber camps, where the activity was a popular pastime. When he entered his first official contest – the 1968 IFAW World Arm Wrestling Championship – he easily won. He returned to successfully defend his title in 1969 and 1970, after which the tournament was discontinued. In 1971 he won a special challenge match that pitted him against world record bench presser Jim Williams. And in 1972 he secured the sport’s biggest crown: that of the unlimited division of the World’s Wristwrestling Championship in Petaluma. 

New Jersey - Paul Walther

In close to 30 years of activity in the sport, Paul Walther has continued to be a credible threat in whichever class he enters. He made the top six of the middleweight class at the 1995 Yukon Jack Finals – the toughest pro tournament in the world at the time. In national level competition, he first made it to the podium at the 1992 AAA Nationals, and accomplished this feat most recently in 2016 at the USAA Nationals (open division). All together, he finished in the top three about a dozen times at various Nationals (AAA, USAA, USAF) and occupied the top spot twice. 

New Mexico - Mike Apodaca

Primarily active during the 1990s, Mike Apodaca was a dominant force in the southwest for several years. Winner of many regional events, he was New Mexico’s overall champion a record 10 times in a row between 1991 and 2000! He also won a WPAA national title in 1994 and had a top five finish at the very stacked 1996 Yukon Jack Sacramento Regionals. 

New York - Fred Decker

New York has produced many successful pullers over the years, and Fred Decker is a prime example. Active between the early 1980s and late 1990s, Fred was very strong, and sit-down armwrestling was his specialty. He won four AAA Sit-Down national and five WAWF world titles in a row between 1987 and 1990. 1988 was a particularly productive year for him: in addition to his sit-down titles, he won a AAA Stand-Up national title as well as the Yukon Jack Finals! In the 1990s, he travelled to Las Vegas and won two AWI world pro super heavyweight titles. He also added another three national titles (AAA and USAF) and an additional WAF world title to his résumé.

North Carolina - Bucky Russell

​Light heavyweight puller Bucky Russell has enjoyed a pulling career that has spanned the past 30 years. During this time, he made it to the podium of various national championships (AAA, USAA, USAF) almost 20 times, and occupied the top spot on three occasions. His peak years were between 1993 and 2001, which saw him win his national titles, earn a top three finish at the big money 1998 Forsa Tropical tournament in Curacao, a podium finish at the 2001 Harley Pull, and a silver medal at the 1993 WAF World Championships.

North Dakota - Mark Davies

​Valley City farmer Mark Davies competed primarily at the local and regional level during his first few years in the sport before moving on to national level competition in the 2010s. He first managed a podium finish at the 2013 USAF Nationals and four years later he won a national title at the same event with his left arm. In total, he won more than 20 state titles, and ably competed with much heavier competitors in his home state.

Ohio - Harley Maynard

A master technician, Harley Maynard started competing in 1977. Within a year he had won a North American title, and in 1979 he won the WPAA world title among a hugely competitive field. He followed this up with a victory at the big-money 1980 AAA Stand-Up Nationals, where he won the 165-lb class ahead of 46 men. He continued to have considerable success through 1983 before retiring from the sport, winning an AAA Sit-Down national title, an IWC national title, and a WAWF world title in 1982, as well as another WPAA world title in 1983.

Oklahoma - Geoff Hale

Geoff Hale’s performances during the 2010s allowed him to secure his spot as Oklahoma’s all-time top puller. Equally adept with both arms, he won six national titles during the decade – three with each arm (USAA and USAF). On the professional side of the sport, he won three Arnold Classic titles in a row between 2012 and 2014, and also won the left 165-lb class at the huge 2014 WAL Las Vegas tournament. But it is his performance in supermatches that truly built his reputation as a top-level puller: he enjoyed several victories in the UAL, the WAL, and the Arm Wars Super Series.

Oregon - Dean Christensen

Dean Christensen was Oregon’s top puller at a time when the state’s armwrestling activity was possibly at its peak: the 1970s. He consistently placed near the top of the standings of the pro contests held in the western part of the US in the middle to latter part of the decade. Aside from winning the heavyweight division of the WWC National Championships in 1975, he was runner-up (with both hands) at the NAWA Nationals and the World’s Wristwrestling Championship in 1977, as well as runner-up at AWI’s first Super Classic event in 1978. He even managed to get a win on Virgil Arciero early that year, who at that time hadn’t lost a match in nearly two years and was recognized by many as the top armwrestler in the world.

