You searched "best arm wrestlers in the world" because you want the real answer, not a recycled list copied from 2019. This is it.
We ranked the top arm wrestlers alive right now by competition results, technique, and the physical attributes that separate legends from everyone else.
We also broke down what training makes these athletes different so you can start closing that gap today.
What Actually Makes the Best Arm Wrestler in the World?
Arm wrestling is not about the biggest bicep. It is built on four pillars.
Grip strength is the foundation. If your hand gets peeled open in the first two seconds, nothing else matters.
Pronator and wrist flexor strength drives the actual pulling motion, and these muscles are almost completely ignored in regular gym training. Side pressure and shoulder drive is what finishes opponents.
And technique, whether top roll, hook, press, or back pressure, is what ties everything together at elite level.
Every athlete on this list built all four. Here is who did it best.
Top 10 Best Arm Wrestlers in the World Right Now
Here’s the most reliable list you’ll ever find:
1. Levan Saginashvili — The Strongest Arm Wrestler Alive
Country: Georgia | Titles: 7x WAF World Champion | Style: Cup and press
The undisputed number one. Levan loads into a pronated cup faster than opponents can react and applies lateral pressure that shuts down any counter before it begins.
His 5-0 win over Ermes Gasparini at East vs. West 18 settled the heavyweight debate completely.
His training obsession is wrist pronation and cupping strength, the exact movement pattern the Gripzilla Tornado was built to develop.
2. Artyom Morozov — Best Left Hand Arm Wrestler in the World
Country: Russia | Nickname: The Terminator | Style: Elite top roll
Morozov does not panic, does not gas out, and does not make technical errors under pressure.
He stays high on his opponent's hand, maintains wrist extension throughout, and uses shoulder rotation to create a mechanical disadvantage that bigger opponents cannot escape. Currently ranked number one globally on the left hand.
Training focus: Wrist extension control and finger strength. The Gripzilla Wrist Cupping Handle Set builds exactly that positional strength.
3. Devon Larratt — Greatest Arm Wrestler in North American History
Country: Canada | Nickname: No Limits | Style: Adaptive, high IQ
Devon is the most famous arm wrestler alive and it is not just YouTube. A former Canadian Special Forces soldier, Devon does not overpower opponents. He out-thinks them.
He switches between top roll and back pressure so fluidly mid-match that competitors often miss the change until it is over.
His grip training is legendary. The Gripzilla Ultimatum 6-Piece Kit covers the foundational hand and forearm strength he has spoken about building his career on.
4. Ermes Gasparini — Top Ranked Heavyweight in Europe
Country: Italy | Style: Raw power, exceptional wrist structure
Gasparini is physically one of the most gifted heavyweights the sport has ever produced. His hand and wrist bone structure gives him a natural mechanical advantage that coaches openly discuss.
Despite losing to Levan, he remains the second best heavyweight on Earth and his ceiling is still unknown.
Training focus: Raw wrist thickness and tendon strength. The Gripzilla Dynamo targets the wrist and forearm loading that builds that kind of structural strength.
5. Vitaly Laletin — Rising Force in World Arm Wrestling Rankings
Country: Russia | Style: Explosive hook with aggressive initial pressure
Laletin burst into the top global rankings with standout performances at East vs. West 20. His hook fires faster than most opponents can set their defense.
He represents a new generation of Russian pullers combining Soviet grip training methods with modern sports science, and the results are showing on the table.
6. Bacho Saginashvili — Georgia's Next Arm Wrestling Champion
Country: Georgia | Known for: 2025 World Championship final win
Yes, he is related to Levan. No, that is not why he is on this list.
Bacho won the 2025 World Championship final against Yordan Tsonev on pure merit, showing the same physical gifts and Georgian training culture that produced his famous brother. He is younger, still developing, and already at the top of the sport.
7. Denis Cyplenkov — Most Physically Imposing Arm Wrestler Ever
Country: Russia | Nickname: The Peasant | Style: Raw hook
Cyplenkov has forearms that stopped strangers cold just from the sight of them.
At his peak he was widely considered the second best arm wrestler on Earth, with grip strength estimates that place him among the strongest grip athletes ever measured. His hook generated lateral pressure that opponents described as being pinned by a machine.
He built those forearms through relentless volume loading, the kind of training the Gripzilla Tornado replicates by hitting 30-plus muscles per session.
8. Rino Masic — World Champion Arm Wrestler from Croatia
Country: Croatia | Known for: 2025 World Championship final win
Masic announced himself globally with a World Championship final victory in 2025.
His technical precision is what stands out on film. He wastes no energy, holds position under pressure, and reads opponents well. Croatia is quietly becoming a serious arm wrestling nation and Masic is carrying the flag.
9. John Brzenk — Greatest Arm Wrestler of All Time
Country: USA | Nickname: The Greatest | Titles: 500+ championships, 24 World titles
The GOAT conversation in arm wrestling starts and usually ends here. Over three decades Brzenk won 500-plus titles and 24 World Championships, regularly beating men 50 to 100 pounds heavier through pure technical mastery.
His top roll is still the instructional template coaches use today. Every technical arm wrestler on this list trained with his example in mind.
10. Travis Bagent — Most Entertaining Arm Wrestler on the Planet
Country: USA | Nickname: The Arm Farmer | Style: Aggressive and powerful
Multiple US national champion, international competitor, and the man who brought arm wrestling to millions of new fans through sheer charisma and raw power.
Bagent trained grip and forearm strength with an intensity most gym goers never approach, and his performances proved it match after match against world class competition.
What Every Top Arm Wrestler Has That Most People Don't
Every athlete above built grip and forearm strength that goes far beyond what standard gym training produces. Bicep curls do not build arm wrestlers.
Wrist pronation drills, cupping movements, and loaded grip training do.
· The Gripzilla Arm Wrestling Tools collection was built specifically for this gap. Here is what matters most:
· For wrist and pronation strength: The Gripzilla Tornado activates 30-plus muscles per session and builds the rotational forearm power that defines elite arm wrestlers.
· For cupping and positional grip: The Wrist Cupping Handle Set gives you three diameter options to progressively overload the exact grip position used on the table.
· For solo training without a partner: The Gripzilla Arm Wrestling Training Kit lets serious pullers get extra sessions in any time.
· Protect your tendons too. Use Gripzilla Lifting Wrist Wraps for heavy sessions and never start cold.
Our guide on how to avoid arm breaks in arm wrestling is worth reading before your first serious match.
Build the Grip That Champions Are Made Of
The best arm wrestlers in the world identified exactly what their sport demands and then built everything around developing those attributes.
Grip strength. Wrist pronation. Cupping position. Lateral pressure endurance.
Every single one of those can be trained starting today.
The table is waiting.
