MY THOUGHTS ON THE STRONGEST MAN ON EARTH | CONTROVERSY?

[@BigLozOfficial]

We've always enjoyed watching the competition online but seeing it in person this year gave us a greater appreciation for what you've built over the last 5 years. Thanks for having us over. It's great to see the sport growing, great to meet so many Strongman fans and we hope you keep pushing it forward to be even bigger and better.

[@stronghold07ptx85]

You and Hooper as a team are going to be extremely difficult to beat. Your knowledge and Hoopers ability to adapt are an incredible combo! Also he’s just a beast tbh

[@ianserstad]

@@diggypooperdid you not watch this video?

[@ianserstad]

@@diggypooperyou’ve gotta be a bot there’s no way an actual person would go into every top comment replying with the same bs

[@ajedrez914]

Hi Brian! We want to see you train seriously, specifically for your debut in arm wrestling please. We know your potential and we trust you! We hope to see more videos of you training for arm wrestling!

[@offmychestlife]

What would it look like if a competitor had one challenge for the whole competition to use?

[@mitchellhooperstrongman]

Brian, as I said on the top of the power stairs - thank you for the opportunity you provide to all of us to provide for our families and compete at a major strongman show in front of fans that love the sport as much as we do. I can’t wait to come defend my title next year.

[@Kamyen316]

Already confirmed no squat next year 😂😂

[@H1cat]

@@Kamyen316 Wouldn't matter he will still win.

[@iamaduckquack]

Actually? ​@@Kamyen316

[@betaman-u9y]

Well done sir

[@pseudopetrus]

I like the power stairs at the shopping mall. They do all the work! Just kidding, great show, I have no idea how you guys lift so much? It is really amazing, a real specialization including genetics, training and psychology! Great show Mitchell! Thank you for all you do, you are an inspiration!

[@spiritfingers98]

The fact I didn't have to wait 8 months to watch it, and how you dealt with the axle mess up makes me extremely happy to support the show.

[@josh39684]

Before I realized it was happening it was to late 😭

[@jimihenrik11]

Where can we watch it?

[@robydegroat4401]

At the end of the day, you'd never get a video like this from the promoters of any competition, no matter how much "controversy" there is. It shows how much you care, it was a great show. Really enjoyed watching it live. Cant wait for next year, hopefully can make it in person

[@jamesgillam6478]

It’s so good to have Shaw in charge of something like this, because it means that you KNOW, if there’s a problem, it was an accident. You’re 100% sure it wasn’t intentional dodgy stuff.

[@gregp7980]

Was thinking this exact thing

[@rickydactyl739]

$263,200 is a crazy payout for a competition Brian making sure the talent getting paid what it's worth!

[@ericdbaugh2082]

That doesn't even include the food. Extra recovery stuff.

[@presqueisle69]

​@ericdbaugh2082 it's crazy what goes into a show . That was over a million dollor show . Your talking 300k in prize money . And 200k in Airplane tickets & hotels plus food. All of the special people in the back there didn't go for free . It's really mind blowing 🤯 and plus having Squat event and keg for heights the list goes on & on .

[@ВалентинДудаев]

In strongman world yes, in the world of big sports - that’s cheap. But again strongman is not football. Amount of money involved in the sport is incomparable. Big thanks to Brian for trying to improve the payouts

[@eitremn]

@@ВалентинДудаев Yet here you are making a comparison to the NFL for some reason...

[@danielgoldenberg3439]

I think he just means football pulls more money in.

[@artetasmuse]

First strongman PPV I’ve ever purchased. No regrets. Solid stream, great commentary and super human activity on display.

[@brendonm2326]

Same

[@justsayin7865]

I get it people want to see strong men lift crazy amounts of weights but I just don't like the fact that they're not natural, do you think there are any natural strong men today? Without being in an actual natural strongman and competition

[@chrisbfreelance]

@justsayin7865 No there aren't.

[@nl5h]

Agreed it was seamless

[@slingmaster9994]

​@@justsayin7865i will always be natural but i completely understand why some people want to see how far they can make their body go

[@dontyouworryaboutit_]

controversy aside, I drove from Tennessee for the show and have zero regrets, so thank you for that Brian

[@pcvolwarrior81]

Damn dude I flew from TN and it wasn't a short trip (at least as a bigger guy having to sit on a plane)

[@rollingfinn2044]

​@@diggypooper grow up 🤡

[@betaman-u9y]

He's winning most of the contests holmes. ​@@diggypooper

[@subby97]

​@@diggypooperwhat cheating troll?

[@michaelmullins1290]

I wanted to go. I'm from VA. I just couldn't swing it.

[@wanderer_oti]

Controversy aside. Trey Mitchell getting 4th after his injury is incredible

[@jacobwalker6670]

“The standard needs to be held.” ICONIC. Love that. 💪💪💪💪

[@ch3w3yfpv42]

Thats a T-shirt right there 🔥

[@Styrkur13]

I don’t care what anyone says, you are doing everything you can to grow this sport and make it great for the next generation and we all really appreciate you for it.

[@Johnnystammy]

@@Styrkur13 It's nice what you said however it's incredibly arrogant to attempt to speak for everyone because we all hold different views on this and you've no rights nor entitlement to sterilise and dismiss the rest of us.

[@Voltkris1]

@@Johnnystammylol

[@OzoneDepleter]

​@@JohnnystammyI mean... obviously? He's just saying generally. He's not speaking directly for you. Get some thicker skin

[@bdegrds]

​@@Johnnystammyyou have to EARN your right to an opinion, and there are too many kids that have just shown up that think they can talk mess about a sport they know nothing about

[@jlim9411]

⁠@@diggypooperhe didn’t cheat, stop crying about it. If you’re gonna whine and complain, at least do it without putting in typos.

[@BearDjent]

My main suggestion is Live scoring with reps/weight/ distance on the side of the screen like the rogue invitational. It felt very hard to see where the athletes stood at any given point

[@JBS7551]

Agreed

[@thomasdrew1159]

Seconded

[@Voltkris1]

Good suggestion

[@evzepz1449]

Please make this happen

[@BearDjent]

@user-od9mj3cx2e Mitch is the smartest athlete of the bunch, his training, and discipline shows. I help coach strongman, and I would tell anyone to abuse any grey area of the rules. Everyone else could have done the same thing

[@brutalhonesty5138]

Thor thanked and appreciated you a lot for the event you put on. He said it in your interview with him and other videos.

