Devon Larratt has many great videos, but I really think this one is the funniest… The best talk is in the last part of the Video…
Tim Bresnan asks Devon Larratt how much Steve Kaplan (WAL President) paid him to not take part in Top 8.
They also talk about Levan Saginashvili and other subjects.
Tim Bresnan is great in this video, they really made a very funny chat… 😀
” For the past 6 months myself and you WAL management team has been working around the clock to deliver an our vision of building this sport and WAL into a major force in the world of sports. We are accomplishing this through innovation and building for today’s market place. We have no interest in replicating past models and practices which have proven time and again to not work. In order for us to accomplish this goal, we must align ourselves with best in class partners.
From blue chip companies who will invest in this sport and help it grow at an accelerated rate to publications that will provide ongoing coverage and content, and in any area in between. These partnerships are oftentimes very complex and take a while to complete. Which is the main reason why we haven’t been able to update you until now.
The WAL brand, like the competitors in this sport, does not count a win until a match is over. And in our case a deal isn’t a deal until it is a signed deal. I’ve got a lot to go over with you, so sit back here we go.
NEW PARTNERSHIPS. In December we developed a massive new partnership with Monster Energy and its Muscle Monster Energy Shake brand. The partnership places WAL and armwrestling front and center as the pre-event crowd entertainment at pit parties for 12 supercross events around the country. Directly interacting with more live potential fans in competitors than at any time in the history of the sport. It was an opportunity we needed to grab. Getting it off the ground it was a huge undertaking but we got it up and running and in early May when it’s all over, just 4 short months, over 100 different WAL atheletes would have participated at these events and we will have them directly face to face with approximately 180,000 potential new fans and competitors. That kind of one to one exposure to our sport is priceless. If you would have been to one of these events, you know exactly what I mean. If you haven’t, check the news section of the WAL website for a schedule and come and check it out: www.walunderground.com/news
Success in the Monster Supercross partnership has led to additional opportunities to be featured at fitness expos and more.
Speaking of Monster, I’m sure many of you have read in the press about the Muscle Monster title sponsorship of the WAL series and ESPN, which will now be officially called the Muscle Monster World Armwrestling. This is a different partnership than the Supercross Activation, and it was a game changing moment for WAL. Not only did we get a title partner, in my opinion we’ve got the very best one in the business. No one knows how to build sports brands better than Monster. They genuinely understand the WAL brand and in the short time they brought many opportunities to the table. The Partnership is comprehensive and ranges from the shring of digital content and social media assets to having a strong presence at WAL events.
WAL has also formed a partnership with MillerCoors and its Smith & Forge Hard Cider brand. This is a very significant partnership. Aside for being a perfect fit for the series and the sport, Smith & Forge will be investing in the sport by running promotions at local venues around the country, that host WAL events. They have developed first class promotional materials that will not only amp up the excitement and bring more and more new competitors to the sport, it will also raise the profile of the sport and WAL to even a higher level.
SPONSORSHIPS. We continue in the area of corporate sponsorships. These sponsorships are critical to all of our success as no one () can reach its potential without strong support from corporate america which plays a vital role in the development and growth of the sport. The reason for which these mega companies consider investing in WAL is because rightfully so they believe it is a sound business decision. Which will result in growth for their brands.
Early on in our meetings it became very apparent that if these companies were to invest in WAL and the sport, they would have to have complete exclusivity at all levels of our events. This means that even at our local qualifying events, they are not sharing space with non-affiliated products. This includes both national and local brands. This is why we have had restrictions on local sponsorship of athletes and in local events. It is actually very important at the highest level. We know that this could feel hard on your end, but we are playing this game at a completely different level than anyone in this sport has in the past and we are working towards a much higher scale. And these are the necessities that are required to achieve at this level.
MORE NEW PARTNERS. Muscle & Fitness magazine – this partnership includes both digital & print, and it will give WAL ongoing coverage including listing of upcoming events, results & more. WAL will provide digital content to Muscle & Fitness’ 6.5 million users.
Boyd Gaming – Owns and operates 22 casinos in Las Vegas and throughout USA. They will be hosting WAL events at several of these casinos, including the WAL Championships, which will be held from June 24 – 26, 2016 at The Orleans Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
2016 will showcase the first WAL Women’s Championship competition, with and entire episode dedicated to them on ESPN. This episode will air a minimum of 4 hours, including prime time. They will compete for a $65,000 prize money, plus a chance to walk away as the first women to win a WAL Hammer. This is the chance you’ve been waiting for: big money & big exposure. It will never be a bigger opportunity for all of us. So let’s work together to drive huge turn out of female athletes.
