What is John Brzenk's net worth and is he the world's best arm wrestler?

What is John Brzenk's net worth and is he the world's best arm wrestler?

Helix Odhiambo
updated at January 10, 2024 at 12:24 PM

Every sport has its greatest athlete, and in arm wrestling, the name John Brzenk will most likely ring in many minds. The legendary American wrestler has dominated the sport for over two decades and made millions. John Brzenk's net worth has grown significantly thanks to his winnings and endorsements.

John Brzenk's age
Many people widely recognise America's John Brzenk as 'the greatest arm wrestler of all time' because of his achievements. Photo: @johnbrzenk_ (modified by author)
Source: Instagram

Brzenk is a legend of the sport and an inspiration to many. He is one of the most decorated and wealthiest arm wrestlers. Join us to understand more about the arm wrestling master, including his background, family, career, and net worth.

John Brzenk's profile summary

Name

John Brzenk

Nickname

Giant Crusher, the Perfect Storm, Superman

Date of birth

15 July 1964

Age

59 (as of December 2023)

Nationality

American

Birthplace

McHenry, Illinois, United States

Height

1.85 m (6 feet 1 inch)

Weight

102 kg (225 lb)

Eye colour

Light grey

Hair colour

Light brown

Profession

Arm wrestler, Air Line mechanic

Parents

John Brzenk Sr

Wife

Renne Brzenk

Children

Kelli, Megan

Net worth

$1.5 million

Social media

Instagram, Facebook

John Brzenk's bio

The legendary wrestler, John Brzenk (age 59 as of January 2024) was born on 15 July 1964 and raised in McHenry, Illinois, United States. His father was a professional arm wrestler. The giant crusher once revealed that he inherited his father's forearm size.

John Brzenk's height and body measurements

John Brzenk's arm size
John Brzenk has earned respect and admiration worldwide for his talent and dominating arm wrestling for years. Photo: @BohdanIvakhnenko, @johnbrzenk_ (modified by author)
Source: UGC

The American athlete, John Brzenk is 1.85 m or 6 feet and 1 inch tall. He has an athletic body weighing 102 kg or 225 His arm size has also given him an advantage over his opponents. His measurements are:

  • Biceps: 43 cm (16.9)
  • Forearm: 41 cm (16.1")
  • Wrist: 20 cm (7.9")

What is John Brzenk's arm workout secret?

The Perfect Storm does regular exercises to improve his strength. He prefers pulling workouts to lifting weights.

"I didn't enjoy weight training. And I realized it didn't help me in the sport. It simply did not translate to the table." Brzenk said. When I started pulling More and lifting less is really when I started getting good!" He added.

John Brzenk's net worth and earnings

John Brzenk's net worth
Legendary arm wrestler John Brzenk has amassed a sizable wealth from his illustrious career. Photo: @never_been_beat, @WALUnderground (modified by author)
Source: Twitter

Brzenk is arguably the wealthiest arm wrestler ever, with an estimated net worth of $1.5 million as of 2023. He earned most of his wealth from arm wrestling through winnings, sponsorships, and endorsements. Many hail him as the 'Micheal Jordan of arm wresting' because of his influence.

John took the title of WAL's Heavyweight Championship in 2015. Reports state a total of $308,000 cash prize was awarded at the 2015 Championships.

John Brzenk, who inspired the Lincoln Hawk character in Over the Top, won in the Truckers Class of the "Over the Top" tournament. He was given the Volvo White Truck and Trail-mobile Trailer, which were the grand prize. It was worth about $250,000 in 1987.

Career earnings

The Perfect Storm earned over $5 million in prize money during his career. He won hundreds of matches in his career, which brought him great fortunes. The American star often competed for the highest fee of $80,000. According to sources, Champion arm wrestlers like Travis Bagent earn well over $50,000 in prize money per match.

According to Men's Health, Brzenk is a mechanic for Delta Air Lines. These mechanics earn an average salary of $70,000 as per stats.

John Brzenk's arm wrestling career

Is John Brzenk the best arm wrestler ever? The legendary athlete cemented his place among the best athletes in the sport. Many consider him the GOAT (Great Of All Time) in arm wrestling. John became interested in the sport during childhood because of his father's influence.

Brzenk fractured his arm while wrestling with his father's friend during the eighth school. Despite the setback, he continued to train and would later secure his name in the sport's history. The Perfect Storm competed in his first tournament at 16. He won his first title in ABC's 1982 Wide World of Sports in the early 1980s at 18.

