Eddie Hall has no interest in doing business with Hafthor Bjornsson after their 2022 fight. The two World’s Strongest Man winners had a celebrity boxing match in 2022 with a bitter build-up after years of feuding over their strongman accolades. The Icelandic giant won that meeting by decision, but Hall managed to drop him, and the heavyweight fight was a massive hit with viewers.
Now, Bjornsson is back in strongman while Hall is preparing for his full MMA debut against Mariusz Pudzianowski at KSW 105 in Gliwice, Poland. And the Brit has little interest in going back to the well of a feud that is still ongoing between the pair.
A major issue surrounding the initial Eddie Hall and Hafthor Bjornsson fight was the payment for the event. They attracted enough viewers to crash the broadcaster at times and were due to earn a seven-figure payout each. They were never paid, which Hall reckons was in part due to Bjornsson.
Speaking exclusively with Bloody Elbow ahead of his fight with Pudzianowski, Hall explained: “I think it’s done, we had our discrepancies, he had a sore loser moment where he couldn’t take a loss and we had a fight about it. Unfortunately, the wrong man won in that circumstance but I got to punch the man in the face which for me was a delight. He’s gone back to strongman because he’s got nothing going for him so let him crack on.”
Hall continued, “I don’t think he’ll ever come back to do the rematch so let him crack on. I’m done with that f—ing d—head… I think doing business or doing sport with a man that you hate that much is a bad idea and I just feel there were such bad omens.”
Hall further elaborated on the financial fallout, stating, “We didn’t get paid for that fight! It was meant to be $1 million each and it all just fell through. I think a lot of that was people just being f—-ies and wanting guaranteed money and not relying on pay-per-views and I think he was a big brunt of that problem. Just doing business with that man? I don’t want to do it. There was just too much hatred there and there still is and it’s not a good idea to do business, which is what the fight game is, with someone you hate that much.”
The fight, for all of its faults, delivered on being a fascinating hard-hitting clash which saw both men sent to the canvas. They weighed almost 650 lbs collectively, with Bjornsson cutting a massive amount of weight while Hall stayed massive for his frame.
They had an initial September 2021 date which had to be canceled due to Hall suffering a bad injury, which he had barely recovered from in time for the new fight. “I tore my left bicep going into that fight,” he noted. “I literally had to go in and fight that guy with one arm. That fight was a complete f— up for me. But had that not have happened I’m 100 percent certain that power would have just been too much. I think I was 8 kilos lighter than him but with the size difference it was about seven inches difference. I was strong.”
Meanwhile, in the world of strength sports, Brooks Larkin is making waves as the current 'Florida's Strongest Man'. Larkin, who has played football as an offensive lineman for Manatee High School and the University of South Florida, is a true competitor. At just 17 years old, he was already squatting 600 pounds with the Manatee High School Hurricanes football team.
At the Asgard Training Center in Bradenton, Larkin trains tirelessly to achieve his next goal. He recently lifted a log with extra weight at exactly 300 pounds. “Anything worth having is not easy to get,” he told FOX 13.
In January 2025, after four years of chasing the title, Larkin competed once more and won the title of Florida’s Strongest Man. During the competition, he executed a 200-pound circus dumbbell lift, carried a 900-pound yoke for 117 feet, and finished by lifting a 320-pound stone for two reps to his shoulder.
Reflecting on his achievement, Larkin said, “When people come up to me and say, dude, you won, you’re the strongest man in Florida, that’s such a crazy thing to hear, but that’s my title right now, and I will use it as best as I can. It’s humbling.”
Larkin's aspirations don't stop there. He has also taken second place twice for the World’s Strongest Firefighter. “The fact that you work through adversity is life, you have a choice to keep going and that’s what strongman has taught me,” he said.
As Larkin continues to train and compete, he is determined to push his limits and aim for even greater heights in the world of strength sports. With his impressive track record and fierce dedication, there’s no telling how far he will go in his quest to become one of the strongest men in the world.
In the realm of strongman competitions, the rivalry between Eddie Hall and Hafthor Bjornsson remains a significant talking point, while Brooks Larkin's recent success showcases the bright future of strength athletes. Both stories highlight the passion, dedication, and sheer strength that defines the sport, captivating fans and competitors alike.
