Overall Best Pullers by Year of Birth

​Ever wonder who was the overall best puller that was born in the same year as you? Probably not, but that's what this list is all about: who the overall best pullers in the world may have been, by YEAR OF BIRTH. This was not an easy exercise, and is likely not perfect, but it is a fun study of many of the best heavyweights through the years.
 
Please note that while the birth years included are believed to be correct, it wasn’t possible to confirm them in every case. Because of this, it is possible that a small number of years may be off by one. There are also a few years for which no candidate could be identified because of a lack of available birth date information. 
 
The list is limited to pullers who were active in the sport at some point since armwrestling began to be organized in the US in the 1960s. It starts with the oldest “top” competitor from these early days of the sport:

1928 – Al Turner

​​Known as the Godfather of Armwrestling, Massachusetts’ Al Turner won several light heavyweight world titles in the WPAA, the WAWF and the Carling O’Keefe Worlds in the 70s and early 80s, despite being twice the age of many of his opponents.

​1931 – Duane Benedix

​California’s Duane “Tiny” Benedix was the first repeat winner of the unlimited division of the World’s Wristwrestling Championship in Petaluma. He won the title three times in the 1960s, was television’s first recognized champion of the sport, and was likely the best puller of the decade.

1932 – Roland Belair

​Ontario, Canada’s “Roly” Belair’s reputation as an incredible puller was well-known in the region where he lived, and it spread far and wide when he won the heavyweight division of the first two Carling O’Keefe Worlds in the early 70s.

​1934 – Joe Schuler

​California’s Joe Schuler was a regular competitor in the early days of the World’s Wristwrestling Championship in Petaluma, and he won the unlimited crown in the 1964 contest.

​1936 – Earl Hagerman

​Known as “The Mighty Atom” in Petaluma, California’s Earl Hagerman was the winner of the inaugural World’s Wristwrestling Championship in 1962. He proved that he could punch above his weight, earning world titles in different weight classes during the decade. His success was such that he became the first inductee to the Wristwrestling Hall of Fame.

​1938 – Virgil Arciero

​Recognized by most as the top puller in the world between 1976 and 1978, California’s Virgil Arciero won many pro world titles between the mid-70s and mid-80s. He accumulated more wins over Cleve Dean during the latter’s prime years than any other puller.

​1940 – Jim Williams

​Pennsylvania’s Jim Williams was a raw bench press world record holder at the time that he was also actively competing in armwrestling. He gave Maurice Baker all he could handle in a special match in 1971 and won the East Coast World Armwrestling title in Scranton in 1972.

​1941 – Maurice Baker

​Connecticut’s Maurice Baker’s confidence at the table was matched by his abilities. He was known for quickly disposing of his opponents. He won world titles in arm and/or wristwrestling five years in a row between 1968 and 1972 and was probably the most feared adversary during this period.

1942 – Mike Rowe

​A bit of an enigma, California’s Mike Rowe only competed once: at the 1966 World’s Wristwrestling Championship. He won the unlimited class with apparent ease and was never seen again. Just how good was he? Once thing is certain: very.

1943 – Jim Northern

​Maryland’s Jim Northern got a relatively late start in the sport, entering his first tournament in his late 30s in the early 1980s. But once in, he became very active, winning at least eight AAA national titles over the course of the decade as well as back-to-back WAWF world titles in 1986 and 1987.

​1944 – Ken Meade

​Virginia’s Ken “The Horse” Meade got his start in the earliest days of organized armwrestling competitions on the east coast and was known as an intense and tenacious puller. He placed at the Scranton Worlds in the 1970s several years in a row, taking the crown at the 1974 event. He also won a North American title the following year.

​1945 – Johnny Walker

​Though he was almost always comfortably under 200 lbs, Georgia’s Johnny Walker chose to pull up weight classes for a challenge in the 70s and 80s. He won countless major titles, and even won an AWI World Pro Heavyweight title in 1985, despite a significant weight disadvantage.

​1946 – Rick Mallory

​Ontario, Canada’s Rick Mallory was only active for a few years in the early 80s, but he won several major titles during his brief time in the sport, including IWC and Carling O’Keefe heavyweight world titles.

​1947 – Dann Carr

​Pennsylvania’s “Apache” Dann Carr recovered from a severe work accident and became an absolute powerhouse in the mid-1970s. In those years he won a North American heavyweight title as well as a world title in Scranton. His specialty was power pulling (hooking), and he won several national titles in that style in the early 80s.