Pennsylvania - Dave Chaffee

Considered by many to be one of the overall strongest armwrestlers of all time, Dave Chaffee won several of the biggest professional tournaments in North America during the 2010s, and proved his mettle against Europe’s biggest and baddest pullers in events overseas and in several high profile supermatches. He started off the decade by winning the senior division right hand 110 kg title at the WAF World Championships. In 2013 he opened a lot of eyes by winning the super heavyweight class at the Mike Gould Classic, the Arnold Classic, and taking second in the 95+ kg class at the Nemiroff World Cup, ahead of Andrey Pushkar and recording a win over Denis Cyplenkov. In 2014 his attention turned to the WAL: he attended every WAL tournament that year, plus the Championships, and won them all! His undefeated reign in WAL events continued through 2015 and into 2016. The latter part of the decade saw him take part in several supermatches, and he defeated every European super heavyweight that he faced, including Dmitriy Trubin, Krasimir Kostadinov, and Genadi Kvikvinia.

Rhode Island - Andrew Rhodes

Through his remarkable 40-year career in the sport, lightweight puller Andrew “Cobra” Rhodes racked up an absolutely incredible track record. Consider his right-hand numbers: he won 17 open division national titles (AAA, USAA, USAF), including seven AAA national titles in a row between 1988 and 1994. He won five open division WAF world titles as well as the overall championship in 1989. He won titles in virtually all of the big money tournament series of the 1990s, including the Super Bras-de-fer in Paris in 1991, the Yukon Jack Nationals and the North American Championships (Amos, Quebec) in 1992, the Forsa Tropical tournament in Curacao and the Main Event in 1998, and the Arnold Classic in 1998, 1999, and 2000. In March 1999, he travelled to British Columbia for a money tournament where he entered all five right hand weight classes and won every one of them! In the 2000s, he won three Harley Pull titles, eventually winning the bike in 2008. A few years later he would add a couple more Arnold Classic titles to his résumé and enjoy an NAL supermatch victory at the Crossfit Games. 

South Carolina - Chad Silvers

Over the course of his 30+ years in the sport, Spartanburg’s Chad Silvers has enjoyed success at every weight he’s pulled. His first major achievement came in the 132-lb class in 1991 when he won AAA national titles at both the sit-down and stand-up tournaments. He gradually moved up in weight throughout the 1990s, winning another three national titles, a WAWC world title, and two WAF world titles. In the 2000s, with his weight generally closer to 200 lbs, his focus turned to the major pro events. During the first decade of the 2000s he won a couple of titles at the Reno Reunion, a couple at the Harley Pull, and a PAC world title in 2006. He continued to enjoy success in the 2010s winning titles in the UAL and the WAL, including back-to-back WAL Southern Region titles in 2015 and 2016.

South Dakota - Trenton Meyer

At one point in the early to mid 1990s, it is possible that Trenton Meyer had the strongest left arm on the planet. He won back-to-back World Wristwrestling titles in Petaluma with it in 1993 and 1994 ahead of top-level lefties like Brad Hunker and Eric Woelfel. In 1995 he travelled to Moscow to compete in the Golden Bear, where he managed a second place finish. And in 1998, he won the super heavyweight left hand class at the Main Event in Idaho. Less active over the course of the following decade, he appeared at the 2010 USAF Nationals, where he took the top spot in the left hand super heavyweight class of the open division and finished in fourth place at that year’s WAF Worlds.

Tennessee - Gerald Beatty

Big Gerald Beatty from Memphis enjoyed considerable success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1986, he finished in third place in the super heavyweight class of the pro division at the Over the Top Championships, behind only Scott Norton and Cleve Dean. Just a year later, he won the right hand super heavyweight title at the AAA Nationals ahead of Brad Silver and Bobby Hopkins. And in the early 1990s, he won multiple WAWC world titles.

Texas - Gary Ray

Houston’s Gary Ray started out as a lightweight in the mid-to-late 1970s and experienced considerable success in all of the organizations that were active in his region, be it in armwrestling or wristwrestling, stand-up or sit-down, left or right. He gradually moved up in weight over the years but continued to win. His peak performances came in the mid-1980s when he won a title in the 185-lb class at the AAA Stand-Up Nationals in 1984 (the biggest money tournament of the year), ahead of George Givens. He even registered a win over John Brzenk during this era. In all, he had four open division podium finishes at AAA Nationals as well as several national and WAF world masters titles. 

