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  • About
  • Home
  • History
    • Development of the Organized Sport >
      • Armwrestling Eras >
        • The Beginnings
        • The Golden Age
      • The Beginnings
    • Event Histories >
      • World's Wristwrestling Championship - Part 1: 1954-1961
      • World's Wristwrestling Championship - Part 2: 1962-1969
      • International Federation of Arm Wrestlers
      • World Armwrestling Federation (WAF)
      • Carling O'Keefe World Championships
      • World Professional Armwrestling Association
      • Arm Wrestling International
      • World Police and Fire Games
      • World Super Heavyweight Arm Wrestling Championship
      • Over the Top World Championship
      • Yukon Jack Arm Wrestling Championships
      • North American Armwrestling Championships (Amos)
      • Power Armwrestling
      • Monster Arm Wrestling
      • World National Wristwrestling Association
      • Can-Am Armwrestling Championships
      • Armwrestling Capital of the Midwest
      • World Arm Wrestling Council
    • Early Origins of Armwrestling
    • Armwrestling Matches in the Cradle of Strongmen
    • The Ancient Hawaiian Sport of Uma
    • Armwrestling Firsts
    • Inaugural State Championships
    • Biggest Prize Money Tournaments By Year
    • How Organized Armwrestling Was Introduced to Eastern Europe
    • Top 10 Las Vegas Tournaments of All Time
    • Canada's Toughest Tournaments
    • The Stories behind the Matches >
      • Armwrestling’s First Supermatch
      • John Brzenk vs. "John Doe"
      • Dean vs. Mason
      • The Biggest Supermatch of All Time
      • The John Brzenk Challenge
      • The Champion Armwrestler vs. the Champion Powerlifter
    • This Day in Armwrestling History >
      • This Day in Armwrestling History - April Dates
      • This Day in Armwrestling History - May Dates
      • This Day in Armwrestling History - June Dates
      • This Day in Armwrestling History - July Dates
  • Top Pullers
    • History's Most Successful Armwrestler
    • Champion Armwrestlers of Yore
    • All-Time Top Male Puller from Each State
    • All-Time Top Female Puller from Each State
    • All-Time Top Male Puller from Each Province
    • All-Time Top Female Puller from Each Province
    • Best Pullers by Year
    • Best Pullers by Year of Birth
    • Historical Rankings >
      • Chronology of the Best Armwrestlers on the Planet (Men - Right Hand)
      • Chronology of the Best Armwrestlers on the Planet (Men - Left Hand)
      • Chronology of the Best Armwrestlers on the Planet (Women - Right Hand)
      • Chronology of the Best Armwrestlers on the Planet (Women - Left Hand)
    • Top 10 Pullers of the 1960s
    • Top 25 Pullers of the 1970s (Men)
    • Top 25 Pullers of the 1980s (Men)
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    • Top 30 Pullers of the 2010s (Men)
    • Top 5 Pullers of the 1970s (Women)
    • Top 15 Pullers of the 1980s (Women)
    • Top 15 Pullers of the 1990s (Women)
    • Top 15 Pullers of the 2000s (Women)
    • Top 15 Pullers of the 2010s (Women)
    • Armwrestling's Best Generation?
    • Pullers Who Perfectly Peaked
    • Record Win Streaks
  • Event Results
    • Results from the Early Days >
      • IFAW Results (1966-1969)
      • USA Results (1969)
      • WWC Results (1955-1969)
    • Golden Age Results >
      • AAA Sit-Down Nationals Results (1978-1979)
      • AAA Stand-Up Nationals Results (1978-1979)
      • AWI Results (1978-1979)
      • Carling O'Keefe Worlds Results (1971-1979)
      • IFAW Results (1970)
      • NAWA Results (1977-1979)
      • WAWF World Results (1971-1979)
      • WPAA Results (1974-1979)
      • WWC Nationals Results (1974-1979)
      • WWC World Results (1970-1979)
      • Various US Nationals (1970-1979)
    • Silver Age Results >
      • AAA Sit-Down Nationals Results (1980-1989)
      • AAA Stand-Up Nationals Results (1980-1989)
      • AWI Results (1980-1989)
      • Carling O'Keefe Worlds Results (1980-1982)
      • Carling O'Keefe IAC Results (1989)
      • IWC Results (1980-1982)
      • NAWA Results (1980-1989)
      • Over the Top Results (1986)
      • Sands International Armwrestling Results (1980-1989)
      • WAWF World Results (1980-1989)
      • WPAA Results (1980-1989)
      • WPWA Results (1980-1981)