​1948 – Danny Stone

​Alabama’s Danny Stone typically competed at around 240 lbs and in the early-to-mid 1980s he won four AAA national titles. This was done in years when the competition level was particularly high, due to significant cash prizes being awarded. He also won a WPWA world title in 1981.

​1949 – John Woolsey

​Heavyweight technician John Woolsey, from California, was one of the most successful pullers of the mid-70s. Effective with both arms, between 1973 and 1977 he won a WWC world title, back-to-back WPAA US Pro titles, and a NAWA national title.

​1950 – Jim Dolcini

​“The King of Petaluma”, Jim Dolcini won five world titles at the World’s Wristwrestling Championship between 1968 and 1975, four of which were in the unlimited division. The world’s best pullers travelled to Petaluma in the early 70s to try to beat him. Only Maurice Baker was successful (but Jim beat Moe once as well).

​1951 – Rick Zumwalt

​California’s Rick Zumwalt is best known for playing the role of Bull Hurley in Over the Top, but he was also an accomplished puller in real life. Active between the mid-70s and mid-80s, he won seven California state titles, a handful of regional titles, Canadian national titles with both arms, and a US left-hand national title. 

​1952 – Mike Shadduck

​Massachusetts’ Mike Shadduck was always in the mix in the super heavyweight division during the 1980s. Some of his major titles include a WAWF world title in 1981, a AAA Stand-Up national title in 1982, and a Can-Am title in 1984 in a super-stacked class that included pullers like Virgil Arciero and John Brzenk.

​1953 – Cleve Dean

​The first ultra-dominant super heavyweight, 6-foot 7-inch, 500-pound Cleve Dean was the favourite to win every tournament he entered between 1978 and 1986. The Georgia pig farmer won major titles in virtually every organization during his time in the sport. One of armwrestling's true legends.

​1954 – Les Zollman

​California’s Les Zollman entered the sport in the late 70s. Unlike many of the men on this list, most of his biggest successes came late in his career. Among these were a heavyweight World’s Wristwrestling Championship title that he won in 1999 and a second-place finish at an AWI World Pro tournament behind John Brzenk in 2001.

​1955 – Joe Mikulec

​New York’s Joe Mikulec was only active in the sport for a brief time in the late 70s, but he made quite an impact. In 1977 he won the unlimited division of the WWC Wristwrestling Nationals AND the World’s Wristwrestling Championship. He even managed a win on Cleve Dean in 1979.

1956 – Richard Lupkes

​“Pure Power” would be a good way to describe Minnesota’s Richard Lupkes. During his peak years of 1989 and 1990, he was able to down almost all his opponents’ arms with seemingly comical ease. He won back-to-back WAWF World titles and registered wins on virtually all the top pullers of the era.

​1957 – Bobby Hopkins

​A former professional football player, Florida’s Bobby Hopkins enjoyed success right out of the gates when he got into competitive armwrestling. In 1982, his first year of competition, he won titles at the AAA Stand-Up Nationals, the AAA Sit-Down Nationals, and the WAWF Worlds. He would go on to win many more major titles over the course of his long career.

​1958 – Scott Norton

​Before becoming a professional wrestler, Minnesota’s Scott “Flash” Norton made a name for himself in armwrestling as an explosive hitter. He was among the top super heavyweights throughout his 10-year career in the sport, but he hit his peak when he won the unlimited pro class at the Over the Top World Championships, pinning Cleve Dean for the title.

​1959 – Earl Wilson

​Between the mid-90s and the mid-2000s, Ontario, Canada’s Earl Wilson was a force in every tournament he attended. At the 2000 WAF World Championships, he entered the super heavyweight class with both arms in the senior and masters divisions and won three golds and a silver. In all, he won at least 30 national titles.

​1960 – Eric Woelfel

​California’s Eric Woelfel was an excellent puller with both arms, but he won the majority of his titles with his left. He won an incredible eight WWC World Wristwrestling titles in a row with this arm between 1995 and 2002. He also won various other national, world, and professional events around the globe during his career and at one point in the late 90s held the world #1 left hand ranking. 

​1961 – Rick Vardell

​Rick Vardell was yet another big strong Californian. He started winning major titles in the mid-80s, including three at the World’s Wristwrestling Championship. In 1991 he travelled to Moscow and won the coveted Golden Bear in the super heavyweight class. 

​1962 – Ron Bath

​In a career spanning 40 years, Ron Bath has competed at a very high level with the world’s best heavyweights almost the entire time. He has won major titles with virtually all of the top promotions over the years, including at least 40 senior division national and world titles.