[@JBS7551]

Thors a lot better dude than people give him credit for

[@mustang8206]

​@@JBS7551 He got overly emotional over one event and a lot of people wrote him off. If I had been runner up to Brian and Big Z for the past 8 years just to lose to Eddie I'd get overly emotional too

[@hannibalb8276]

People like Thor. They don't like his weirdo game of thrones fanboys that don't understand how strongman works and have been accusing Mitch of cheating, Brian of being corrupt or incompetent, etc.

[@Johnnystammy]

@@hannibalb8276 No crime to like game of thrones.

[@ben1ben2ben1]

​@@JBS7551is only crazy Eddie fans who don't even follow strongman that hate Thor

[@alaskagoldhunter]

My son and I have been to every competition that has been put on. From Shaw Classic to Strongest Man on Earth. I appreciate the effort and it isn't unnoticed. I appreciate you staying to the end for the meet ups as well. Even if it's only a couple minutes it's special to those of us who have been fans of you for along time. Once Kerri stopped moving she had a line too! She is appreciated as well.

[@Shouldbeeasier]

Any event organised by Brian you can guarantee the utmost integrity. Running a big competition errors will happen but acknowledging this and working things out is what's important.

[@mattTHEEgreat]

The fact that Brian takes full blame for the mix up in the overhead shows just amazing character.

[@Atomsk0192]

True leaders take the blame

[@John-jt5vd]

@@GSOHJMTraditional values were killed by boomers. Men of integrity are hard to come by today.

[@rorybooth2400]

@@GSOHJMtrue overall, but technically he’s taking the blame for something that wasn’t even his fault. He himself didn’t put the implements in the wrong spot. That’s what makes his extreme ownership admirable.

[@MidwestFarmToys]

@@GSOHJMwe literally know that. And you literally know what the spirit of that guy's statement was.

[@asmautollc]

@@Atomsk0192agreed. Brian is a leader and a winner in life.

[@joestoppable]

If anyone thinks even for a second that Brian Shaw was doing something shady or letting people cheat to win. Doesn’t know anything about strongman. Brian Shaw is literally one of the most respected strongman in history. Everyone knows that his integrity is unquestioned. Even without the squad win Mitchell would have still won the entire competition.

[@nl5h]

Plus why would anyone show up to compete?

[@SpockPlaysGuitar]

I mean, he chose the events for a comp he took part in and it was the only show he did well in for years but... you know

[@joestoppable]

@@nl5h exactly.

[@joestoppable]

@@SpockPlaysGuitar 2021 WSM? Also, he never took any of the prize money. He split his winnings whatever they were between the athletes.

[@OlegOlexiev]

I didn't watch entire competition, but I heard Thor won 5 out of 8 events, and how Mitchell could win?

[@peytonscoggin3746]

Everyone forgets Brian has always been first and foremost a strongman competitor. And in 5 short years has quickly created the best strongman competition on Earth. Controversy and all this is the most entertaining and exciting comp to watch all year long

[@dustinm800]

It's only been 3 years in 8 months from Dec 2020 through Aug 2024

[@joeanderson444]

@@dustinm800 We get it, but there have been 5 seasons of strongman in which the Shaw Classic/Strongest Man on Earth have been on the schedule if the seasons are from January to December of each year!

[@odenoki9571]

​@@dustinm800 Does being pedantic boost your ego?

[@kaplezedrummer24ify]

​@@dustinm8002020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

[@mattmeyer8944]

Brian, I was there last year. Awesome experience! Don’t feel bad about the mistakes at the show… chalk it up to growing pains. You are building the best show in the world. Congratulations and I can’t wait to be there again in person

[@baltox61]

Dont stress it, this is the best strongman contest out there, Ill be going every year and ill be bringing more people each time. You're awesome and a blessing to the strongman community!!

[@SeliasSonne]

It was a great contest and I very much enjoyed it. Having Loz as a commentator was also a great addition, he is doing an awesome job ❤ Mistakes happen, but I know you will make sure they won't repeat 💪🏼 What to improve: - Athletes walk out music, let them have a their song played when they walk out. Really adds to the atmosphere. - Weights in kilograms! And distance in meter! You don't have to get rid of imperial units, but please display both. 95% of the world's population uses the metric system. Last words: Can't wait for next year's SMOE!

[@spergaliciousstrongman]

Brian, we drove out with our 2 year old from Wisconsin to see the show and holy crap you guys DID NOT disappoint! We will be there again next year! Even got to meet Mitch Hooper prior to the contest and met Nick Best which actually got him to be late meeting you guys on the floor (your welcome). The controversy is more of a nontroversy in my mind. The squat is a bit of a shitshow in strongman and probably always will.

[@DavidVirtanen]

Nah Squat Is Great

[@wanderer_oti]

​@@DavidVirtanenI think they mean in rules and consistency lol

[@MKPhedYang]

Been a long time fan. Bought the PPV and absolutely loved it! The bigger you become, unfortunately more controversy will somehow seep in their way. To me, both you and Keri and your team did absolutely AMAZING job putting this all together.. building and making each year's competition bigger and better!!! 💪. Accidents can happen and how you and the team handled it was admirable and respectful in my opinion than Im sure a lot of other competitions. I can't imagine the absolutely huge amount of work that goes on backstage planning the entire event that goes beyond what you're able to share with us on the social media sites ❤. Can't wait for next year's. Appreciate you, Keri, and the Team! STAY AWESOME!!! 🙌👏💪

[@HipFlippinMamma-Kelly]

STRONGEST MAN ON EARTH is by far the BEST competition there is. WSM doesn’t even come close. In precious SMOE comps, Brian GAVE AWAY his winnings to the OTHER competitors so their winnings were a lot bigger. Brian didn’t compete this year so there was maybe less to go around. Thank you Brian & Keri for making the PPV AFFORDABLE so those of us struggling financially can still order it and not have to skip paying a bill. Thanks for making your merch affordable and always signing it for free. Thanks for having the LIVE q & a for members ONCE A WEEK! I don’t know another pro athlete that has been as generous and given back to his sport as much as you and Keri have. I y think the technology available was awesome to see. I hope it returns. Brian, the ungrateful athletes will have to try harder next year. GREAT JOB GUYS!!

[@MeganJohnson-xm7cz]

Thank you Shaw family and team for an awesome show!!! We enjoyed being there for the first time and hope to be able to travel back to Colorado for many more future shows! If not, we’ll buy the PPV. 😊

[@larmckenna]

Flew from Ireland 🇮🇪 with wife and baby. Loved it. Will be back!