In addition to the exciting news about women armwrestling, we are also pumped to welcome our European competitors into the WAL family. The top 3 men & women in each class from WAL European Super Qualifier 2016 will advance to the WAL Championships. Neil Pickup along with his country directors have done an amazing job of executing qualifiers in countries including the UK, France, Germany, Holland, Sweden, Norway and Finland. We re extremely excited to see you in Las Vegas.
Also on the upcoming slate in Las Vegas is our new WAL Amateur championships. We feel it is important to give new competitors in this sport a chance to have a place to shine, compete with others at their level and win recognition for their skill and effort. This is the kind of thing that can really help continue to expand the sport and we are excited to offer this in Las Vegas this year.
Athletes Agreements. As the league and the sport continue to grow so too is your standing as a professional athlete in this sport. You no longer are packing 5 in a car driving 4 hours and sharing 1 room for a chance to compete for $200. As professionals you’ve signed agreements to be a part of WAL and compete at WAL events. We’ve worked hard to make our agreements as flexible as possible while providing us with the rights that we must secure in order to build the sport and the WAL brand. Among these rights that you’ve contracted include the exclusive rights to your name and likeness. WAL must secure these as we grant use of these to our partners, which includes our broadcast partner. As a reminder, if you’ve competed in the 2015 regionals in Las Vegas, you have signed these rights, among others, to WAL until May 30th, 2017. These rights you have given still allow you to compete anywhere you would like with the exception of any event that is broadcast. This includes television and yes, events that are streamed. Since you were only be competing at the events that are not broadcast, you would not have to wear WAL gear, if you choose not to, but you cannot wear another’s league brand without prior written approval from WAL.
New benefits for competitors. We are increasing the payout pull for the 2016 series by an additional $25,000 prize money. We’ll add that money straight into the prize pool at both regionals and finals levels. So come and get a piece of it. Check the details on this, next week.
Our version of the super match series. We believe that the current format is outdated and in need of an upgrade to meet today’s market place. And this is an area where we could expand and grow. We will be running at least 4 of our newly formatted super series from late July to November to showcase our athletes throughout the year. We already have a venue and a time and we are working on our first mega match-up as we speak. The first of these events will take place in the Chicago land area. Look for the complete details in the upcoming month or so, and keep an eye out for this. WAL is about to change the game again, and these series will be something to see.
One of the most unique aspects of WAL has been our ability to capture and develop an imagery that is unparalleled. I put our videos and still images up against those from any sport anywhere in the world. We’ve spent quite a bit of effort and money crafting our creative imagery strategy to build our brand and hire the best shooters in the business to deliver on that strategy. Many of them are award winning artists who have also shot for the top sport leagues in the world.
Over the coming weeks we’ll be releasing much of our archive to you, so you could enjoy them. We encourage you to post and share them with others. We will start with images from the New Orleans and the 2015 regionals. Enjoy these, they are really amazing and get ready for videos from these events as well, that’s coming soon, too.
Many of you have seen our new digital trading cards posted on instagram. The first one featured right handed stud super-heavyweight undefeated Dave Chaffee. We feel that this is an innovative way to help spread the word on WAL and its incredible athletes. We’ve launched our men’s and women’s champions series which will feature an armwrestler or two each week. This will be followed by the state champion series, the contenders series and the platinum WAL directors series.”
WAL 2016 Address from Steve Kaplan
Source: WAL
” Monster Energy Company “Locks Up” Title Sponsorship With World Armwrestling League
CHICAGO, Feb. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — The World Armwrestling League, WAL, today announced a new partnership deal with energy drink giant Monster Energy Company.
The comprehensive alliance includes the title sponsorship for the complete WAL series, from local qualifying events throughout North America, seven countries across Europe and on to the championships aired in primetime on ESPN 2.
The multi-year deal will feature Muscle Monster Energy Shake as the lead brand, bolstering the expansion of WAL’s presence and professional arm-wrestling’s profile.
The deal will also bring the WAL’s live fan engagement to a range of Monster events, placing pro arm-wrestling front and center for the masses, while providing content sharing on digital and social platforms.
The union between WAL and Monster Energy adds another groundbreaking sport into Monster Energy’s formidable stable of athletic affiliations, one already bursting with the best in Supercross, mixed martial arts, NASCAR, BMX, and more.