1963 – Christian Binnie

​With his left arm, New York’s Christian Binnie won several major titles during the first decade of the 2000s. Among these were a handful of super heavyweight senior division national titles and a World’s Wristwrestling Championship title. When he won his class at the 2002 Harley Pull title, he arguably had the best left arm on the planet.

​1964 – John Brzenk

​Almost universally recognized as armwrestling’s Greatest of All Time, John Brzenk beat virtually everyone, everywhere over the course of his 35-year career. It is highly unlikely that anyone will ever be able to amass a comparable résumé with respect to the number of major titles won.

​1965 – Tim Bresnan

Connecticut’s Tim Bresnan was almost 40 years old when he started pulling competitively. But this late start didn’t prevent him from reaching the very top levels of the sport. With several victories over men like Devon Larratt, John Brzenk, and Alexey Voevoda, he quickly built his reputation and fanbase.

​1966 – Gary Goodridge

Before becoming a professional mixed martial arts fighter, Ontario, Canada’s Gary Goodridge conquered the armwrestling world. He was Canada’s best puller for more than 10 years before he became the best on the planet in the mid-1990s when he easily won back-to-back heavyweight titles at the Yukon Jack Finals.

​1967 – Steve Morneau

​Quebec, Canada’s Steve Morneau was very competitive with both arms in the 1990s. The first half of the decade was a particularly successful time for him. While he traded left hand wins with Gary Goodridge, he won the heavyweight class at the big money 1991 Super-bras-de-fer tournament in Paris and won a WAF world title in 1993.

​1968 – Jason Vale

​One of the smaller men to be featured on this list, New York’s Jason Vale showed on occasion that he was able to defeat much larger high-profile opponents. In addition to winning several national titles in his own weight class, he defeated Eric Woelfel to win the heavyweight class at the World’s Wristwrestling Championship in 1997 and Jerry Cadorette to win the overall title at the Big Apple Grapple in 2002.

​1969 – Sylvain Perron

A lumberjack from Quebec, Canada, Sylvain Perron enjoyed immediate success upon entering the sport in 1989. His biggest successes came in the 1990s and early 2000s – a period that saw him win several national titles, titles at both Main Events, multiple Mike Gould Classic titles, and a WAF world title in 2003.

​1970 – Jacob Abbott

​Washington’s Jacob Abbott was a dominant force in the always-competitive 198-pound class in the late 1990s and early 2000s. During this period, he won eight AAA national titles, a World Wristwrestling title, and three Arnold Classic titles.

​1971 – Matt Girdner

​Colorado’s Matt Girdner has always been strong, but he reached a different level in 2004 and 2005. While during the first few years of the decade he won several national titles, these particular years saw him win back-to-back Ultimate Armwrestling Las Vegas titles and finish runner-up to Alexey Voevoda in the Absolute division at the Zloty Tur.

​1972 – Don Underwood

Missouri’s Don Underwood has always mixed things up in the super heavyweight division, but it is around 2010 that he was at his very best. The 2009 to 2012 period saw him win a national title, two Arnold Classic titles, have Arm Wars supermatch victories over Yoshi Kanai and Travis Bagent, and an absolute war with Devon Larratt.

​1973 – Michael Todd

Arkansas’ “Monster” Michael Todd has been pulling for 30 years, but it is his performances over the past decade that really stand out. After obtaining several major supermatch victories during the first part of the 2010s, he became the king of the World Armwrestling League, winning the super heavyweight hammer in 2017 and holding it ever since.

​1974 – Frantisek Zivny

Czech puller Frantisek Zivny was a major force in the super heavyweight class at the turn of the century. In addition to two podium finishes at the Zloty Tur, he won WAF world titles with both arms in 2000 and finished on the podium at the Worlds in the senior division on three other occasions.

​1975 – Devon Larratt

​Ontario, Canada’s Devon Larratt continued to climb the ranks until he was victorious over John Brzenk in an Arm Wars supermatch in 2008 and claimed the world #1 spot. Four years later, he attained the same position with his left through his defeat of Andrey Pushkar. He has cemented his status as one of the greatest supermatch pullers of all time.

1976 – Travis Bagent

​Holder of the world #1 left hand ranking for a total combined period longer than anyone else in history, West Virginia’s Travis Bagent truly earned his “Beast” nickname. He won almost every left-hand class he entered in professional tournaments over the past two decades. His right has also shined brightly on several occasions, including when he beat Alexey Voevoda to win the 2003 WAF Worlds and when he claimed the WAL hammer in 2016 by defeating Dave Chaffee.

