The eagerly anticipated World’s Ultimate Strongman takes place this weekend with organisers promising fans a show like nothing they have seen before.
The event is a unique fusion between sport and entertainment with the showpiece being a strongman content featuring the very best athletes in the world vying for the biggest purse the sport has ever seen.
Athletes have already said the event, appropriately named Beasts in the Middle East, is changing the face of strongman globally, with new levels of professionalism, organisation, and treatment of the athletes – now the public will get the chance to see it first hand.
The line-up reads like a who’s who of the strongman world, headlined by current World’s Strongest Man, Hafthor Bjornsson – The Mountain from Game of Thrones. He will be joined by former WSM winners Brian Shaw, and Zydrunas Savickas and a host of other top names.
The event is something for the whole family, with a host of other activities taking place throughout the day including a bench press competition, search for the fittest human, UFC exhibitions, Shaolin Monks, Capoeira dancers, obstacle courses, skate parks, a gladiator entrance parade and so much more.
Don Idrees, owner and producer of the show alongside Mark Boyd says months of hard work is now coming to fruition.
“Everything we are doing has never been done before, it’s that simple. It’s risky, but it pays off in the long run.”
He added World’s Ultimate Strongman is changing the face of future events.
“Strongman is still not really considered a sport and we are trying to change that,” he said. “If nothing else it will cause every other promoter to up their game, so eventually it will be good for the sport.”
As for the event, Don is convinced his team has developed a concept that will live long in the memory.
“The format we have created is actually targeting someone who doesn’t even know what strongman is. We have packed the world’s biggest strongman competition in a new concept fusing sports and entertainment that appeals to a wider public.
“Seeing is believing with these guys and what they do – and that’s how you create a strongman fan.
“This is going to be a customer experience like never before. We want people on their drive home to already be planning to come back next year. You are going to walk out of this saying ‘wow’, and that’s our aim.”
“We couldn’t accomplish everything we wanted, as some of the ideas were a little ambitious, but you have to leave something for next year.”
The World’s Ultimate Strongman takes place on Friday, October 26, starting at 3pm in the Bab Al Shams Arena. For more information see www.worldsultimatestrongman.com