“Monster is really excited to work with such a unique and fun property as the WAL,” said Mitch Covington, Monster Energy Company’s Vice President for Sports. “These guys are amazing to watch and a great way for us to interact with fans in a cool way.”
“We are honored and thrilled to have Muscle Monster as our title sponsor,” WAL president Steve Kaplan said. “Monster has shown time and again to be best in class at building sports properties.”
The WAL blasted into America’s consciousness last summer with its 2015 campaign on ESPN networks, awarding more than $500,000 in prize money to the world’s best “pullers” in the land. In the process, it introduced more than 9 million viewers to just what makes pro arm-wrestling so compelling.
“With Monster and ESPN, WAL continues to put together top caliber partners as we expand our sport and league,” Kaplan said.
Arm-wrestling is highly participatory with training regimens that fit perfectly within an overall fitness regimen and is growing at an exponential rate. This year promises to be even more inclusive for new fans and aspiring competitors in the fast-growing pro arm-wrestling scene.
More than 200 events nationwide will allow new athletes to enter the competitive ranks at an unprecedented level via amateur events taking place alongside the pro-level battles.
Few sports have ever opened the door so widely to any athlete with the grit and desire to become one of the world’s best, and a star in the process.
WAL’s partnership with Monster was spearheaded by the premier sports agency, New York City-based Equity Sports Partners, WAL’s exclusive sponsorship sales agency.
The announcement comes as WAL launches its 2016 season, featuring months of action, high-stakes purses, worldwide qualifiers and a huge expansion of the women’s division. To find an event near you visit www.walunderground.com
ABOUT WORLD ARMWRESTLING LEAGUE
Based in Chicago, WAL celebrates the best of today’s arm-wrestling stars while opening the sport up to new competitors of all ranks, sizes and styles via hundreds of events nationwide. Pro arm-wrestling is a true test of mettle and merit that combines an intricate array of tactics and techniques with strength and stamina. It’s a huge, participatory sport with a large and growing community. And now, the World Armwrestling League is taking this sport mainstream. Our ranks include engineers, businessmen, soldiers, teachers, truckers, and bankers. But when you chalk up your hands and step to the table, it’s not about what you do or where you come from. It’s about what you’re made of, and whether you can get the pin.
Contact: [email protected]
www.WALUnderground.com
Twitter/IG: @WALUnderground
Facebook: /WorldArmwrestlingLeagueSOURCE World Armwrestling League ”
Source: prnewswire.com │ The news is also on reuters.com
” WAL LOCKS UP ‘MONSTER’ DEAL FOR TITLE SPONSORSHIP
FEBRUARY 17TH 2016
The World Armwrestling League and Monster Energy, two high-octane organizations at the cutting edge of extreme sports, have joined forces! Monster has become the title sponsor for WAL. The multi-year deal will see the worldwide leader in pro arm-wrestling reborn as the Muscle Monster World Armwrestling League. The league will be paired with a the new product in the Monster line, Muscle Monster Energy Shake, and the deal provides for a wide range of partnerships, from social media content sharing to appearances by WAL at a host of Monster-produced events around the country.
“Monster is really excited to work with such a unique and fun property as the WAL,” said Mitch Covington, Monster’s Vice President for Sports. “These guys are amazing to watch and a great way to interact with fans in a cool way.”
Go ahead and add professional arm-wrestling to the army of epic athletic affiliations in the Monster family, including the best in supercross, mixed martial arts, NASCAR, BMX and many more.
“We are honored and thrilled to have Muscle Monster as our title sponsor,” WAL head Steve Kaplan said. “Monster has shown time and again to be best in class at building sports properties.”
The WAL blasted into the American mainstream last summer with its 2015 campaign on ESPN networks, showing more than 9 million viewers why pro pulling is so awesome. In the process, it added legions of new hearts, minds (and arms) to the sport’s burgeoning fan base.
That expanding fan population has a lot to get excited for as the Monster partnership launches. More than 200 events across America and the globe will allow new athletes to enter the competitive ranks at an unprecedented level in 2016 via amateur showcases taking place alongside the pro-level battles.“With Monster and EPSN, the WAL continues to put together top-caliber partners as we expand our sport and league,” Kaplan said.
