Eddie Hall

Eddie Hall is a British former strongman, combat sports competitor, media personality, and entrepreneur best known for winning the 2017 World’s Strongest Man competition and becoming the first man to deadlift 500 kg (1,102 lbs) under strongman competition rules. Born in Newcastle-under-Lyme, England, Hall earned the nickname “The Beast” and is widely regarded as one of the most powerful strength athletes of his generation. Beyond strongman, he has competed in boxing, mixed martial arts, arm wrestling, television, and online media.

Hall began his athletic career as a competitive swimmer, winning multiple national medals and setting British age-group records before transitioning into strength sports. After entering local strongman competitions in the late 2000s, he quickly rose through the British ranks, winning England’s Strongest Man, UK’s Strongest Man, and Britain’s Strongest Man multiple times.

Internationally, Hall steadily improved at the World’s Strongest Man competition, progressing from an early-round participant to a finalist. He finished sixth in 2014, fourth in 2015, third in 2016, and finally captured the sport’s biggest prize by winning the 2017 World’s Strongest Man title in a dramatic battle against Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson. The victory remains the pinnacle of Hall’s competitive strongman career.

One of Hall’s greatest achievements came in 2016, when he broke the deadlift world record by lifting 500 kilograms at the World Deadlift Championships. The historic lift pushed his body to its limits, causing temporary vision loss and collapse immediately afterward. The feat cemented his status as a strength legend and became one of the most iconic moments in strongman history.

Following his retirement from strongman competition in 2018, Hall expanded into other sports and entertainment ventures. In 2022, he faced longtime rival Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson in a highly publicized boxing match billed as “The Heaviest Boxing Match in History,” losing by unanimous decision after six rounds. He later competed in arm wrestling, suffering a defeat to Brian Shaw in 2024, before successfully making his professional MMA debut in 2025 with a first-round TKO victory over former strongman legend Mariusz Pudzianowski.

Away from competition, Hall has built a massive online following through his YouTube channel, television appearances, documentaries, podcasts, and fitness content. His influence extends well beyond strongman, making him one of the sport’s most commercially successful and recognizable ambassadors.