      • WWC Results (1980-1989)
      • Yukon Jack Results (1988-1989)
    • Bronze Age Results >
      • AAA Sit-Down Nationals Results (1990-1993)
      • AAA Stand-Up Nationals Results (1990-1999)
      • Arnold Classic Results (1998-1999)
      • AWI Results (1990-1999)
      • EAF European Championships Results (1991-1999)
      • Forsa Tropical Results (1998)
      • Golden Bear Results (1990-1999)
      • Main Event Results (1997-1998)
      • Reno Reunion Results (1999)
      • Super Bras-de-fer Results (1991)
      • USAA National Pro-Am Results (1995-1999)
      • USAF Unified Nationals Results (1998-1999)
      • WAF World Results (1990-1999)
      • WPAA Results (1990-1997)
      • WWC Results (1990-1999)
      • Yukon Jack Results (1990-1997)
    • Copper Age Results >
      • AAA Nationals Results (2000-2009)
      • All-Niagara Armwrestling Championships Results (2002)
      • Arm Wars Super Series Results (2008-2009)
      • Arnold Classic Results (2000-2009)
      • AWI Results (2000-2001)
      • Big Arm Classic Results (2004)
      • California State/West Coast Pro-Am Armwrestling Championship (2003-2006)
      • EAF European Championships Results (2000-2009)
      • GNC Results (2001-2004)
      • Harley Pull Results (2000-2009)
      • IAF Can-Am Championships Results (2000-2009)
      • Mike Gould Classic Results (2000-2009)
      • NAL Results (2006-2007)
      • Northeastern Armwrestling Challenge Results (2005-2009)
      • NYC Big Apple Grapple Results (2000-2009)
      • PAC World Championship Results (2005-2007)
      • PAL Results (2004-2009)
      • Reno Reunion Results (2000-2007)
      • Ruler of the Nation Results (2007-2009)
      • Sturgis Rally Professional Armwrestling Championship
      • Superstar Showdown Results (2004-2005)
      • Tournament of Champions Results (2001)
      • Ultimate Armwrestling (Las Vegas) Results (2004-2006)
      • Ultimate Armwrestling Championship (UAC) Results (2009)
      • USAA National Pro-Am Results (2000-2009)
      • USAF Unified Nationals Results (2000-2009)
      • US Open Results (2003)
      • World Armsport Federation Results (2000-2005)
      • World Armwrestling Federation Results (2000-2009)
      • WWC Results (2000-2005)
      • World Challenge (2009)
      • Zloty Tur/Nemiroff Cup Results (2000-2009)
    • Renaissance Results >
      • A1 Russian Open Results (2012-2015)
      • AAA Nationals Results (2010-2018)
      • Arm Wars Super Series Results (2010-2016)
      • Arnold Classic Results (2010-2019)
      • EAF European Championships Results (2010-2019)
      • IFA Results (2019)
      • Mike Gould Classic Results (2010-2015)
      • Moldova Open Results (2018)
      • NYC Big Apple Grapple Results (2010-2019)
      • PAL Results (2010-2019)
      • UAL Results (2010-2016)
      • USAA National Pro-Am Results (2010-2019)
      • USAF Unified Nationals Results (2010-2019)
      • WAL Results (2014-2019)
      • WAF Results (2010-2019)
      • World Challenge (2010-2012)
      • Zloty Tur/Nemiroff Cup Results (2010-2019)
    • Contemporary Results >
      • AMC Results (2022-Present)
      • Arnold Classic Results (2022-Present)
      • EAF European Championships Results (2020-Present)
      • East vs. West Results (2021-Present)
      • IFA European Championships Results (2020-Present)
      • IFA US Nationals Results (2021-Present)
      • IFA Worlds Results (2020-Present)
      • King of the Table Results (2021-Present)
      • Mr. Olympia Power Armwrestling Results (2021)
      • Over the Top Down Under Results (2022)
      • PAL Results (2021-Present)
      • Total Armwrestling League Results (2020-Present)
      • USAA International Pro-Am Results (2020-2023)
      • USAF Nationals Results (2022-Present)
      • WAF International Challenge Results (2021)
      • WAF World Championships Results (2020-Present)
  • YouTube
  • Miscellaneous
    • Dave Devoto Memoirs
    • Armwrestling Amusement Devices
    • Armwrestling Matches in Professional Wrestling
    • 1975 NFLPA Arm Wrestling Championship
    • 1975 Esquire Gala Celebrity Tournament
    • A Legendary Tale
    • The Origin of the Wheelbarrow Contest
    • Legendary Powerlifters Who Could Also Pull
    • 1981: A Good Year!
    • The Bill Soberanes Wristwrestling Statue
  • About
THE ARMWRESTLING ARCHIVES