[@MidwestFarmToys]

Dang! You must really be in to strong man

[@larmckenna]

@MidwestFarmToys we are big fans and it was a bucket list destination too and my wife's birthday week. So a special trip for a few reasons!

[@monawoka97]

I just think it's so fucking cool that you made this event a thing. What an incredible legacy to leave on this sport.

[@andrewgilbertson5356]

Thank you for a great comp. The livestream was brill. The Shaw Classic was excellent . Love SMOE.

[@JohnsonBiggs-xp9to]

Thank you for fixing the deadlift event and finally giving the fans the kind of contest we wanted to see: - No super whippy bar - No abuse of straps to shorten the range of motion - Proper judging and standards Evaluate the criticisms and use them to improve and come back even better next year, just like you always have 🙏.

[@krismasingale3895]

Hands down the best event ever Brian. You and your wife do a great a tremendous job. Thank you for all you've done. Even If You don't get the recognition, you know you did what's right and I will definitely be attending next year.Hats off to you and your family

[@broskixx6373]

Doesn't matter if some of the athletes are not grateful for the opportunity to comete, they will come and go. But we as fans definitely appreciate the work you put in and how much responsibility you take on. For me, the SMOE is the greatest show of the year, mainly because it is the heaviest one, which I believe is the true focus of Strongman that many other competitions have started to neglected and focused too much on movement.

[@Josh_D03]

Agreed

[@Mirriam02]

I'm sure the athletes are grateful, they're just incapable of communicating, even though they can move incredibly heavy weights? (Go figure......)

[@broskixx6373]

@@Mirriam02 I mean there is still a chance that some of the lower placing ones are not happy, but the SMOE should not be a guaranteed life changer for athletes who no rep the majority of events

[@Kimera92]

I feel like Brian is being a bit unreasonable by expecting everyone to show gratitude. Some athletes might not have felt the need to thank him. After all, nobody goes out of their way to thank the organizers of WSM, Rogue, or Arnold (I know it's different, but still). Some athletes might have felt undermined by the overhead event and, in the heat of the moment, chose not to greet anyone from the organization. Another reason could simply be that some people have a language barrier or come from cultures where gratitude is expressed differently. It’s really not that big of a deal for Brian to go public saying stuff like "Oh, I was bummed not everyone thanked me." Like... come on, man...

[@broskixx6373]

@@Kimera92 The other organizations profit much more from there competitions, while Brian managed to get the SMOE to a record-hig prize pot in just five years of its existence. On the other hand, comps like the WSM don't give out nearly as much despite being sponsored by legit TV channels. I was also underwhelmed by some of the athletes in the lineup, including Novikov, Kordiyaka, Šmaukstelis, etc. At no point did I expect like 80% of the field to do anything great. So, I would say that it would have been more interesting to see some less known athletes compete.

[@TheBoss-ez4vo]

As someone who has been in person 2 years in a row this is the best strongman show out of the 4 main shows

[@Ekonicz]

Haha sorry but I just read your comments completely wrong I just read it as someone who has been in prison 2 years 😂

[@thomascampbell3732]

​@@Ekonicz I also read that wrong 😂😂😂

[@brianjvigneault7056]

@@Ekonicz 😂 Funny cause I read it wrong too but in a different way lol I thought it said 'As someone who has been a person 2 years in a row" I'm like, what were you before a person? 😂

[@Dman-c5c]

I thought u had a typo and meant prison lmaooo🤣

[@Yoshi.337]

i went to shaw classic #2 and once i found out i could buy cold coors light in a can and watch strongman i knew brian was the coolest guy in the world.

[@BuffPomsky]

Overall still the best strongman event in terms of weight and care for the athletes. Knowing you, 2025 will be even better! The only two real points i wish were addressed were: - Being able to move/adjust footing for the squat. - the touching of the belt rule for the axle press was interesting

[@albertdiehl1298]

This competition has grown into such an amazing event every year. So glad to see lots of strongmen competing for the love of strength. Can’t wait for next year. ❤

[@joshcampbell3961]

“Buggs” here on Bean’s account: We saw Brian at his last WSM and saw his frustration when he “wasn’t performing as well as he wanted.” That was NOTHING compared to how frustrated he was during the Axle debacle at SMOE. Frustration and disappointment for something he is so passionate about. That moment right there, should say enough, regardless of the athletes (as much as we love them). We ALL attend to watch our favorite athletes because we have that SAME passion. Thank you Shaw’s for all you do; we fans appreciate it more than you know!

[@ZenithAngel]

Brian should have jumped in for the Keg Toss event . Thor vs Brian on that setup would have been wild

[@Freshprankstv1]

Wouldn’t have been fair. Unless it was the first event. Hard to do max effort with all these events

[@deathhimself1653]

Brian isn't as strong as he used to be. He's sixty pounds lighter, likely on a lot fewer drugs, and simply isn't going as hard. No way he could compete there

[@square7935]

shit was mid for the price thats just my opinion + hidding a sport behind a paywall is always weird like your not growing the sport this way

[@darentby]

@@square7935totally agree promoting a sport to make a quick buck

[@ChanthologyInc]

​​@@square7935 I mean how do you expect a niche like strongman to exist without money. He's definitely losing money on the events as is.

[@brianbf9750]

PPV was really good Thanks for putting this great event. I appreciate everything you all do for strongman and this event

[@yadaroni]

I bought the PPV, but after I bought it, it's just a blank screen with "buy PPV" as the only option. Any idea how I actually watch it?

[@przemysawborecki9787]

Great Event! Congratulations to All Shaw Classic Contest Team! Can't wait till next year.

[@waynedignard-ds7ts]

Brian congratulations on your successful event. I was completely impressed with the event and your team’s professionalism. I hope to attend the next event ASAP. Cheers

[@loismccray5302]

First time I've ever used PPV and was really impressed with the stream, it moved so quickly instead of having a lot of time to wait between events. Will definitely watch again next year 🎉

[@Rthomp02]

Got respect yah man! Thanks for all your doing for the strong community! You’re definitely an American icon.

[@ColtinCamp]

You can really tell how much effort that Brian and Kari pour into this competition and it’s kind of sad to see him barely crack a smile about the competition being a success because of the “controversy” and the athletes who cant even say thanks for the money

[@mustang8206]

It sucks but they should have had better judging then

[@marcusorillius6971]

I talked about how seemingly unappreciative most of the athletes were in the interviews prior, except Thor. So many people said I was wrong to even say. New generation just expects more for less.

