The 2025 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) Finals begins its final day of competition with the Flintstone Press Max, not seen since the 2022 contest when 2020 WSM champion Oleksii Novikov set a WSM record of 246 kilograms.
Rayno Nel held a seven-point lead atop the overall leaderboard over Mitchell Hooper and a nine-point lead over defending WSM champion Tom Stoltman. The latter two would need a miracle or a disaster for Nel to overcome that point deficit.
BarBend broke the story on the evening of May 17 that Lucas Hatton would guest lift in the Flintstone Press Max event in a potential attempt to lift the heaviest weight ever pressed overhead: 276 kilograms. Whether or not Hatton would attempt a world record, the energy in the open arena was charged.
Nel ultimately missed out in round two, leaving the door open for Hooper and Stoltman, who scored third and first-place points, respectively, to chop down Nel’s lead to 2.5 points overall.
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2025 World’s Strongest Man Flintstone Press Max Results
- Tom Stoltman (UK) — Six reps (T-first)
- Trey Mitchell (USA) — Six reps (T-first)
- Mitchell Hooper (CAN) — Five reps (T-third)
- Pavlo Kordiyaka (UKR) — Five reps (T-third)
- Ondrej Fojtů (CZE) — Four reps
- Shane Flowers (UK) — Two reps (T-sixth)
- Luke Stoltman (UK) — Two reps (T-sixth)
- Rayno Nel (RSA) — One rep
- Eddie Williams (AUS) — no lift
- Paddy Haynes (UK) — no lift
2025 World’s Strongest Man Flintstone Press Max Recap
The opening weight was 188 kilograms. Trey Mitchell took to the stage first. One crowd member tried to start a “USA!” chant, but no one joined in; an awkward start, but Mitchell seems unfazed.
Athletes could lift the bar from behind the neck or from a front rack position. Mitchell made easy work of the opening lift. WSM promoter Colin Bryce called to the athletes to tell them that the event would move quickly.
Kordiyaka was second to the opening lifter and split jerked his way to the second round. Tom Stoltman stepped in — he pushed Novikov to hit the WSM record in 2022 — and had no trouble at 188 kilograms.
Luke Stoltman lifted clean-up, a four-breath brace, and a smooth lockout. Hooper was firm and onto round two.
Flowers looked slightly shaky on his lockout but received the down command and fist-pumped back to the seating area, passing Fojtů. The Czech lifter was the youngest in the field and successful at 188 kilograms.
Haynes was only a point behind Tom Stoltman for a spot on the podium. That margin widened as Haynes was the first athlete to fail the opening lift.
Nel was fast to lockout, and head judge Magnus ver Magnusson was as fast with the down command. Williams closed the round with a missed lift.
Hatton took to the stage to guest lift. He split jerked 188 kilograms overhead and waved to the crowd.
Round two featured 199 kilograms. Mitchell made it look like a warm-up, as did Kordiyaka. Tom Stoltman bounced the bar on his shoulders before hoisting it overhead.
Luke Stoltman matched his brother’s technique to advance to round three. Hooper successfully split jerked the weight to advance.
Flowers seemed surprised that he locked out the weight, but to round three he went. Fojtů’s technique was immaculate, and he advanced without issue.
Nel missed his lift and was clearly upset. If there was a way for him to concede his lead, missing early in this event was it. Hooper and Stoltman likely breathed deep, knowing the chances for the top spot were still in reach.
Round three of 210.9 kilograms was led by Mitchell. He made it seem like there was no weight he couldn’t lift.
Kordiyaka was poised to lockout and stood on one leg after receiving the down command to garner a cheer from the crowd. “Flamingo!” a crowd member yelled.
Tom Stoltman had plenty in the tank and had no problem advancing to round four. Luke Stoltman missed his attempt and bowed out.
Hooper entered with a reinvigorated focus and advanced with a clean split jerk. Flowers missed and waved off the event.
Fojtů continued to impress, advancing to round four with precision. Hatton was successful again en route to the looming potential all-time world record of 276 kilograms.
Mitchell reentered for 220 kilograms, and the same fan tried again to start a “USA! chant to no avail. Mitchell didn’t mind as he was too busy successfully locking out big lifts.
Kordiyaka continued his calm demeanor during the lockout. Tom Stoltman appeared to take a wider grip on the barbell to make it look like an even easier lift than before.
Hooper and Fojtů advanced. Hatton skipped this weight, knowing he needed to leave some in the tank for a potential world record.
Round five posted 229.5 kilograms. Mitchell led off as usual — no “USA!” chant this time. While the crowd’s patriotism may not have had sufficient conviction, Mitchell’s pressing power did.
Kordiyaka wobbled at the top of the split jerk but stabilized to the down command and double fist-pumped to the crowd.
Tom Stoltman had the sound of a passing train’s horn during his lockout. Hooper adjusted his weight belt with a deep breath, braced, and locked out what seemed like a lift on the cusp of being lost. He unclipped his belt with a satisfied nod.
Fojtů rolled off some strain in his shoulder after failing his attempt. He waved to the crowd, who responded in kind. Hatton returned to score another good lift, and the pages of the record book began to turn.
Round six charged 240 kilograms onto the bar. Mitchell was successful, “beasting it above his head,” exclaimed the lead commentator on the floor.
The weight was too much for Kordiyaka, who had to dump the weight behind him halfway up the jerk.
Tom Stoltman excitedly skipped about after locking out his lift. Hooper posted a titanic effort, trying to press out the weight of eons, but stumbled back and dumped the weight. One of the stones collided with the top of a barrel, which functioned as one of the blocks, breaking the top of the shell. The crew needed time to adjust before Hatton’s next lift, which was as clean as it possibly could be.
Round seven was a head-to-head at 252 kilograms between Mitchell and Stoltman. If either athlete hit it, it would have exceeded Oleksii Novikov’s WSM record of 246 kilograms.
Mitchell pushed it off his shoulders but failed to lock it out. If Stoltman locked out his lift, it would have overtaken Hooper on the leaderboard with a chance to beat Nel for the title with only Stoltman’s signature Atlas Stones to come. Stoltman locked out the weight but couldn’t stabilize his feet.
Hatton returned and locked out the weight to set a new WSM record. The initial world record target was 276 kilograms, but Bryce stated that 277 kilograms would be loaded on the barbell for Hatton. If successful, it would be the heaviest weight ever pressed overhead.
Hatton approached the barbell to a standing ovation. He jerked it overhead but couldn’t sustain it.
That was a big jump.
—Lucas Hatton
[Related: Luke Richardson and Evan Singleton Withdraw from 2025 World’s Strongest Man]
2025 World’s Strongest Man Finals
The final event is the Atlas Stones at 2:30 p.m. PST. Nel has two ranks to give to maintain his spot atop the leaderboard.
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Featured image courtesy of World’s Strongest Man/Rich Storry
