The 2025 Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC) opening event at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, OH, on Feb. 28, 2025, was the Elephant Bar Deadlift. Each of the 10 strongmen invited to compete at the static strength contest was allotted three attempts to establish their max deadlift.
After Lucy Underdown scored a new Elephant Bar Deadlift world record to start the 2025 Arnold Strongwoman Classic (ASWC), the sold-out crowd in Columbus expected big lifts from the strongman, knowing that a $101,000 bounty was on the line for the strongman who pulls or exceeds 501 kilograms.
[Stay Tuned: 2025 Arnold Strongman Classic Results]
2025 ASC Elephant Bar Deadlift Results
- Hafthor Björnsson — 1,026 pounds
- Mitchell Hooper — 951 pounds
- Bobby Thompson — 986 pounds
- Trey Mitchell — 981 pounds
- Evan Singleton — 966 pounds
- Austin Andrade — 961 pounds
- Lucas Hatton — 926 pounds
- Tom Stoltman — 861 pounds
- Nick Guardione — 781 pounds
- Maxime Boudreault — no lift
2025 ASC Elephant Bar Deadlift Recap
Boudreault opened the event at 751 pounds but could not pull it from the floor. He zeroed out of the event without securing his opening lift, meaning he would score no points nor get to take an additional attempt.
Guardione was the second on the platform to lift 781 pounds without issue. He had to take his second attempt three minutes later because he still had the lightest lift—the event calls for the lightest lift to lift first, meaning that some athletes could pull multiple times before others take their first attempt. Guardione failed at 841 pounds.
Stoltman was third to the platform, pulling 861 pounds as an opener. It was slow but solid, and Stoltman was on the board. Hatton opened at 881 pounds successfully. Singleton grip-and-ripped 886 pounds in his sophomore ASC appearance opener.
Stoltman returned for his second attempt at 891 pounds. It was the grindiest fight any athlete could perform on that stage, but he couldn’t hitch the barbell after it had passed his knees.
Mitchell opened at 901 pounds, making it look like any other day at the office. Andrade successfully opened at the same weight in his ASC debut.
Björnsson was next to the platform at 916 pounds. The commentary team was surprised to see Björnsson lift so early since the expectation was that he would attempt a world record to win the bounty. It looked “ridiculously easy” and became a new storyline to consider how big of a jump Björnsson would take on his second attempt.
Hatton hitched his way to a successful 926-pound lift on his second attempt. Singleton’s second attempt was a 50-pound jump to 936 pounds — nearly no setup, just an aggressive pull from the floor to lockout. Hatton’s third attempt was 941 pounds, but the barbell never left the floor.
Thompson opened at 951 pounds and cleared it with a calm demeanor. Two-time defending ASC champion entered the arena to open at 951 pounds — heavier than any of his deadlifts from the 2024 ASC. He made exceptionally easy work of it.
On his second attempt, Andrade called for 961 pounds, and it was a clean lift from the floor to the top. Singleton’s third attempt moved the weight to 966 pounds — a personal best he successfully locked out after hitching it from his knees.
Mitchell’s second attempt was successful at 981 pounds, but it wasn’t easy. Thompson jumped to 986 pounds, up 35 pounds from his opener. It was a slow grind but a fight Thompson refused to lose and achieved a personal best.
Hooper leapt to 991 pounds for his second attempt.
It’s too easy.
—Mitchell Hooper
Mitchell wasn’t done, calling for 996 on the barbell for his third attempt. He recognized it was not to be almost immediately and bailed before an actual pull.
Andrade was the first to attempt eclipsing 1,000 pounds, calling for 1,001 pounds for his final lift. He pulled the weight to his knees before releasing it and waving to the crowd.
Hooper and Thompson both forewent their final attempts, leaving the stage for Björnsson to win the event via 1,026 pounds on his final attempt. Before his final attempt, Björnsson cut a promo saying that he would make a 501-kilogram attempt but needed 10 to 15 minutes of rest to recover from his winning lift.
After immense anticipation, Björnsson returned to the stage to attempt a 501-kilogram raw deadlift on the Elephant Bar with $101,000 on the line. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Hafthor fail a deadlift,” former strongman Jerry Pritchett said on commentary.
With everyone in the crown on their feet and phones out to record history, Björnsson stepped up to the barbell loaded with 1,106 pounds. The barbell never left the floor.
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