[@prophetableforprophet]

@@mustang8206 Which call had bad judging?

[@SpockPlaysGuitar]

The controversies were all the fault of the organisers though. They have to improve the show if Brian wants to get a pat on the back

[@Voltkris1]

@@mustang8206judging was fine

[@shake4259]

1st - Mitchell Hooper - $100,016 2nd - Hafthór Björnsson - $44,744 3rd - Lucas Hatton - $28,952 4th - Trey Mitchell - $15,002.40 5th - Austin Andrade - $12,896.80 6th - Evan Singleton - $10,528 7th - Tom Stoltman - $9,475.20 8th - Bobby Thompson - $8,422.40 9th - Wesley Derwinsky - $7,632.80 10th - Thomas Evans - $6,580 11th - Maxime Boudreault - $5,527.20 12th - Mathew Ragg - $4,474.40 13th - Tristain Hoath - $3,421.60 14th - Aivars Šmaukstelis - $2,368.80 15th - Pavlo Kordiyaka - $1,842.40 16th - Oleksii Novikov - $1,052.80

[@hannibalb8276]

@@Ian-if2lf Jesus are you really that ignorant as to how EVERYTHING works?

[@TheDougDaniel]

Pretty bizarre differences - 15th gets $789.60 more than 16th, but 14th only gets $526.40 more than 15th? And then differences of $1,052.80 all the way to 6th, except 8th only gets $789.60 more than 9th? Would be interesting to know how the amounts were decided as they're all multiples of $263.20, so there's clearly some sort of formula working them out, but there's no obvious reason for the strange jumps between 8th-9th, 14th-15th and 15th-16th.

[@christina3576]

@@TheDougDanielunless you’re putting the money up- what is it to you?

[@VirginiaGeorge]

Do the women win anything? Shaw is such a gift to the sport, and I’d like to see him be a leader in strength sports in giving women a stage and platform to make a living.

[@shake4259]

@@VirginiaGeorge yes but the amount they win is miniscule compared to the men because they generate little to no revenue. I don't know how much their prize money is specifically though.

[@ChelseaFetch]

I was so pumped to watch the livestream of the competition. It was a blast - you put on an incredible show. Happy to pay for the PPV and help support both SMOE and the athletes. I hope you continue and can't wait for 2025's competition. Thanks for all you do!

[@marklouisspark]

I fucking love you man. Sometimes things can be personal because most people don't know what goes into something like this and often times it's a thankless task. There are many of us who understand and support what you do. Negativity speaks louder than positivity, just dropping by to add to that positivity :) You're a legend buddy!

[@highviewbarbell]

i always liked the WSM 2017 squat setup, anyone else think that would be good? free weight, axle, huge implement, and the bottoms can be set for each athlete to ensure range of motion still

[@Brandon-qd2lb]

Yeah they fixed the event in 2020 so it’s much safer to perform.

[@NorthStrongSC]

Big Zs squat performance in 2014 on that setup is one of the most Impressive feats of squatting I've ever seen

[@neal520]

yeah i like that setup the most

[@mustang8206]

Probably is the best way to ensure squat depth

[@gotzvonunentberlichingen1452]

⁠@@NorthStrongSC, I think Thor‘s in 2019 was even crazier. Big Z did 15 reps on 329kg and bounced them a bit. Thor did 7, pretty much set the bar down completely on all of them and squatted them out of a dead stop with a torn plantar fascia while being 6‘9. Martins also was crazy. He wasn’t even all that heavy and did an easy 10 reps. Squatting is so cool. Hope to see more of it.

[@aarons3014]

My recommendation is that the kit needs to qualify for the big show, just as people do. Vet the squat machine (or whatever) at the Shaw Classic before bringing it to SMOE. Fantatic work overall, thank you so much.

[@--SPQR--]

Except it's super expensive to develop and the open stream is free

[@buddyyantz2446]

Trying like a dead lift ladder the year before in open isn't that expensive...so athletes can look back at the previous year and even if free you try out crazy ideas without making mistakes in the main show...

[@peddlesc2156]

Brian, these things happen, you made the correct decision and corrected the mistake. You learn from this and move on. Keep in mind 5 years ago you were doing this in your own gyms and now you are selling arenas. You should be proud how fast this contest has become a staple.

[@baldmanstrength]

Loved the fact that the open comp was on youtube, thoroughly enjoyed SMOE and was happy to pay for the PPV and support what Brian, Kerry & team are trying to bring to the sport!

[@LazyRayz1]

We purchased the PPV and really enjoyed this years show. Video production and commentary greatly improved. I think you showed who the top strongman are. Wish we were there to enjoy all that was onsite. Thanks Brian and Kery. Awesome job.

[@Bonneville_Brute]

Regarding the squat apparatus It would be nice to hear acknowledgment of the fact that the depth was set for each athlete based off a variable that they had freedom to change on the fly. It’s that simple. It seemed like a great idea, but turned out not to be. It happens. Try not to take the feedback personally.

[@Jackson-pu7gd]

I feel for Brian here because there really was no perfect solution to the mistake (and as we all know, mistakes can and do happen). But i really do think that he did the right thing here. Instead of some referee panel or authority deciding what do to, he let the athletes decide how the issue should be resolved. I think that was the best way to resolve the issue. You're a good man Brian and i hope that the Shaw Classic just keeps getting bigger and better!

[@andreww.376]

I feel the competition was really fun to watch overall, but as a lot of the athletes said it was the heaviest competition overall. So you expect to see some zeros if that's true. There can always be improvements made to events/shows/etc. But it was obvious Brian and his team worked hard to accomplish this event. It's another opportunity for strongman to grow and athletes to be recognized for their hard work.

[@claytonfarabee6242]

It’s was an amazing show! After watching from home for years i finally made the trip this year to watch live, and i will definitely be going again! The energy in that arena was just amazing!

[@chrismouton1985]

I've been a huge fan of yours ever since you came into the strongman scene and I'm so happy to see you being one of the main reasons why strongman is growing. Mate, your competition is just improving with every year! It's a shame that you felt that some people weren't grateful. Unfortunately you can't please everyone. As for me, I'll keep supporting you! Looking forward to the next one!