Keep checking WALUnderground.com for more details. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @WALUnderground. ”
Source: walunderground.com
After a blockbuster 2015 season on ESPN, the World Armwrestling League this fall is heading across the Atlantic to open up competition in a new territory: Western Europe. As it prepares for the 2016 season, the growing league will feature WAL International qualifiers, to be held Nov. 28 and 29 in the United Kingdom and in countries across the continent, all aimed at bringing out the best in the region. The 2016 European qualifiers represent the next step in WAL’s unprecedented expansion and unification of the world’s great professional arm-wrestlers as interest in the age-old sport heats up on both continents.
“We’ve been contacted continuously by other countries calling us and asking us to start competitions,” WAL Commissioner Steve Kaplan said. “We’re answering that call. WAL is truly global in uniting and celebrating the uniqueness and the amazing expertise of these competitors.”
Events will be held the U.K., Norway, Holland, France and Germany, as well as Stockholm, Sweden, where pullers from Denmark and Greenland will be able to come throw down. Check the WAL Events Page here for more details. The UK qualifier will take place in Lancashire, England, and will be open to pullers from across England, all of Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The top six athletes on the left and right arms in each weight class will be invited to the WAL Europe super-qualifier regional tournament in London next March. From there, the top three athletes on each arm and in each weight class will then go on to represent WAL International at the WAL Championships in Las Vegas next summer. Competitors must be a resident of the country where they first qualify. The European effort will be helmed by Neil Pickup, known to many as the voice of WAL through his play-by-play commentary on the WAL on ESPN, but a multiple-time world champion competitor himself who is also a pillar of Europe’s arm-wrestling scene. And Europeans take the sport just as seriously as their North American counterparts, Pickup said.
“It’s more a way of life than a hobby,” he said.
The cream of the European arm-wrestling crop is anxious to join the WAL’s ranks and fight for their share of the 2016 season’s massive cash payouts, he said. North America’s best pullers will need to watch the eastern horizon for names like Niklas “The Steel Giraffe” Nannestad out of Sweden, Norway’s “Relentless” Frode Haugland, the U.K.’s Craig “The Birmingham Bullet” Sanders. Also likely to grapple for a shot at a date in Vegas are “Mighty” Paul Maiden, “The Thing” Meindert Nentjes of Holland, Germany’s Matthias “Hell Boy” Schlitte, and Josef “Tough” Lovei and “Handsome” Aymeric Pradines out of France.
“The best athletes from Western Europe have been watching the development of the WAL with great interest and are excited to get involved,” Pickup said. “There is definitely the quality within Western Europe to make an immediate impact in the finals.”
Source: walunderground.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Steve Kaplan, the president and commissioner of the World Armwrestling League (WAL).
It was announced earlier this month that ESPN in the U.S. has reached an agreement with WAL for exclusive rights to televise the 2014 World Armwrestling League Championship and the 2015 World Armwrestling League season. More details will be announced shortly, including the dates and times WAL events will be available on television and online.
The next WAL event will take place Saturday, January 10, 2015, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.
We spoke with Steve Kaplan by phone Tuesday.
Known as a business leader with many interests and accomplishments, he explained why he was attracted to the sport of arm wrestling.
“It is controlled aggression. It is intense. It is high testosterone,” he said. “It’s all about the combination of the physical and the psychological. And it’s matching speed, technique, and power, and utilizing them in a short burst of a time frame to really excel in this sport.”
Unlike contact and combat sports, he added, “It allows you to get all that done without the risks of life and limb. And it’s really an impressive thing by that.”
When arm wrestling was featured on the reality TV show “Game of Arms” earlier this year on the AMC network, he also saw the potential of this sport on television. AMC originally announced that there would be a second season of “Game of Arms”, but then reversed course and announced that the network would no longer develop unscripted shows, thus cancelling a second season.
By then, WAL had started running live events, and they went to ESPN, which led to the current agreement.
We also discussed more on the sport of arm wrestling, the appeal of watching these professional and elite athletes, the plans for running numerous events across the U.S. in 2015, the profit-sharing of WAL with their athletes, why “this should be a major sport”, plans for PED testing, and much, much more.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called “The Heist”, which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
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Payleg.com, which gives you the tools to develop a full-time income by building a home-based business. Teaching success in the home-based business industry since 1988, Payleg.com is available in 190 countries. For more information, go to Payleg.com.
Takedown Wrestling Media, America’s wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to TakedownRadio.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.comSource: nhbnews.podomatic.com
Some of Steve’s Accomplishments:
- He actively helped raise 2 great kids coaching many youth sports along the way.
