2017 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) Eddie Hall will come out of retirement to compete as a strongman at the 2022 Giants Live World’s Strongest Nation (WSN) contest at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England, on Nov. 26, 2022. Hall will be the leader of Team UK and will battle against Team USA, led by former American log lift record holder Robert Oberst.
While the events for the 2022 WSN have not yet been released as it is still eight months away at the time of this article’s publication, the trash talk has undoubtedly begun, at least from Oberst. In a March 14, 2022, video on his YouTube channel, Oberst builds the hype for the face-off between Team UK and Team USA in November 2022 and lays out the goals he intends to accomplish before retiring from strongman.
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Per Oberst, the 2022 WSN contest will be live-streamed — he did not say where, but presumably via Giants Live. Tickets for the contest are already available via TicketQuarter.com.
Eddie is coming back to get his ass kicked by me!
Oberst reiterated multiple times that both he and Hall would show up to the contest healthy and go head-to-head “under the lights.” Hall and Oberst will select strongmen and strongwomen from their respective countries to compete alongside them in Liverpool.
Robert Oberst
“The American Monster” suffered a half-centimeter bursal-sided tendon tear in the front of his right shoulder sometime in August 2021. It compelled him to withdraw from the 2021 Shaw Classic, and he has not appeared in a strongman contest since. Oberst forewent surgery and healed naturally through a long stint of rehab. He has since returned to the gym to get into strongman shape and declared that the 2022 WSN would be his comeback show.
Oberst did not state when he will retire from strongman but did list a series of goals he intends to accomplish before taking his curtain call in the sport. They are:
- Defeat Eddie Hall and Team UK at the 2022 WSN contest.
- Reclaim the American log lift record — currently 217.5 kilograms (478.5 pounds), held by Bobby Thompson.
- Qualify for another WSM Finals.
Oberst has eight career WSM appearances (2013-16, 2018-21). He qualified for the Finals twice, finishing ninth overall in his debut in 2013 and eighth in 2018. Oberst said he would compete at the 2023 WSM contest in his video.
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[Related: 2022 Arnold Amateur Strongman & Strongwoman World Championships Results]
Eddie Hall
Eddie Hall retired from strongman following his 2017 WSM victory. He has since picked up boxing and is scheduled to step in the squared circle against 2018 WSM champion Hafthor Björnsson on March 19, 2022, at the Duty Free Tennis Stadium in Dubai, UAE. That fight is the lone bout on the card and will be live-streamed via Segi TV.
It is unclear if Hall will continue to pursue boxing following his bout with Björnsson. It is also unclear if his participation at the 2022 WSN contest will be a one-off appearance or the start of a renewed strongman career. Regardless, it will be interesting to see if “The Beast” enters the 2022 WSN competition with his leaner physique or if he will pack on the pounds to go toe-to-toe with Oberst.
Featured image: @robertoberst on Instagram
