Two World’s Strongest Man winners have a bizarre and ongoing feud that periodically rears its head as the men take to social media to call each other out and engage in one-upmanship.
Eddie Hall and Hafthor “Thor” Bjornsson, famous for playing the Game of Thrones Mountain, seemingly hate each other. But it was not always the case. The pair were friends until a fateful day in 2017.
They were competing during the 2017 World’s Strongest Man. The round was the “Viking Press”. The competitors lifted a heavy load above their heads, using only their arms. The referee deemed Bjornsson to have used his legs to get an extra bit of strength and discounted a rep.
The no-rep cost Bjornsson a point and ultimately the title, handing it to his old friend Hall and ruining their relationship. Bjornsson was livid and did not accept the no-rep.
Bjornsson reclaimed the World’s Strongest Man title in 2018, and fuelled their rivalry further.
Hall had retired from competing by that stage, so Bjornsson did not get the catharsis he yearned for. So in 2020 Bjornsson set his sights on deadlifting 501kg. It was a world record and a snub; it was just 1kg heavier than the former world record set by, you guessed it, Hall in 2016.
Eddie Hall calls out Hafthor Bjornsson: ‘I’m sick and tired of your lies’
In the build-up to Bjornsson’s world record attempt, Hall said he was sick of seeing his own name in video headlines claiming Bjornsson can beat his record.
The headlines were cashing in on his success, Hall said.
“I’m sick to death of it. If you’re going to pull it, then pull it. It’s been four years,” he said.
They then flirted with the idea of fighting each other in a boxing ring, but the spectacle never came to fruition.
Soon after Bjornsson’s success, Hall released another video that definitively showed Bjornsson had cheated during the 2017 World’s Strongest Man viking press, ending he debate for good, Hall claimed.
“Words are cheap, and I’m sick and tired of hearing the lies,” he said in his video.
The pair may never agree on the rep – or no-rep – from 2017. For now at least, it seems like their rivalry will rumble on for a long time to come.