[@willyhwang1059]

dont blame the player, blame the game. dont blame the athletes, blame the rules. if we demand deadlift from the floor, why dont we demand squat ass to grass? after all, isn't conquering the sticking point the hallmark of a strongman? allowing squats to only hit parallel, bypasses the whole challenging sticking point of going ass to grass. they might as well have bench press off 12 inch blocks sad but true.

[@jwade5099]

This year was awesome! Missed the Brian statue😢 Looking forward to getting back next year.

[@markbanner6473]

Mitch right now happens to be the smartest current strongman he just knows exactly what he's doing. Brian's comp was no doubt the toughest for a long time in the strongman world. As he said it would be. Mitch on this occasion had the ultimate balance of brain power know-how an strength to win it. Next time though others will no doubt have learned from this an step up. That's sport.

[@Ian-if2lf]

Mitch has no integrity, he is looking for ways to not use his muscles while others are using integrity and muscling it like they are supposed to, guys like mitch destroy the viewing for the public that want to see the strongest, and end up disappointed knowing they just watched the sneakiest get away with it. more scrutiny and stricter judging of guys like hoop is needed, he is ruining strong man with his tricks and no integrity.

[@markd9580]

@@Ian-if2lfyou based your whole statement on one event that you believe he didn’t do correctly, what else didn’t he “use his muscles” for?

[@Ian-if2lf]

@@markd9580 wrong!, go watch his Wrecking ball ''world record'' bent legs resting the bar on his lap not testing his grip at all, Mark Felix has integrity and would never do that.

[@hannibalb8276]

​@@Ian-if2lf It's amazing how thor's fanboys are the most obnoxious and ignorant people in the strongman scene. It's funny how Mitch has the most integrity of anyone in the sport, all the other people acknowledge it, except a small handful of the worst people in the scene: thor's fanboys. All because Mitch is the strongest man on earth and keeps making your guy the world's best runner up. And you literally can't cope. It's embarrassing.

[@MrDegradingChimp]

@@hannibalb8276 That guy hasn't made mention of Thor at all in his comments and you've branded him a 'Fanboy' as a way to silence him. You're cringe.

[@paodwyer__]

Well worth the PPV loved it man 👊🏼

[@TWISTEDTA]

2023 we bought tickets, couldn’t make it. Ended up buying the PPV and watching it from home. We loved it. This year, we made it there. We drove from Montana and we absolutely loved it. Can’t wait for next year. We will be there. It was great meeting all of you. Keep up the great work and know that your effort is greatly appreciated. Thank you so much.

[@Matakui2011]

24:16 wow! Never expected brian wanting praise for the work he did or making it publicly that nobody thanked him.

[@SolarMarshall]

Thanks how the guy is dont believe what you see on video !! Theres no doubt Brians all about himself. Watch the interview with Thor he does he cant look at him theres a reason for that and thats because Thors better then him and it eats Brian alive. Now hes stepping into Arm Wrestling which is a sport that takes years and years to develop a specific strength to be the best Brians to old to develop the strength to beat Levan Saganashvilli and many others in the super heavy weight division he hates losing and to cry that no one thanked him is radicicolous Thor had put it out on Instagram right away thanking Brian even though the even was shady. Brian acted as if he didnt know is there would ever be a Shaw Classic again and since it bothered him so bad I would just shut it down the sport no longer needs him is what hes pissed about that part of his life is over. And also THOR WON THE EVENT NO DOUBT he was the star of the event not that idiot Mitchell Hooper if Mitchell is the future of strongman good luck he has zero charisma.

[@Paulmight1]

Having the opportunity to participate in the Shaw Classic/SMOE was an amazing experience. Thank you Brian it was awesome being in the arena going against the best of the best thank you, I can’t wait to come back next year!

[@wvXvxvXvw]

Yeah, sure. Nobody named Paul competed. Your channel has no content of anything related to strongman, just you playing video games.

[@J.D.191]

The Shaw classic is an open competition strongest man on earth is different It is just another part of the shaw classic

[@Paulmight1]

@@wvXvxvXvw Besito 😘

[@wvXvxvXvw]

@@J.D.191 Yep, and I checked all rosters for who competed. Nobody named Paul was in any of them.

[@J.D.191]

@@wvXvxvXvw And how do you know the guy's name is actually Paul

[@vladbocharov3246]

Please, add metric system subtitles for all fans that are don't used to American system. It's kinda hard everytime make estimation of pounds to kg and foots to meters. Almost no comp do this, because seems like they don't care, but you care for strongman fans for sure, so do this and maybe they will catch up.

[@lFaceless]

Awesome show Brian. Alot of us are very grateful for the quality and the honesty. Keep Killin it dude.

[@stoempert]

You and your team did a great job putting this together. Congrats. In regards to the squat: It makes no sense measuring the guys to a knee angle when the angle is of no importance on game day. Hooper probably measured highbar style, jamming the knees forward. On gameday he switched to low bar style leading to only have to do quarter 'squats'. I'm not sure Strongman and squats really match in competitions.

[@awallner1]

Are we going to see that "day of fun" in any capacity Brian? The viewers want to know.

[@Mikeymaybeme]

Best contest of the year! Cant wait to watch next year

[@matthewcincotta62]

I think it would be helpful to make the audience informed of the more specific rules because we had no idea the grip rule existed on the deadlift until it became an issue. I also just think it’s not a great rule because it’s not great for the viewing experience and it also seems very tough for the refs to see the thumbs effectively. Maybe it would be better to only allow a single rotation of the strap around the bar? This would make sure you have to hold the bar and is easy to judge effectively. Additionally on the deadlift, Hatton’s second deadlift should have been allowed because Eddy gave the thumbs up which prompted the head judge to give the down command, then after the fact Eddy decided it wasn’t good. The athlete shouldn’t be penalized for a refs error.

[@boogieman9818]

That’s a difference I noticed between this year and last year. I attended both. Both great shows. But last year they went over the rules with the audience before each lift. They didn’t do that this year. I remember before the car leg press, they went over the rules and stated that the competitors couldn’t let go of the side handles at any point during the lift. Then Evan Singleton came up, did like 15 reps, but only 12 or 13 counted because he let go to get the crowd hyped up. I remember everyone was confused when he did that because we all knew the rules. There was no booing or anything when they said he only got a certain number because of that because everyone understood the rules prior to the event.

