In the interview following Hafthor Bjornsson’s world record deadlift of 501 kg, the 2018 World’s Strongest Man issued a challenge to 2017 champion (and fellow 500 kg deadlift club member) Eddie Hall for a different type of contest – a fight.
According to Bjornsson, Coresports is the group behind this idea and had offered payments to both gentlemen.
“Core Sports just offered me a seven figure contract. It was the biggest contract of my life. I’ve sent it in already. Eddie Hall’s been running his mouth now for several weeks and I know he got offered the same deal, same contract. Eddie, I know I just knocked out your record and now I’m ready to knock you out in the ring. Time to put your fists where your big mouth is and sign the Core Sports contract. I’m ready. Eddie, are you ready?”
It didn’t take Hall long to accept the challenge which he formally did via an IGTV post on May 2. Hall didn’t mince words about why he was going to sign the papers.
“1000 percent. I’m going to sign those papers. Don’t you worry about that. And you know why I’m going to sign those papers? It’s not the money, it’s not this deadlift feud we’ve got going on, it’s not about that. It’s because you called me a cheat at World’s Strongest Man 2017. I can’t put it to bed. I can’t forget it. People may forget it but you never, you never sort of apologized, you never said it was right. You think you were stronger than me at World’s Strongest Man 2017. Regardless if the trophy is there or not, you think you should’ve won that year. And you let people know that. I can’t have that. So that’s why I’m going to sign those papers. Because I want to teach you a lesson and that lesson is me knocking you the f*** out.”
At that 2017 contest, Bjornsson was performing the Viking Press when one of his reps was disallowed. Hall beat Bjornsson in that event by one rep and Bjornsson objected to the call after the event. Hall went on to win that title and retire from competition immediately after.
This recent back and forth between the two strongman legends isn’t the first time that the topic of a fight had come up. Hall was asked a question about it in a past Q&A video on his YouTube channel and he had said he would accept a challenge if it were issued. Bjornsson had said the same in part of one of his own videos but the discussions never went beyond those comments.
With the references to a ring, it could be assumed that this would be a boxing match and not a mixed martial arts fight. There has been no official date set yet but now and there likely won’t be until the world at large begins moving past the recent COVID-19 pandemic that has shut most of the sports world down.
Hall is no longer active in strongman, but Bjornsson is still competing, and the 2020 World’s Strongest Man is set for this coming November. It will be interesting to see if this match is set before Bjornsson starts prep or after the contest.
Neither men have professional fighting experience. Hall has performed boxing drills as a part of his training routine with a heavy bag and coach. Bjornsson is best-known for his battle scenes in his role as Gregor Clegane in “Game of Thrones.”
In a tale of the tape, Hall is 6 feet, 3 inches tall and weighs around 380 pounds. Bjornsson is 6 feet 9 inches tall and weighed 450 pounds at the time of his world record lift.
Featured Images: Instagram/eddiehallwsm