The 2018 World’s Strongest Man pulled an incredible 501kg (1,104 pounds) on Saturday to break 2017 World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall’s 500kg (1,102-pound) deadlift world record. Check out the record-breaking rep here:
“I believe today I could’ve done more, but what’s the point? I’m happy with this,” Björnsson said once the lift was complete.
He initially planned to go for the lift at the World’s Ultimate Strongman competition in Bahrain, but it was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Since world record attempts typically take place in a competition setting, there was controversy leading up to Björnsson’s attempt because it was set to place in his home gym instead.
Hall, who broke his record in front of a crowd at the 2016 Europe’s Strongest Man competition, understandably took issue with the fact that Björnsson had the home field advantage. Leading up to the record attempt, both Hall and Björnsson were vocal about their disagreement on the matter.
It’s become clearer than ever that the two will never see eye-to-eye on Björnsson’s now-official deadlift world record. The disagreement came to a head immediately after the lift was complete when Björnsson announced that he and Hall had been offered a contract to fight in a boxing match.
“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,” Björnsson said in a post-lift interview. “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?”
In an IGTV video posted shortly afterward, Hall accepted. He said it’s not even about the money, but about an entirely different disagreement.
“It’s not the money, it’s not this deadlift feud we’ve got going on, it’s not about that,” Hall explained in the video. ‘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.”
In another Instagram post, Hall even provided a tentative timeframe for the fight: September 2021 in Las Vegas.
