Brian Shaw sets sights on new competitive career after retiring as the ‘Strongest Man on Earth’

BRIAN Shaw has been seeking a new competitive outlet ever since retiring from his legendary strongman career last year.

The four-time World Strongest Man champion was scheduled to make his MMA debut at Lusail Stadium in Qatar in February – but the fight did not take place for contractual reasons.

Instagram / Brian Shaw

Instagram / Brian Shaw

Instagram / Brian Shaw

Now the 42-year-old is dipping his toes into the world of professional arm wrestling.

Shaw recently posted a video with Canadian arm wrestling champion Devon Larratt.

In a recent training session, Shaw used a resistance band attached to a cable machine to train his wrist and forearm power.

“I am ultra-competitive. Now that I’ve stopped competing in strongman I still need a competitive outlet for myself,” Shaw told The U.S. Sun.

“I’ve always been interested to some extent in arm wrestling, I just didn’t really know a lot about it.

“It’s very technical. I think it’s going to be a great way for me to put a lot of focus into that and potentially be able to compete at a high level.”

Shaw is interested in arm wrestling in large part as it is far easier on the body than his previous physical endeavors.

“Arm wrestling is definitely not going to beat you up the same way that strongman does. That is without a doubt,” he says.

“It’s something you can do as you bit older as well. I think that’s why I’m interested in it.

“I’ve got a lot going on right now but arm wrestling might be that outlet that fills that [gap].”

Shaw’s potential arm wrestling career has been put on hold due his commitments to the Shaw Classic, which is taking place this weekend at Blue Arena in Loveland, Colorado.

This will be the fifth year of the multi-event strongman competition, which is run and organized by Shaw and his wife Keri.

Sixteen men compete in eight events to be crowned ‘The Strongest Man on Earth’.

Last year’s prize pool was over $250,000.

Shaw ended his competitive career on the highest of notes after winning the event last year.

And he is now fully immersed in organizing the competition, which also includes the Shaw Classic Expo and Shaw Classic Open.

Shawstrength/Instagram

Shawstrength/Instagram

The Shaw Classic is a labor of love for the strongman icon, who has been working until 1am some evenings putting the event together, including moving heavy machinery.

“My wife and I run everything. We do have people that come in and help but the majority of the setup is my wife and I and our small team of people,” Shaw adds.

“For me, I’ve been going hard at moving equipment to the arena. Last night I didn’t finish until one in the morning.

“There is so much that has to happen behind the scenes for the contest to happen the way that it does.

“Equipment, setup, the run of show… I’m the travel agent on top of it – I book 40 or 50 flights total for everybody combined for the athletes and crew that we bring in.

“There’s a lot that we work on. At this point, it’s pretty much an entire year of work that goes into this to make it happen.”

“Looking back, I don’t know I competed last year because I am so tired right now

Brian Shaw

Shaw is on a mission to make the most athlete-friendly strongman competition in the world.

“It’s very much trying doing things the right way. This is a contest by the athletes and for the athletes,” he says.

“I competed in the sport of strongman for nearly 20 years and there is no athlete union. That’s not how it works.

“The promoters run the shows and typically get the lions’ share of everything and the athletes are taking care of last.

“That is not the case here. My goal is to raise the prize money, treat the athletes incredible from the moment they touch down in Colorado.

“The reason why we do this is because I was an athlete and I know what I would have liked done for me. So that’s what we come in and execute.”

AFP

Getty

Getty

Shaw is relishing the prospect of not competing this year due to all the other work he has to do.

“This is the first year that I am not competing and it is a very different role for sure,” he says.

“I cannot tell you how I did it last year because I did everything I’m doing now and I trained and was ready to compete.

“I was also moving equipment days before the contest on the forklift.

“Looking back I don’t know how I did that last year because I am so tired right now.

“I’m very happy to set the stage for these incredible athletes this year.”

The Shaw Classic can be viewed at ppv.theshawclassic.com