[@hannibalb8276]

@@boogieman9818 excellent point

[@TromCrabst]

Absolutely agree about Hatton’s deadlift. You get the down signal, you get the rep. End of story

[@Dman-c5c]

I say get rid of straps and whoever gets up the most weight regardless of their grip deserves it and then there’s zero room for controversy but i guess people are just way too used to straps and everyone’s lifts being higher cos of them. Would simplify it so much

[@matthewcincotta62]

@@Dman-c5c it would simplify it, but the straps are also a safety tool for strongman. They became widely used because of the bicep tear risk with strongman. There were so many very heavy bicep heavy events in this comp, I’d rather them use the straps and just use normal rules rather than risk injury and create controversy with overly strict rules that are hard to judge.

[@sberenberg]

Leadership, integrity, transparency, and amazing zeal and effort. Brian, you continue to entertain, inspire and show the world Strong Man. I look forward to your next accomplishment! Much love and respect and huge thanks for inspiring others to achieve greatness!

[@prototypestrong5092]

Thank you Brian for the greatest strongman contest bar none! I came in person last. Again this year. Next year I want to bring my family. It’s a community you are creating and I hope it continues to grow.

[@neal520]

i think if you’re gonna have strict judging like that there should be at least a video replay option like they do in tennis, athletes could get one challenge for the competition where refs will look back at the video and decide

[@suoti-athlete2597]

This is actually a really good idea

[@satinderjit4]

It can definately help depending on the camera angles

[@celsiocunha4282]

bro is asking for a VAR in strongman 💀

[@Xplora213]

Doesn’t work in strongman. Most events aren’t single rep maxes, and many are man on man, so there’s no opportunity to do replays because it has to be decided at the moment. Getting a replay on your third rep of five ignores the fact that it is destructive to your rhythm and you only have a minute. Tennis is hundreds and hundreds of reps, one shot is important for the result but it’s not important for fatigue. A tennis shot won’t drain you for six weeks. Better to just allow the judge to decide.

[@Danimal77]

@@satinderjit4 definitely*** not definately

[@cardinalsfanforever4484]

Mitchell Hooper has over the last couple of years, become my new favorite Strongman. On top of becoming a great Strongman, I love his laid back personality. Great show Brian. I look forward to next year.

[@Bjorn_R]

Honestly Brian. Next time, do something about the squat next time. I love Mitch, but I did not like hearing Mitch say that he "gamed" the machine on purpose... You allowed it and he did what was allowed within the ruleset.

[@Pepesilvia267]

Or say it in the live stream that they only have to move the weight from A to B and depth doesn’t matter. Funny that Mitch says he loves raw deadlift because strongman is about moving weight and people shouldn’t get unfair advantage on using equipment. Then he’s cool with gaming an event to try to do the least effort to get a rep. Granted it’s smart to expend the least amount of effort to get a rep. But any event where you can get an unfair advantage, should be fixed or removed since it’s clear Brian and everyone love raw deadlift for the reason that it’s more pure

[@tomjones1424]

If you have rules about body position in other events why not the squat? You're obviously not squatting correctly if you bend your back to avoid going deeper.

[@joebot9309]

Mitch made a fool of Brian and all the other athletes and fans. POS

[@willsimon9420]

Loved the competition and what your doing. Very straightforward and never threw any names out unnecessarily. Can't wait to see where this competition goes

[@BloingDidoing]

As a strongman fan of many decades let me give my 5 cents on this. Most likely you will never read it, but hey for all its worth these are my thoughts: 1. The comp you created in the strongest man on earth was great. Simply great. A giant arena, actually filled with an audience. An amateur show combined with an elite strongman show later and all running pretty flawlessly. The sheer amount of athletes and crew was astounding. You offered a livestream (and a very well done one, I might add) for the fans. I and my wife, we sat down and watched it piece by piece in the course of the following week (in the evenings when the kids were in bed). Thanks for doing that and thanks for bringing strongman forward. Add to that the price money for the athletes and then the insane fact (that no one seems to mention) that in this very heavy and taxing show, no one had a serious injury. This startled me more than anything else. You must have gone above and beyond in off screen recovery stuff offered to the athletes. So over all, after years and years of strongman fandom, I would say, that „the strongest man on earth“ by 2024 is the best show out there. Winning that is greater than winning WSM in my eyes. You have done well. Very well in fact and I as a german strongman fan, absolutely appreciate it. 2. There are some things that you need to look at and tweak for the next year though: - The atlas stones were a bit depressing. It was not just the weight. All of these guys are hardened campaigners and able strongman. And if half the field fails to do a single lift, then its not just the athletes fault, but has something to do with the equipment. Also its not fun for the fans. For instance in the behind the scenes stuff the first thing Tom Stoltman said was: „those were the slipperiest stones I have ever had.“. Soo many of the athletes had tacky issues. Why was that? Guys like Tom are not amateurs. He is one if not the best stone lifter of the world. I think the issue was that: The stones in the back were older, less new, needed a different tacky then those outside. Meaning the athletes warmed up with the backstage stones, got their tacky right for those and then, when they suddenly needed different tacky for the stones outside, failed. Maybe next time make sure the backstage stones are of the same batch as the ones outside, or offer them tried and true tacky that will stick to the stones outside. Over all, if most athletes do not get a single lift with an implement, you should lower the weight next time. - the judging over all was sometimes not understandable to the audience. Strongman is a sport but a sport that needs and audience. I understand that all the rules were were explained to the athletes. But that excluded the audience. We had no clue why some lifts were not given. And interestingly some of the commentators did not understand it either. Next time either lower the rule requirements (why not place the axle on the belt? its the old european way of lifting.) so the audience gets it, or make sure that the audience also understands why a lift is given or not given. It helps against the confusion. - With the squat machine, Hooper was the one to understand how to lift efficiently while most of the others got trapped beneath. Thats how strongman sometimes goes. But next time, it might be good to measure the hip height instead of the knees. Again from the audience perspective it looked like Mitch was cheating because his hips did not have to go as deep as the others. In WSM his lifts most likely would not have been given. I know Mitch was not cheating, but to the audience looked like it. I love the idea of a squat for strongman, but that machine needs some tweaks to everyone has to do a full squat and most can actually complete at least a single lift. => Again, the strongest man on earth was incredible. Its the best show out there. You all went above and beyond what I would have expected. But there is still some room for improvement. The accident with the switched axles is annoying but „shit happens“. You can never accident prove anything perfectly. Overall I really hope that you will put on an epic comp like this again next year and force the other shows to become better in turn. Well done Brian and Kerry. Hug your wife, take a vacation and let the stress go away. You all did a great job.