World Super Heavyweight Arm Wrestling Championship​

You only turn 20 once, so you should mark the occasion somehow. What did John Brzenk do when he turned 20? He competed in the World Super Heavyweight Arm Wrestling Championship!
 
The Date: July 15th, 1984.
 
The Venue: The Marriott Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota, just south of Minneapolis.
 
Why it was a big deal: It featured one of the greatest assemblies of armwrestling talent in a single class up to that point in time.
 
Background:
 
Elite armwrestler and future professional wrestler Scott Norton teamed up with promoter James Evans (the owner of a gym where Scott trained) to put together the World Super Heavyweight Arm Wrestling Championship – a tournament that attempted raise the sport’s profile. The nice venue and sizable cash prize purse were expected to attract top talent and lots of spectators.
 
The Participants:
 
Approximately 500 fans showed up, but only nine men made the trip to compete in the special tournament. Though small in number, the pullers were impressive, to say the least. Included in the class were John Brzenk, Cleve Dean, Chick Huntsberry, Scott Norton, Mike Shadduck, Danny Stone, Johnny Walker, and John Woolsey. In case you’re unfamiliar with some of these athletes’ résumés, you can learn more about them as they almost all appear one or both of my lists of the Top Pullers of the ‘70s and Top Pullers of the ‘80s.
 
The Action:
 
Right out of the gate, John Brzenk was matched up with Scott Norton, a 6’3” 350-lb behemoth who could bench press 550 lbs and do a 375-lb behind-the-neck press. Using his very quick and extremely powerful press, Scott pinned John in a flash. John would only get the chance to pull Scott in a tournament on one other occasion in Reno in January 1985, and lost both matches as well. Scott retired from the sport before John could get another chance to avenge his losses. Norton was one of the very very few who can say that they have never lost to John Brzenk.
 
In his second match, Scott lost to Cleve Dean on fouls after a long pull for repeated releases of his hand grip. Eventually, in this double elimination event it got to the point where John and Scott should have pulled again, but a decision was made by the promoter that Scott had to pull Johnny Walker instead (who was also put into the losers’ bracket by Cleve). Scott had not sufficiently recovered form his marathon match with Cleve and was eliminated. He walked away with a fourth place finish and $1,000.
 
In the semi-finals, John pulled Johnny, and Johnny won. In 1984 John was just starting to figure out what to do against Johnny. He managed to beat him earlier in the year at a tournament in Reno, but on this day, Johnny was the better man. Still, a third place finish for John as well as a $1,500 cash prize was a good haul for a young man just entering his third decade of life (especially considering the competition).
 
In the finals, Johnny attempted to hold off Cleve a bit longer than he was able to in their first match. But alas, the pig farmer from Georgia was just too much for him. Johnny earned $2,500 for his efforts, while Cleve walked away with a cool five grand. Cleve had no losses, and in fact his announced presence at the event is one of the reasons there weren’t more pullers in the class. In the mid-’80s, he was the reigning king of the sport – everyone seemed to be competing for second place.
Picture
Big Cleve, resting between matches

​Final Thoughts:
 
There’s an interesting “what if” scenario related to this event. Believe it or not, Richard Lupkes was competing in a separate tournament that day: the Upper Midwestern U.S.-Canadian Championships which was taking place just a few miles away. He pulled and won the two classes he entered – the 220 and the 221+. Now, in 1984 Richard was not yet the man he would become in the late ‘80s when he was dominating the sport. Nonetheless, it’s fun to imagine how he would have fared among this group of super-pullers.
 
This special event was only held the one time. One of the major sponsors backed out at the last minute, leaving the tournament promoter to cover the shortfall. What I find most interesting about this event is that it offered what is believed to be the biggest first place cash prize ever awarded in an armwrestling tournament (up to that point in time), yet almost no one has heard of it. In my opinion, it occupies an interesting place in armwrestling history.




Researched and Written by Eric Roussin
Copyright Eric Roussin and The Armwrestling Archives. Original content found on The Armwrestling Archives may not be reproduced without written consent.