Utah - Kevin Bongard

Middleweight Kevin Bongard’s performances were always consistent and at a very high level. His focus was mainly on money tournaments, which also typically attracted the strongest competition. He was victorious at almost all of them: he won titles at the 1993 WPAA Worlds, back-to-back titles at the Main Event in 1997 and 1998, a Forsa Tropical title in 1998, AWI World Pro titles in 1999 and 2001, back-to-back titles with both arms at the Harley Pull in 2000 and 2001, at the GNC finals in 2002, at the 2004 West Coast Pro-Am, placed in the top five with both arms at the PAC Ultimate Armwrestling Las Vegas events in 2004, 2005, and 2006, and had back-to-back NAL supermatch victories in 2006 and 2007 over Mike Selearis and Chad Silvers. Internationally, he made it onto the podium at the 1994 Golden Bear in Moscow as well as at the Zloty Tur in 2007. After taking a break of a few years, he resurfaced in 2014 and won back-to-back UAL supermatch victories in convincing fashion.

Vermont - Adam Barup

Morrisville’s Adam Barup has dominated the competition in Vermont since the late 2000s. He hasn’t travelled extensively, but his performance at the 2015 WAL Northern Regionals, where he finished in third place in the right hand 225-lb class – despite being one of the lightest competitors – provided a glimpse of his abilities.

Virginia - Dave Patton

​Virginia was one of the most dominant states in the early days of organized armwrestling. It produced many champions, but flyweight Dave Patton stands above them all. Between 1979 and 2002, he basically won everything there was to win. It was not unusual for him to enter every weight class at a tournament and win them all! His achievements are mind-boggling: 17 AAA open division national titles, five Yukon Jack Championship titles, at least three WPAA world titles, three Carling O’Keefe world titles, three WAF world titles, at least six IWC international or world titles, an Arnold Classic title, and the Over the Top professional title. And get this: he won 10 WWC world wristwrestling titles and 10 North American (Amos) armwrestling titles IN A ROW! 

Washington - Jerry Nelson

Typically competing at 175 or 185 lbs, Brush Prairie’s Jerry Nelson was always a tough competitor. Between 1978 and 1990, he won titles at many of the biggest tournaments of the era. In addition to six Can-Am titles, he won at least two NAWA world and national titles, and was twice runner-up at the AWI World Pro Middleweight Championships in Las Vegas. In 1981 alone, he won his class at the Sands Casino International pro tournament in Reno, at the AAA Nationals (which offered huge cash prizes), at the Can-Am Championships in Canada, and at the WAF World Championships in Brazil. The last big win of his career came in 1990 when he won the middleweight class of the Yukon Jack Finals over Cobra Rhodes.

West Virginia - Travis Bagent

There is little doubt as to who is the best puller to ever come out of West Virginia. Travis Bagent’s left arm is in the conversation for the planet’s best of all time – he occupied the number one spot in the world rankings for more than 10 years over the past two decades. But his abilities are not limited to his left: he has had many huge wins with his right earning him a WAF world title in 2003 and a Zloty Tur Absolute title in 2005, and the WAL super heavyweight hammer in 2016. He is undefeated in PAL vendetta armfights. He won major titles with the National Armwrestling League (NAL), the PAC, the UAL, at the ROTN, at the Harley Pull, the All-Niagara Championships, the Arnolds, the Mike Gould Classic,  the GNC Show of Strength, and has a combined 17 national titles (AAA and USAF)! He secured victory in every WAL left hand class he has entered, including several Regionals and the year-end Championships four years in a row! 

Wisconsin - Ron Bath

Ron Bath spent the first four years or so of his pulling career in Wisconsin before moving south to Georgia. He has since become one of the most accomplished pullers of all time. He has won no less than 30 open division national titles (AAA, USAA, USAF)! He has won multiple AWI, PAC, and WAF world titles. He has won titles at the majority of the biggest pro events of the past 30+ years, including at the Main Event, the Forsa Tropical, the Arnold Classic, and the Harley Pull. He’s also had multiple supermatch victories over Michael Todd and a handful of wins over John Brzenk over the years. 

Wyoming - Corey Miller

​It wasn’t easy to single out just one puller from Wyoming for this list. But I think Cheyenne’s Corey Miller has a slight edge based on numbers. Since 2006 he has amassed 22 national titles (AAA, USAA, USAF)! He’s undefeated in PAL armfights and won lightweight division titles at the 2007 ROTN as well as at UAL 8 in 2014 where he had decisive victories with both arms.




Researched and Written by Eric Roussin

​Published in August 2020