The Montana Arm Bender Competition is back in Great Falls for their fourth event. This year has ten competitors from Montana, with others coming in from all over the country, Canada, and even internationally to compete in 12 super matches.
Montana Arm Bender creator and manager, Joshua Wilson says, “I would say it's a very technical and competitive sport. Things people don't realize is some of these guys have been training for a full year for this one super match.”
Each super match has multiple rounds, and the winner is best three out of five. On Friday night, the competitors got together in Great Falls to meet with each other, and to get their measurements taken ahead of the competition.
Wilson explains, “Tonight we're getting measurements, like length of arm, bicep measurements, forearm measurements. They're getting their weights. They have to make certain weight classes when they arm wrestle each other, you know, so the weights are comparable, because it does make a big difference.”
The biggest matchup of the night featured returning super heavyweight champion Rob Vigeant Jr. from Massachusetts, and Sandris Šedis, coming all the way from Latvia to challenge Vigeant’s title. Šedis is two time world champion and four time European champion in arm wrestling.
Šedis says, “I started arm wrestling eleven years ago, and fell in love with the sport with the first training and never looked back. I'm most looking forward to the place, to the crowd, I guess, because people say it can get a little bit crazy out there.”
Reigning champion Rob Vigeant Jr. says he has won “pretty much every major championship there is to win.”
Vigeant has been competing in arm wrestling for 20 years, and says, “I like the mano a mano. So it's a lot like the fight game, but you don't really have to hurt each other, you all walk away at the end of the day and you’re friends and you’re friendly.”
The competition also takes pride in being ‘all natural’, with competitors getting tested for performance enhancement drugs before the match. Wilson explains, “These guys are going to be clean, all natural athletes that are facing off for this championship.”
To learn more, click here.