​1977 – Dave Chaffee

​Pennsylvania’s Dave Chaffee established himself as one of the strongest pullers in the world during the 2010s. He won a WAF world title in 2010, had a win on Denis Cyplenkov in 2013, and was the undisputed super heavyweight champ of the WAL in 2014 and 2015. Since then, he has defeated several of the world’s very best in supermatches, including Dmitriy Trubin, Krasimir Kostadinov, and Genadi Kvikvinia.

​1978 – Ion Oncescu

Between 2007 and 2010, Romania’s Ion Oncescu’s left and right arms were among the very best around. In addition to finishing in the runner-up spot in the left-hand Absolute division at the Nemiroff Cup in 2007, he won five senior division WAF world titles during this period. 

​1980 – Alexey Voevoda

​Russia’s Alexey Voevoda shot to the top of the sport in the early 2000s, winning the Absolute division of the Zloty Tur in 2002, 2003, and 2004, the latter of which saw him finish atop a field that included John Brzenk, Matt Girdner, and Travis Bagent. Just a couple of weeks later, he won super heavyweight WAF world titles with both arms.

​1981 – Ferit Osmanli

​Ferit Osmanli (also known as Farid Usmanov) made quite an impression in 2005 when he easily won the stacked right hand 110-kilo class at the Ultimate Armwrestling II tournament in Las Vegas. Over the next two years, he won three WAF world titles and a Zloty title. He registered wins on many of the biggest names of the sport, including Andrey Pushkar, John Brzenk, and Travis Bagent.

​1982 – Denis Cyplenkov

​Russia’s Denis Cyplenkov typically only competed about once per year between 2008 and 2018, but he showed up ready to win. In addition to lopsided supermatch victories over Andrey Pushkar, Michael Todd, and Devon Larratt, he won seven Zloty Tur Absolute division titles and five A1 Russian Open Absolute titles, meaning on 12 occasions he was the overall champ at the toughest professional tournaments on the planet.

​1984 – Ivan Matyushenko

Since 2008, Russia’s Ivan Matyushenko placed in the top three in the senior division at the WAF World Championships on twelve occasions and took the top spot four times. Most commonly competing in the 110-kilo class, he won several Russian national titles and multiple European titles as well. 

​1985 – Andrey Pushkar

Ukraine’s Andrey Pushkar’s list of accomplishments in the super heavyweight class during the last ten years of his life is beyond impressive. He won senior division WAF world titles with both arms five years in a row and nine Zloty Tur Absolute titles. His dedication and hard work allowed him to reach the world’s #1 ranking with both arms.

​1986 – Artem Klimenko

​By the age of 20, Russia’s Artem Klimenko was already out of the sport. But in just a few years, he built up in incredible list of titles. He won six senior division WAF World titles in three different weight classes between 2002 and 2005, the first two of which were won when he was just 16 years old. In 2004 alone, he won a combined eight European and WAF World titles (four in the junior division and four in the senior division).

​1987 – Arsen Liliev

​Starting in 2007, Russia’s Arsen Liliev won right-hand WAF world titles five years in a row, while gradually moving up in weight. In 2012, after adding even more muscle to his frame, he managed impressive supermatch victories over Richard Lupkes, Dmitriy Trubin, and Todd Hutchings, and at the A1 Russian Open he won the super heavyweight class and took third in the Absolute division behind only Denis Cyplenkov and Andrey Pushkar. 

​1988 – Levan Saginashvili

Georgian powerhouse Levan Saginashvili’s performances over the past few years have left few doubters as to who the current overall strongest puller in the world is. After winning more than a dozen senior division European and WAF world titles with both arms, he attended and easily won the Absolute divisions of the 2017 Zloty Tur. Since then he has enjoyed 6-0 supermatch victories over Dmitriy Trubin, Tim Bresnan, Kydyrgaly Ongarbaev, and Vitaly Laletin and won the $50,000 Top 8 tournament.

​1989 - Dmitriy Trubin

Russia’s Dmitriy Trubin had success throughout the 2010s. In addition to winning three senior division WAF world titles, he won multiple titles at the Arnold Classic and took the super heavyweight classes with both arms at both the 2016 Zloty Tur and the 2018 Moldova Armwrestling Cup. He also proved his mettle in supermatch victories over John Brzenk, Michael Todd, and Tim Bresnan.
 
 
The list stops here. Anyone born in 1990 or later would currently be 30 years of age or less. Identifying pullers for these years would be a bit premature, as we have not yet seen the full potential of many of the sport’s current crop of stars. 




Researched and Written by Eric Roussin

Originally published in December 2020