What is the Legacy Hammer?

The Legacy Hammer is an emblematic trophy in the world of arm wrestling, representing the title of best armwrestler in the world, all categories and leagues combined. There are two separate hammers: one for the right arm and one for the left arm.

However, a recent controversy calls into question the legitimacy of the Legacy Hammer in the world of arm wrestling.

Origin

Originally, these trophies were created by the World Armwrestling League (WAL) to crown the league's super heavyweight champions. However, in 2017, when the WAL's hopes of becoming the undisputed center of arm-wrestling collapsed, Devon Larratt, then holder of both hammers, decided to perpetuate their symbolism by establishing the concept of the Legacy Hammer.

The concept is simple: each hammer must be held by the best armwrestler in the world, without regard to weight categories or different leagues. The hammer holder has the responsibility to ensure that the trophy remains in the hands of the strongest. To do this, he must accept challenges from the most serious contenders and prove his dominance. If he is unable to defend his title, he must hand over the hammer to whoever deserves it.

This is how in 2018, Devon Larratt, then holder of the hammer for the left arm, faced Denis Cyplenkov. The latter, having won the victory, inherited the Legacy Hammer of left arm. The same year, Larratt also lost to Michael Todd, giving him the Legacy Hammer of right arm.

Current owners

In 2024, Levan Saginashvili is the holder of the Legacy Hammer of right arm, a testament to his domination on the world stage. As for the hammer of left arm, it is still in the hands of Denis Cyplenkov, despite his prolonged absence from competitions on the left arm since 2018.

This situation caused controversy: Devon Larratt publicly asked Denis to challenge him or hand over the hammer to another deserving competitor.