John Brzenk, widely called the greatest arm wrestler of all time, and Devon Larratt met five times over 22 years. Brzenk won their first two meetings in 1999 and 2004 and the 2015 WAL Championships semifinal; Devon won 6–0 in 2008 and 4–0 at King of the Table 2 in 2021.
Brzenk leads 3–2. This page covers every match, how the rivalry spanned two eras, a comparison and our verdict.
Head-to-head record
John Brzenk vs. Devon Larratt: Brzenk 3–2. Every big-event meeting between the two, oldest first.
| # | Date | Event | Venue | Match | Result | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1999 | WAF World Championships | Japan | Left arm (tournament) | John Brzenk won | 1–0 |
| 2 | 2004 | SuperStar Showdown | Chehalis, Washington | Right arm | John Brzenk won | 2–0 |
| 3 | Sep 13, 2008 | Arm Wars: Deep Water | — | Right arm supermatch | Devon Larratt won | 6–0 |
| 4 | 2015 | WAL Championships (semifinal) | — | Right arm (tournament) | John Brzenk won | Brzenk won (sources differ on the score) |
| 5 | Dec 11, 2021 | King of the Table 2 | — | Right arm supermatch · KOTT right-hand heavyweight title | Devon Larratt won | 4–0 |
Every match: our commentary
WAF World Championships · 1999
Devon's first meeting with the sport's best was a single tournament pull, and Brzenk won it.
SuperStar Showdown · 2004
Brzenk beat Devon again, confirming his status as the best in the world at the time.
Arm Wars: Deep Water · Sep 13, 2008
Devon's breakthrough: he beat Brzenk in all six rounds, one of the biggest results of his career, on the same night he beat Michael Todd left-handed.
WAL Championships (semifinal) · 2015
Brzenk beat Devon in the semifinal of the World Armwrestling League championships. Sources record the score differently, so we list only the result.
King of the Table 2 · Dec 11, 2021
Brzenk had returned to full-time competition in 2021. Devon, by then in his mid-40s himself and riding a winning streak, retained his King of the Table title with a 4–0 win.
The backstory
Brzenk turned professional in 1982, won his first world title in 1983 and had an uncredited cameo in the 1987 Sylvester Stallone film Over the Top. By the time Devon reached the top level in the late 1990s, Brzenk was the man to beat.
Their rivalry spans two eras: the tournament and table-match era of the 1990s and 2000s, and the modern supermatch era that Devon helped create. Brzenk announced his retirement after a 2025 loss to Yoshinobu Kanai at East vs West 17.
Tale of the tape
| John Brzenk | Devon Larratt | |
|---|---|---|
| Nationality / born | American; born July 15, 1964, McHenry, Illinois | Canadian; born April 24, 1975, Victoria, British Columbia |
| Height / weight | 5 ft 11 in · about 229 lb | 6 ft 5 in · about 265–285 lb |
| Major titles | Four heavyweight world titles and a middleweight world title; named greatest in the sport's history in 1998 | WAL, King of the Table and East vs West titles |
| Turned pro | 1982 | Late 1990s |
By the numbers
| Head-to-head stat | John Brzenk | Devon Larratt |
|---|---|---|
| Wins vs. each other | 3 | 2 |
| Supermatch wins (full matches) | 0 | 2 (6–0 and 4–0) |
| Tournament wins vs. each other | 3 | 0 |
How fans and critics reacted
Devon's 6–0 win in 2008 was seen as a changing of the guard, and the 2021 rematch at King of the Table 2 drew huge interest as a meeting of the sport's two best-known names.
Many fans and analysts argue the 2021 result says more about age than about the rivalry: Brzenk was 57.
Our take
Brzenk leads 3–2, but Devon won both of the full supermatches by shutout. We give the rivalry to Devon on the strength of those two matches, while recognizing Brzenk as the greater career.
Our view: Brzenk's longevity is the most remarkable thing about this series.
Our verdict: Devon Larratt.
FAQ
How many times did Devon Larratt and John Brzenk compete?
Five times between 1999 and 2021. Brzenk won three, Devon won two, including the 2008 and 2021 supermatches.
More rivalries
Sources: Wikipedia: Devon Larratt · Wikipedia: John Brzenk. Facts verified Oct 18, 2026.