Hybrid Showdown III in Miami, FL was like the Met Gala for powerlifting — but with heavy weights and lifting belts. The who’s who in the sport showed up to compete in this live event, and, man, did they deliver. The guest list included Daniel Bell, Julius Maddox, Brianny Terry, John Haack, and Jamal Browner. Even Jon call, aka Jujimufu, decided to step up and compete at the last minute.
During day two of the event — which took place from Feb. 20-21, 2021 at the Hybrid Performance Method gym — an absolute world record fest ensued, with at least five new world records being set. There were also some gritty, notable performances on display. Here are five standout moments that make Hybrid Showdown III an instant classic.
Julius Maddox Benches 355 Kilograms (782 Pounds) Raw
Maddox’s ability to keep adding weight to his own world records is stunning. The Kentucky native has been talking about pushing 800 pounds for a while now, and he even tried it in June of 2020 but missed the rep due to a misload. In March of 2020, he broke his own world record of 337.5 kilograms by pressing 350 kilograms (770 pounds). In between then and this new world record, Maddox has hit 600 pounds for nine reps, smashed 710 pounds for a triple, and accumulated 50 reps with 525.
Then, he shows up to Miami, FL — less than two weeks after benching 771 pounds in training, mind you — and decimates his own all-time world record with a 355-kilogram (782-pound) bench press that, quite frankly, looked like part of his warm-up. He is now less than 20 pounds away from his elusive 362.8-kilogram (800-pound) milestone that he hopes to set this June in Chicago, IL. If there was any doubt that Maddox can do it, it’s probably been squashed.
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Daniel Bell Totals 1,182.5 Kilograms (2,607 Pounds), Raw With Wraps
Powerlifter Daniel Bell became the first man to total over 1,179 kilograms (2,600 pounds) in the Raw With Wraps division. In doing so, the 140-plus-kilogram powerlifter managed to reclaim his all-time-world record from Petr Petras, who lifted 1,159 kilograms (2,557 pounds) back in December 2020. Bell put on a masterclass performance and out-lifted the Czech athlete by 23 kilograms.
Sporting a burly beard and a singlet with the words “live large” emboldened on the front, Bell hit top lifts of:
- Back Squat: 500 kilograms (1,102 pounds)
- Bench Press: 272.5 kilograms (600 pounds)
- Deadlift: 410 kilograms (904.5 pounds)
Brianny Terry Deadlifts ATWR of 265.5 Kilograms (585 Pounds)
In the women’s 75-kilogram (165-pound) division, Brianny Terry garnered the most attention. She went seven for eight (waiving her final deadlift) and wrapped things up by taking the all-time world record in her weight class with a 265.5 kilogram (585-pound) deadlift. Terry beat Kristy Hawkins‘ record by less than one pound. In the video below, you can see Terry celebrating with coach Joe Sullivan.
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Though her deadlift stole the show, Terry also posted an impressive 125-kilogram (275-pound) bench press and 217.5-kilogram (480-pound) back squat for a total of 607.7 kilograms (1,340 pounds).
John Haack Dominates the 90 Kilogram (198-pound) Field
John Haack kicked off the day with a 330-kilogram (727-pound) back squat, which gave him a bit of a fight. His best bench was 260 kilograms (573 pounds), and he had the entire building on his side thanks to a top deadlift of 377.5-kilograms (832 pounds). Combined, all three lifts increased Haack’s existing world record total to 967.5 kilograms (2,133 pounds).
Haack almost took his monumental day to another level when he attempted a deadlift of 400.5 kilograms (883 pounds), which would’ve made him the heaviest competitor to total 11 times his body weight. Unfortunately for Haack, he was on the verge of lockout when he dropped the barbell. With him being that close to such a milestone, he will surely make another attempt at it in the next meet he does.
Jamal Browner Breaks 1000 Kilogram Total in 110 Kilogram Class
Jamal Browner already had the top total in the 110-kilogram (242-pound) class, but he added some padding to it. With a squat of 365 kilograms (804.5 pounds), a bench press of 225 kilograms (496 pounds), and a top deadlift of 410 kilograms (903.75 pounds), he became the first man in that division to break the 1,000-kilogram total milestone (2,204 pounds). This increased his previous best total by 10 kilograms and was good enough for a new all-time world record.
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Other Notable Performances
Here are a few other performances at Hybrid Showdown III that are most certainly worth mentioning.
- Micha Marino totaled 852.7 kilograms (1,880 pounds) at 82 kilograms (181 pounds) for a total PR of 36 kilograms (80 pounds).
- Chloe Lansing totaled 554.7 kilograms (1,223 pounds) at 67 kilograms (148 pounds).
- Daniel Misencik totaled 1,000 kilograms (2,205 pounds) at 125 kilograms (275 pounds) for a total PR of 20 kilograms (45 pounds).
- Shane Hunt totaled 935 kilograms (2,060 pounds) at 125 kilograms (275 pounds).
If you’re interested in watching the entire meet, you can check out the replay on the “Hybridperformancemethod” Twitch channel.
Featured Image: @jamal_b15 on Instagram