- He helped create over 100 millionaires.
- He built one of the nation’s largest marketing firms from scratch before selling it several times.
- He then played a leadership role in the sale of the publicly-traded entity for what was at that time an industry record-smashing $2.1 billion.
- He positively influenced thousands of individuals to identify and pursue their passions.
- He was featured on ABC’s Secret Millionaire where he volunteered uncovering heroes helping their communities.
- He’s owned 30 businesses across many industries and sold 26 of them.
- He wrote two New York Times bestselling books, Bag the Elephant (Business Book of the Year) and Be the Elephant.
- His books are available in over 10 languages and 40 countries around the world.
- He built a business into an organization with 1300 employees in 29 international offices.
- He received a “Best Musical” Tony™ nomination for the Broadway musical Leap of Faith, starring Raul Esparza with music by Alan Menken.
- He recently completed a tour of our nation’s universities helping tens of thousands of students prepare for success.
- He is an Executive Producer of the album titled “Chi Town” scheduled for release in through Universal Music Group.
- He completed a climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest freestanding mountain in the world.
- He served on the Executive Committee for EuroRSCG, which set strategy for its 176- company conglomerate.
- He ran with the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain.
- He travels around the globe speaking to groups on success and achievement.
- He is a founder of The Kaplan Family foundation dedicated to helping individuals achieve their dreams by providing resources to help them succeed.
- He recently returned from touring Afghanistan where he presented thousands of troops with strategies to get jobs and start businesses upon redeployment.
Steve’s Story
Steve’s first business was a snow shoveling company that he built and sold to a large landscaping company. The sale was for $48 … he was 10 years old. Years later, Steve has become a self-made multimillionaire who has built, bought and sold over 100 businesses and helped thousands more around the world identify and realize their dreams. One of Steve’s proudest accomplishments is the fact that he helped make over 100 people millionaires in their own right.
An average student, Steve wanted to play football, so he attended Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. He transferred and graduated from Bradley University with a major in Political Science before receiving an MBA from Rosary Graduate School. During this time, Steve worked a variety of jobs as a waiter, construction roofer, landscaper, factory laborer, and an adjunct faculty to mention a few.
In his mid-twenties, Steve hit his first big success with a marketing company called SCA. He didn’t have any business mentors or financial backing, so Steve learned on the fly. Possessing street smarts, a ton of passion, a solid work ethic, and of course some luck, Steve lived the trials of the small business owner. With limited resources, Steve used many cash flow conservation tactics such as sleeping in his car versus buying a hotel room, borrowing friends’ cars to take out clients, and more. These experiences along with many others allow Steve to easily relate to people in all walks of life. He knows what it’s like to stay awake all night agonizing over a decision he made 12 hours ago. He also knows the psyche and dynamics of the business owner, their families and employees both on the national and international scale.
Steve quickly realized that if he were going to make it big, he would need to get a lot of business from Procter & Gamble, the biggest marketing spender in the industry, so he set his sites on P&G. He didn’t know anything about big companies, nor did he have any connections whatsoever, so he had no choice but to learn along the way. After many disappointments, Steve landed his first P&G client, a $10,000 order from Scope Mouthwash. Fast forward 5 years, and Steve was working with over 50 P&G brands and billing them over $25 million per year. He was able to replicate his big customer success at many other companies and was on his way. Fast forward a few more years to Steve’s first book Bag the Elephant™ and notice that the forward is written by John Pepper, Chairman and CEO of P&G. Steve was able to build his relationship at P&G beginning with a receptionist and climbing all the way to the CEO level.
Steve built SCA into a leading target marketing/database company before selling it to Snyder Communications NYSE SNC for tens of millions of dollars.
Steve stayed on with Snyder as Group President where he had 1,500 employees throughout the U.S. and U.K. He grew this division 225% in two years by growing and acquiring smaller businesses throughout the US, Europe, Asia and Australia, and then led the growth strategy initiatives for these businesses. This was a large public company consisting of many smaller businesses around the world.
Steve then played a leadership role in selling the public entity (Snyder Communications) to French owned Havas Advertising for an industry record $2.1 billion a few years later.
Steve stayed on as part of the deal as President & Chief Executive Officer of Bounty SCA, the business he started and built to huge levels.