The athlete also won the Middleweight World Championship in 1995 and earned the nickname "The Iron Fist" for his impressive wins against formidable opponents.

John Brzenk's arm wrestling record

How many wins does John Brzenk have? The legendary arm wrestler dominated the sport for nearly 30 years, winning over 500 matches in multiple weight classes. He became a household name following his remarkable run and knocking opponents.

The American icon set numerous records and achieved many milestones throughout his career. Reports state John received the title "Most Successful Arm Wrestler" in the 2000th edition of the Guinness Book of World Records. Here is a breakdown of some of his titles.

  • AAA Stand-Up National Titles (1984, 1985, 1986, 1990)
  • Arnold Classic (2006, 2007)
  • AWI World (1986, 1987, 1988, 1995, 2001)
  • Forsa Tropical International (1998)
  • GNC Pro Performance (2002)
  • Harley Pull (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009)
  • Main Event (1998)
  • Mike Gould Classic (2006, 2010)
  • Over The Top (1986)
  • Reno Reunion (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006x2)
  • ROTN (2007, 2008, 2009)
  • Sands International Wrist Wrestling/Armwrestling (1988, 1989)
  • WAF World Armwrestling Championship (1999)
  • Ultimate Armwrestling(Las Vegas) (2004, 2005, 2006)
  • Ultimate Armwrestling League (2011)
  • WAL Heavyweight Championship (2015)

Who defeated John Brzenk?

Who defeated John Brzenk?
Russia's Alexey Voyevoda (L) and Devon Larratt of Canada are among the few top wrestlers who defeated John Brzenk. Photo: @devlarratt, @alexeyvoevoda (modified by author)
Source: Instagram

The legendary wrestler recorded a few losses in his career. Two of his most popular defeats were against Alexey Voyevoda and Devon Larratt.

John Brzenk vs Alexey Voyevoda

Former Russian arm wrestler Alexey Voyevoda defeated Brzenk in 2004 to win the world title. It was John's first professional loss after around 22 years. He later defeated Voyevoda in a rematch and continued winning tournaments.

John Brzenk vs Devon Larratt

Canadian star Devon Larratt made history by defeating multiple-arm wrestling champion John Brzenk in 2008. Larrat became the first man in 25 years to beat the arm wrestling legend in a professional supermatch.

Interesting facts about John, the Giant Crusher

Is John Brzenk the best arm wrestler ever?
John Brzenk began arm wrestling, thanks to his father's influence. He nurtured his talent to become the best in the sport. Photo: @BohdanIvakhnenko, @johnbrzenk_ (modified by author)
Source: UGC

The American athlete has conquered the world of arm wrestling and made his name in the history books. Besides his career, here are other fascinating things you would love to know about him.

John Brzenk's wife and kids

The veteran athlete is married to Renee Brzenk. They have been together for over thirty years. The couple has two daughters, Kelli and Megan, and grandchildren.

Feature in Sylvester Stallone's film

The father of two earned an unaccredited cameo in Sylvester Stallone's movie Over the Top (1987). He featured in the film following his legendary reputation in arm wrestling.

'Pulling John' documentary

Brzenk's life story and achievements inspired directors Sevan Matossian and Vassiliki Khonsar to document his story in a film. They directed Pulling John (2009) documentary, highlighting the athlete's life and accomplishments.

Is John Brzenk still arm wrestling?

The multiple world champion retired in 2016 but returned in 2022. John defeated some of the best wrestlers, such as Khadzimurat Zoloev, Kydyrgali Ongarbaev, and Oleg Petrenko.

Besides arm wrestling, Renee's husband co-hosted the YouTube program "Pound for Pound Arm Wrestling." He also reportedly works for Delta Air Lines as a technician.

Social media

The father of two has 86.4k followers on his Instagram account as of January 2024. He also has 5.5k followers on Facebook.

Final word

John Brzenk's net worth and career achievements testify to his legendary status in arm wrestling. He has served as an example for many other arm wrestlers worldwide. The arm wrestling legend has not officially retired again and continues to participate in competitions.

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Authors
Helix Odhiambo photo
Helix Odhiambo
Helix Odhiambo is an award-winning Kenyan journalist and content creator with over 6 years of experience. In 2016, he won the Goal Blaze Correspondent Award for young writers.