[@jonathonberg5465]

I absolutely agree with Brian. WSM has been soft and light in recent years. Many of the athletes havent been conditioned into truly heavy weights. Keep up the good work.

[@wanderer_oti]

2017 is probably my favorite wsm because it was so damn heavy lol. Controversys aside

[@Zherec]

What confuses me a bit is why was the meticulous logging down of bar and foot placements and knee angles needed if this is a strongman squat where, as Brian said, the thing is about moving weight from A to B. If all this stuff had not been hyped up beforehand as much as it was maybe then there would be much less complaining about how the event turned out.

[@GTOboi211]

Because every person is different, so they have to fine tune the apparatus to each person. The goal is to see who can move the bar a certain distance. The location of the starting and ending spots will change based on height, where they hold it, how wide their stance is, etc.

[@Zherec]

@@GTOboi211 Sure. And how much did all that matter in the end when Brian here himself admits that leaning forward is a perfectly valid strategy? It feels to me that there are some mixed messages sent here where on one hand strictness is tried to be upheld and on the other "Hey, it's a strongman squat, what did you expect?"

[@jmodified]

@@Zherec It was 100% strict - you had to hit points A and B exactly, not just get close. That's simple compared to the judging needed for lockout on an overhead press.

[@Kleopold94]

@@jmodifiedit wasn’t strict if a loophole was found. You can’t say judging should be strict on all the other events then praise a way around said judging

[@PeteQuad]

How do you not understand this? There is no judging. They set up the points specific to each person before hand so that there would be no judging. If someone bends their back more then they get to bend their knees less, There is no way around this with a squat. In powerlifting they have a different way where they have three judges analyzing every joint movement. Both methods suck which is why there are not many squat comps in strongman, despite it being a great weight lifting movement. Personally I don't care - if you moved the weight from point A to B with your knees or your back it's fine, that's how strongman works in most contests.

[@travLee7]

Been waiting on your view, big dawg

[@Ryanhammer69]

Huge thanks the the Shaw's and team!! Best competition I've ever been apart of! I hope to come out to the Shaw Classic again and get a shot at SMOE!

[@elfflame1688]

My wife and I live locally and come to the show every year. Thank you for the work you, Keri, and the team do every year. The Shaw Classic is a highlight of the year for us and we feel very fortunate to have the best strong man show in the world near us.

[@johnstoddart9668]

Think the squat would be much better simplified. Before each athletes begins, have them squat down with a test weight, have a judge decide where parallel is, then set a laser at that height, lock in feet position. Then when the athlete begins, they have to get their glutes to touch the laser, and when they do, maybe a light or sound goes off or something. Would be more fair without interrupting the athletes performance.

[@jmodified]

They would need a rule about form-fitting pants though, so baggy or dangling clothing wouldn't set off the laser.

[@--SPQR--]

​@@jmodifiedyou don't need a rule, you hand them out

[@shanedeiley6671]

To be honest this is essentially what they did but with knee angle instead of parallel being the measurement. And instead of a laser the machine didn’t allow a depth below the measured target (probably for safety)

[@VastardokKukiao]

nah mitch hooper would just cheat anyway

[@pharmztko]

@@VastardokKukiaohe could have skipped the whole squat event and still won 😂

[@rampage222555]

About the squat event, what was the point of measuring the knee angle and adjusting the bottom of the squat for every athlete? Logic says you measured the knee angle so that every athlete knows where the bottom of the squat is based on their anatomy. Athletes turning the squat into a 'hybrid good morning" makes measuring the knee completely pointless, and thus the purpose of the event would be compromised. The reps should not have been counted.

[@stronghold07ptx85]

Would love to see some video of you guys chopping it up the day after!

[@j.f.562]

Thank you, Brian, for the great show and all the hard work you and your wife put into Strongman.

[@Bexar2204]

I love how passionate Brian is about the SMOE comp. and I really enjoyed watching the livestream. Thank you for making it a free livestream.

[@cross8942]

With the Stones - the training stones that the athletes use to warm up with should be exactly the same as the competition stones, not in terms of weight but in smoothness (condition). I think a few athletes were lead into a false sense of security with their tacky using the rougher training stones backstage thinking they were good with their tacky.

[@shanegreenstrongman]

Brian uses well cared for slater stones, even in the warm up room, which are exactly the same as what was out on the contest floor. Everyone had an opportunity to feel the stones and pre tacky them before their run, and far to few took advantage of that.

[@BurstingVeins1]

I still think your transparency on the exact winnings of every contestant is amazing. If only the rest of the industry would follow your lead.

[@BigBearMcCall]

This is the 2nd year my wife and I have gone and got floor seats both years. This show is incredible!!!!!! The events and the way they are created remind me why I love strongman so much. Thank you Brian, Keri, and the whole team that worked so hard to put this even on!!!!

[@claudiaforstner6533]

Thank you Brian, Keri and team for this incredible event!❤❤ Sad, that there are a few soure things to it....would have loved for all your efford , that everything woul have gone smooth, and would just be greatly appericiated. But still, there are thousands of people that are just happy and thankful for what you did!! Love from Switzerland ❤❤

[@richardcarlin1332]

Why the athletes didn't thank you vs when you first did a contest. The first one was much smaller and had a home grown feel. This one, a few contests later, felt more professional like a business. Lots of rules and expectations and fancy equipment. Also more people all around involved in the production. The athletes probably also felt you made money doing this as a business, and they being performers, didn't need to thank you. Their job was to provide entertainment and hopefully win a large paycheck, and thus allowing you to have a good production and make money as well. Keep up the good work.

[@LogHewer]

You always need to thank the hand that pays you. Regardless.

[@VastardokKukiao]

nah fk that, just thank the man bro...

[@blaise7922]

Brians job from the start was not to create the largest pay out to strongman athetes but he did, any lower weight classes he losses money on because nobody watches, this is a bad take

[@wanderer_oti]

Brian definitely does not make money on this event

[@richardcarlin1332]

@@wanderer_oti I think he deserves to make money from this event. It has grown to a point where he should consider this one of his income streams. I'm sure, Arnold Swartzenegger makes money from the Arnold.

[@danielfletcher1800]

Quite a strange video to be honest. There's no doubt that Brian tried his hardest to put on a great event, but there were clear issues from start to finish: the deadlift refereeing, dumbbell refereeing, squat event in its entirety, general theme that the events were all too heavy and too close together. Throughout the entire video I don't think Brian once said "perhaps that could have been better", which is quite tainted. With the event being last weekend, perhaps Brian still hasn't had time to fully step back and consider, but I'm not sure it was as successful as he thinks?