Read more and see photos ► stevekaplanlive.com
Steve Kaplan Sizzle
Military Short 1:53
Steve Kaplan Secret Millionaire
ABC News
Windy City Live
Steve Kaplan- Afghanistan Operation HOT
Source: Steve Kaplan
Pullers: MASSIVE NEWS – The WAL is coming to ESPN Networks!
That’s right, our sport is going to be on the most gigantic stage possible — the biggest sports network in the world. ESPN Networks will air 8 episodes of WAL competition throughout 2015, starting with the New Orleans Championship. Check out the official announcement here and spread the news! http://es.pn/1I9Egb1This is it everyone — the sport of arm-wrestling on the world’s stage!
Congrats to one and all for your incredible tenacity, passion and dedication – ESPN has put arm-wrestling and the WAL in a giant spotlight. Now lets knock it out of the park – get out there and train hard, pull hard and we’ll see you on ESPN.
#WALonESPN
PRESS RELEASE
Posted by Ana Livia Coelho on December 5, 2014
ESPN to Provide Exclusive Coverage of the 2015 World Armwrestling League
ESPN reached an agreement with the World Armwrestling League (WAL) that provides the network with exclusive rights to televise the 2014 World Armwrestling League Championship and the 2015 World Armwrestling League season.
The deal features eight hours of programming on ESPN networks and WatchESPN, starting with the 2014 World Armwrestling League Championship, which takes place on January 10, 2015, and will air shortly thereafter. Events from the 2015 season will air throughout the summer.
Through a series of 100 events in 100 cities throughout the United States, the WAL brings the best professional and amateur arm wrestlers alike to compete for cash prizes and for the opportunity to make it to the 2015 World Armwrestling League Championship.
“Bringing the action of the World Armwrestling League to ESPN is yet another example of our commitment to reaching fans of all sports.” said Daniel Ochs, Director of Content Strategy & Acquisitions at ESPN.
“We are thrilled to partner with the leading sports network,” says Business Expert Steve Kaplan, president of the World Armwrestling League. “Together with ESPN, we will spotlight the dynamic sport of arm wrestling and feature world class professional athletes, while opening up the sport to anyone who believes they have the strength and will to compete with the best in the world.”
“The WAL is like no other sports league out there. Our athletes come from all walks of life – they’re mechanics, chemistry teachers, bankers, and oil-rig workers. When you’re in The Pit, it’s not about what you do or where you come from, it’s about one thing and one thing only: what you’re made of.”
For more information visit www.walunderground.com.
About WAL
Based in Chicago, the World Armwrestling League (WAL) is the largest and fastest growing professional arm wrestling league in the world. Known for its intense matches, high-energy and up-close fan experience, the WAL features the sport’s top superstars as they use power, technique, and strategy to compete in “The Pit” for the largest cash payouts in the sport and the title of WAL Champion.
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Source: espnmediazone.com
World Armwrestling League to Air on ESPN Networks
Professional Arm-Wrestling headed for National TV
CHICAGO, Dec. 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Arm-wrestling is a real sport. And it’s awesome.
After decades in the underground as a popular sport in America, arm-wrestling will go mainstream in 2015 as the World Armwrestling League (WAL) brings its high-stakes, high-profile competitions to ESPN.
On Wednesday, the WAL announced a deal to air eight hours of WAL competition on ESPN Networks and WatchESPN, kicking off with coverage of the 2014 WAL Championship on Jan. 10, 2015, at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. That event will feature $150,000 in prize money across a variety of weight classes.
In 2015, the League will launch a massive “100 Events in 100 Cities” showcase across America meant to scour the land for the nation’s best “pullers.”
Those qualifiers will face the most elite arm-wrestlers in the world in televised events set to air throughout the summer as competitors battle for upwards of $250,000 in prize money and the title of WAL Champion.
Read more on prnewswire.com
Devon Larratt talks about the reasons he joined WAL – World Armwrestling League. Devon also believes in Steve Kaplan – WAL Founder & President, he believes that Steve will gonna make magical things happen in the sport.
Devon also talks about the new format of WAL, which will be tested at WAL Chicago – 23 August 2014. In this new tournament format if you ever duck / lay down, or lose a match you will fight for 3rd and 4th place. There will be 2 pools which will gonna be seeded, the brackets will be seeded by Josh Handeland. The 2 pools will be played in the standard double elimination tournament in which you will progress until you got into the semifinal. There you will get 2 guys that are undefeated in each pool on the – A side, and they will have a supermatch from which it will be determined the 1st and the 2nd place. The armwrestlers from each pool who lost a match but they got to the semifinal in – B side, they will have a supermatch for the 3rd and 4th place.
