If you walked into a gym in Sacramento last summer, you’d have seen a guy who didn't look like the typical mountain of meat usually found at the top of the podium. He was a former rugby player. He wasn't the tallest. He certainly wasn't the heaviest. But by the time the dust settled on the 2025 World's Strongest Man (WSM) competition, Rayno Nel had done the impossible. He became the first South African—and the first rookie since 1997—to claim the title of most strong man in the world.
It was a total shocker. Seriously.
Most people were betting their house on Tom Stoltman or Mitchell Hooper. And honestly? They had every reason to. Stoltman is a literal giant, and Hooper is a physiological freak of nature who seems to win everything he touches. But Nel just kept showing up. He won by a measly half a point. One half-point. That’s the difference between being a name in a program and being the baddest human on the planet.
The New King of Strength: Rayno Nel’s Ascent
Becoming the most strong man in the world isn't just about how much you can bench. In fact, these guys rarely "bench" in the way you and I do. They're lifting cars. They're pulling planes. They're tossing 150kg stones like they're medicine balls.
Rayno Nel’s victory in 2025 changed the conversation. Usually, the "most strong man in the world" is a veteran who has spent a decade "paying his dues." Nel just walked in and took it.
What happened at the 2025 Finals?
The leaderboard was a mess of points until the very end. Here is how the top three shook out in that nail-biting finish:
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- Rayno Nel (South Africa): 47 points
- Tom Stoltman (Great Britain): 46.5 points
- Mitchell Hooper (Canada): 43.5 points
Nel absolutely crushed the Carry & Hoist, but he almost gave the whole thing away during the Flintstone Press. He finished seventh in that event. Stoltman, being the "King of the Stones," won the final event, but Nel did just enough—holding on by his fingernails—to stay ahead.
It's kinda wild when you think about it. You can be the second or third best at almost everything, but if you're consistent, you're the champion.
Is Mitchell Hooper Still the "Real" Strongest?
If you ask a hardcore strength fan who the best in the world is right now, in early 2026, you’re gonna get a lot of people yelling about Mitchell Hooper. Why? Because while Nel won the WSM, Hooper won the 2025 Arnold Strongman Classic for the third year in a row.
The Arnold is different. Many athletes actually consider it the "true" test of raw strength because the implements are heavier and the format is less "showy" than WSM. At the 2025 Arnold, Hooper was basically untouchable. He beat Hafthor Björnsson. He beat Tom Stoltman. He even beat Lucas Hatton, who has been on a tear lately.
Hooper’s secret? It’s his legs. Scientists at Loughborough University actually did a study on Eddie Hall a while back, and they found that the "most strong man in the world" usually has these massive "guy rope" muscles (the sartorius and gracilis) that stabilize the hips. Hooper has those in spades. He moves with a weight like he’s just carrying groceries.
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The All-Time GOAT Debate: Big Z vs. The Rest
You can't talk about the most strong man in the world without mentioning the legends. The guys who did this before it was a TikTok sensation.
- Mariusz Pudzianowski: The only man with five WSM titles. He was fast. He was ripped. He looked more like a bodybuilder than a forklift.
- Žydrūnas Savickas (Big Z): Many experts say he’s the true GOAT. He has four WSM titles, but he also has eight Arnold Classic wins. That is an insane level of dominance over two decades.
- Brian Shaw: Four titles. A literal mountain of a man. Shaw’s retired now, but his impact on how these guys train is everywhere.
The debate usually boils down to this: do you value WSM titles (Pudzianowski) or overall "static" strength (Savickas)? Most pros will tell you Big Z is the man. If you put a heavy log in front of a human, nobody in history pressed it better than him.
What Science Says About Superhuman Strength
What makes someone the most strong man in the world? It’s not just "working hard." Plenty of people work hard and can't deadlift 500kg.
It’s a mix of leverage and neurological "drive." When Eddie Hall pulled that 500kg deadlift in 2016, researchers noted his muscles were nearly twice the size of a normal man’s, but his tendons weren't. This is why these guys get injured so often—their muscles are literally too strong for their connectors.
Also, grip. You can have the strongest back in the world, but if you can't hold the bar, you're done. That's why events like the Hercules Hold are so brutal. In 2025, Eddie Williams broke the world record in the Hercules Hold with a time of 82.14 seconds. Imagine holding 350kg in each hand for over a minute. Your skin literally starts to tear.
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The Future: Who is the Next Strongest Man?
Looking ahead into the 2026 season, the field is wide open. Rayno Nel has a target on his back. Tom Stoltman is hungry to reclaim his throne. And then there's the "new wave."
- Paddy Haynes: He took 5th in the 2025 WSM and he’s only getting started.
- Ondřej Fojtů: A massive talent from the Czech Republic who is consistently placing in the top 6.
- Lucas Hatton: The American who nearly took down Hooper at the Arnold.
The sport is changing. It's becoming more professional, more scientific, and honestly, more dangerous. The weights are getting heavier every single year.
How to Follow the Sport Like a Pro
If you want to keep up with who is actually the most strong man in the world, don't just wait for the TV broadcast in December.
- Follow the Giants Live tour; that’s where the qualifying happens.
- Watch the Arnold Strongman Classic results in March—that’s the "heavy" one.
- Keep an eye on the Rogue Invitational, which has become a massive payday for these guys.
The era of the 400lb giant might be shifting slightly toward the "athletic" strongman—guys like Nel and Hooper who can run with 150kg in each hand. But at the end of the day, it's still about who can move the unmovable.
To really understand the current landscape, start by tracking the podium finishes of the big three: Nel, Stoltman, and Hooper. These three are currently in a league of their own, and the 2026 season will likely be a three-way war for the top spot. Pay close attention to the upcoming Europe's Strongest Man contest, as it often predicts who has the momentum heading into the World's stage later in the year.