[@pharmztko]

Strongmen are supposed to lift heavy LMAO it’s not CrossFit games

[@blaise7922]

POV: you want strongman to become a rep sport instead of a heavy weight sport.

[@GreatNeal85]

@@blaise7922 Brian has said himself, in order to get a good split you want a third of the athletes to struggle, a third to do okay, and a third to really excel. If you have an event where half the people zero it, or an event where literally nobody finishes, it means those specific events were too heavy.

[@matthewrud4550]

Love Brian but complaining that the athletes aren’t great full enough is a bad look. Especially as a promoter. If “whoever” doesn’t get invited back next year is it because they didn’t kiss his ass enough? He just said he wanted to get rid of the politics in the sport and then he basically says you have too pay to play…..On the other hand the athletes shouldn’t complain about the rules when everyone was told about them repeatedly. Hooper hints that he was surprised at the lack of questions from his competitors. Overall a great show. I was happy to buy the livestream. Worth the money for sure.

[@blaise7922]

Hey thanks brain for putting on the largest money competition in the sport is too much to expect?

[@eladrio2311]

@@blaise7922 they not thanking him is as bad as him shaming them on youtube

[@blaise7922]

@@eladrio2311 he didn't call out names

[@stickycandy9845]

I get what your saying but it’s just common courtesy to thank someone for this and if they can’t do that then they shouldn’t have the opportunity to compete for it

[@apilkey]

@@stickycandy9845who were the names that were ungrateful?

[@JPats36]

Love the way you gave detailed explanations on particular events. From taking blame on overhead medley to explaining the squat event, you were well spoken. Plus the most important thing is you were able to pay the athletes very well. Great job! Keep being Great!

[@shaneflowers]

I tuned in to the livestream and it was awesome. I’ve already expressed interest in competing at this show in the past and I hope that I’ll be able to experience it first hand in the near future (best believe I’m working as hard possible) Great job Brian and the rest of the SMOE team 👍🏼

[@mediaproof960]

Be way cool to see you in it big fella

[@francoisdevries1]

I would have to state that on Thor's 3rd dumbell. He was already used to the speed with which a down call was given. And Terry gave him down signals on 2 dumbells at a certain point, but on the 3rd he didn't. Terry stated that there was too much movement. He moved just as slightly as the first 2. So he wasn't consistent. I would just like him to come forward and state that... but instead he covers for himself. Accountability is key for me here. Instead of coming up with excuses.

[@terryhollands]

The first 2 weeent rocking around and he held the lock out! He didn’t on the third, simple as that.

[@J.c410]

​@@terryhollandsHe was perfectly still. He only dropped when Terry started yo move hisbhands, but moved it upward for no reason wich threw Thor off.

[@VastardokKukiao]

Thats not the issue. The thing is Terry was the strict judge and the rest were just giving out bad reps. Terry was the only actual solid judge there. If all judges had the Terry behavior then Thor would have won by a lot.

[@VastardokKukiao]

@@J.c410 thor fangirl I see

[@terryhollands]

@@J.c410 incorrect! He moved before any movement! I have the slow mo if you’d like to see it

[@MobaCry]

4:57 like big loz said, just get rid of the strap if the idea is to have them do raw deadlift. It's a good idea but then it will be more simple to get rid of the strap.

[@davidklausen1316]

If the height setting is done without load and the only requirement when setting height on the machine is that you need to reach 90 degree knee angle during setup and nothing else, and all you need is to reach the set depth in comp but not mirror the exact technique you used for setup, there are basically two ways to approach the technique when setting bar height: A: you will incurr the least possible bar travel if you have zero torso angle during machine setup, stay completely upright, and bend only at the knees. Something you will not be able to do with heavy weight but that is completely doable with the weight used for machine setup this year. Doing this is ONLY possible because the setting is done without load. Nobody has knees strong enough to squat this way under appreciable load. B: If you get into a normal squat position while setting the height for the machine, you will incur between 50-100% longer bar travel path than option A because you've moved the bar much further down when bending torso for virtually no gain in knee angle. If you set the machine height using method A, but squat with a normal torso angle during the actual lift, you will reach the bottom pins in a half-squat position way above paralell. This is obviousy close to what happened with Hooper, wether intentional or not. If you set machine setting with B and squat with B technique, you will look like most of the other lifters and be close to parallel with the full fury of 800lbs to depth. If you set the machine height with any method but try to squat with technique A in competition, you will get stapled, your knees will die and you will cry for the rest of your life due to dead knee disease. This is basic squat biomechanics and completely predictable based on the rules given and the construction of the machine. Anyone who accuses cheating either didn't understand the rules or don't understand biomechanics. What is amazing is that every single athlete didn't immediately pick up on the implications of the rules to set the machine height for maximum mechanical advantage. We should have seen 16 athletes doing something between half-squats to quarter squats, doing touch-and go on the pins, and getting a lot more reps than they all did. This would have been the logical way to approach the event since there was no requirement to go to paralell either during the machine setting or during the competition, and if the event returns with the exact same rules that is absolutely what we will see next time since everyone will have figured out the trick by then. If that happens, the event will be so massively ridiculed that the rules will have to be changed to require something close top parallel to be reached since fans of strength sports want to see heavy squats to depth much more than they want to see cool machines with a lot of spectacle. It really was a beautiful piece of equipment though, obviously conjured with love and care and a sense for drama, so I hope it returns.

[@MidwestFarmToys]

You're giving us this novel for free? WOW!

[@davidklausen1316]

@@MidwestFarmToys There's more but you'll have to subscribe

[@raybergstrom]

Best analysis yet.

[@g0dl355]

So cool to hear you do a recap, obviously passionate about the sport you competed in, and now creating your own events. Simply awesome.

[@benjaminrogoff4195]

I gladly paid for the livestream. I applaud you for reinforcing the link between what people pay for tickets and the stream and how that money goes to support all the athletes who work their asses off for our entertainment. I was initially skeptical of Hooper's performance on the squat, as were a lot of people apparently. But you answered every question I had about it and I am fully satisfied he won the competition as you designed it. I'm looking forward to supporting next year's competition. You should take encouragement from the filled stadium and increased streaming numbers as proof there are legions of people who do appreciate your hard work.

[@Nicknoone1936]

You're the GOAT!

[@weedermann]

Maybe in time, should Shaw become the promoter he hopes to be.