Devon Larratt talks about his right arm. His right arm is stronger now than he was at WAL Las Vegas, but Devon expects it will be 2 more years until before he can say he is 100%, and he will not remember having surgery. But he is now fully willing to commit 100% to armwrestling as hard as he can in a tournament or in a supermatch, he is past the point where he fears re-injuring himself. He still has some spots where he is not fully comfortable and balanced, but he will get there and it will come a day when he will be again the best armwrestler in the world right handed.
Next Devon talks about VIDEO: Devon Larratt vs. Christian Binnie, +226 lbs LEFT FINAL │ WAL Las Vegas. He considers Christian Binnie 3rd top armwrestler in North America after him and Travis Bagent.
Craig Soubliere asked Devon about his decision to enter the 225 lbs class at WAL Chicago – 23 August 2014. Devon explains that for the last 15 years he ate as much as he could all the time, because he wanted to be as massive and strong as possible. He ate even more before a tournament, he wanted to stop, but he pushed himself. He normally weighs 235 lbs, and after WAL Las Vegas he started eating but not to a point where his guts are ripping apart. Devon made a joke about his wife Jodi Wood Larratt having a thing for Alexey Voevoda, because she started to eat raw food and no meat like him. 🙂
Devon still eats meat when he goes out, but in the house they eat raw vegetables all the time, and the weight flew out of him. During this interview Devon said he is already 225 lbs and he noticed no impact on the strength.
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Andrew “Cobra” Rhodes is the next invite in the show, starting from 25:43 in the recording below. He talks about Travis Bagent being the second time tournament director for WAL with WAL Chicago – 23 August 2014. Cobra also talks about the TV deal with a big network that will hopefully come out in December 2014 for the WAL – World Armwrestling League.
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The next invite to the show is Craig Tullier starting at 35:23 in the recording below.
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Allen Fisher is the next invite in the show, starting from 46:55 in the recording below.
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Please listen to all the recorded show below:
Part 2 of the WAL Crew
Cobra, Craig Tullier, Allen Fisher and Devon Larratt will all be on the show tonight….
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Travis Bagent talks about WAL Chicago – 23 August 2014, where Travis will be the tournament director, and about the new format that will be tried out in Chicago.
There are 3 top level athletes that have big changes to win their classes:
- 1. Dave Chaffee will compete and probably win the +226 lbs class;
- 2. Devon Larratt will compete in the -225 lbs class (he is currently ~227 lbs, and there are 47 competitors right now in that class);
- 3. Todd Hutchings will compete in the -195 lbs class.
- In the -165 lbs class there will be fighting for the no. 1 spot: Allen Fisher, Geoff “The HaleRaiser” Hale, Janis Amolins, Ethan Fritsche, Luke Kindt.
We also find out from Travis that Steve Kaplan – the CEO and founder of WAL – World Armwrestling League turned out TV deals that seemed amazing for Travis, but the fact is that Steve is in for the right TV deal for WAL, he is working super hard at it and it’s only a matter of time before there will be announced the entire ramification for the 2015 year.
Craig Soubliere asked Travis if the one match (out of 5) he lost with Chop at VIDEOS: Travis Bagent vs. Matt “Chop” Bertrand │16 August 2014 was for real or if it was acting. Travis said that it was for real because Chop is the second best armwrestler in North America, he can beat Devon Larratt, Christian Binnie, Craig Soubliere and anyone else in North America except for Travis Bagent. 🙂
For the ones asking if Travis Bagent is acting, Travis said that he is acting everyday of his life, he is acting like him. 🙂
This Monday Night’s guest is Travis Bagent and The WAL commission
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We’re proud to announce that Devon Larratt is part of the World Armwrestling League family.
“I’ve been in this sport for a long time. After learning what the WAL has planned for the future of arm wrestling, and the commitment and experience of its leadership I felt that I had to be part of it.” Larratt said.
Steve Kaplan, President and Commissioner of the WAL added, “We are extremely excited about Devon’s decision to join the WAL. Aside from being a world-class athlete and one of the biggest names in the sport, Devon possesses the integrity that we look for in our athletes. Devon will sit on our Council of Arms where he can help shape the future of the sport.”
Devon joins a growing roster of the greatest pullers in the sport who compete in the WAL, making it the largest and most competitive professional arm wrestling league in North America.
See www.walunderground.com for more.