Beyond the table: UAE’s armwrestling scene flexes its muscles

Away from the table, Maxim Polishchuk doesn’t immediately come across as an arm wrestler. With his soft-spoken demeanor and warm smile, you’d never guess that the 25-year-old Ukrainian has won multiple international titles.

Usually I’m very kind in my life. But on the table, I’m very aggressive. Very.

Competing since the age of 14, Polishchuk’s laurels include winning the Ukrainian Championship and the European Youth Championship, as well as several local titles like the Binous Classic, Dibba Classic and the Arm Bender Championship.

International armwrestling champion and coach Maxim Polishchuk at Strong Gym in Al Quoz, Dubai, where he helps run the Strong Armwrestling club.Supplied

Since 2021, he’s also been coaching local talent, becoming one of the most recognized faces in the UAE’s arm wrestling scene.

Though still considered a niche sport, the local community is one that is competitive and growing quickly.

A million-dirham jumpstart

The UAE’s arm wrestling community received a significant boost in 2019, thanks to a high-stakes competition in Ras Al Khaimah, according to Faisal Al Zaabi, president of the Arm Wrestling Committee and a board member of the Emirates Body Building Federation (EBBF).

Faisal Al Zaabi, president of the Arm Wrestling Committee and a board member of the Emirates Body Building Federation, and Secretary-General Mohammed Abdulrahim Al Marri celebrate after winning a silver medal at the 2024 International Powerlifting Federation World Masters Powerlifting Championships.WAM

Organised on request of the Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah, Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud Al Qasimi, only UAE nationals from Ras Al Khaimah were allowed to compete. The prize for the winner? A staggering AED 5 million.

The high-profile event drew significant international attention. However, Al Zaabi, himself an arm wrestler and powerlifter, stated that the EBBF is unlikely to organize a similar event in the future. He cited the high injury rate among participants as the main reason — at least six people injured their arms during the Ras Al Khaimah tournament.

That same year, arm wrestling came under the EBBF’s umbrella following approval from the UAE’s Ministry of Sport, further formalizing the sport.

There is an effort to brand and market the sport, with a potential hawk logo to represent arm wrestling in the UAE. The EBBF also hosts several competitions, offering prize money and attracting up to 80 competitors per event.

Social media muscle

A key driver of arm wrestling’s growing prominence is its popularity among fitness influencers on social media. Romanian personal trainer, arm wrestling referee and enthusiast Sergiu Marcu highlights one influencer in particular: powerlifter and bodybuilder Larry Williams, also known as Larry Wheels.

After moving to the UAE in 2021, Williams soon began posting a series of videos on his YouTube channel arm wrestling other fitness influencers.

Larry saw an opportunity to diversify his channel, not only with powerlifting and bodybuilding, but also by implementing a bit of arm wrestling.

Known online as Larry Wheels, American fitness influencer Larry Williams lived and created content in the UAE for about two years.Instagram/@larrywheels

These videos, filmed primarily at Binous Gym in Dubai, exposed arm wrestling in the UAE to a more mainstream audience. Marcu, who organized Binous’s arm wrestling club, sometimes featured in the videos as a referee.

Marcu soon became a key behind-the-scenes figure as Williams took on increasingly prominent names in the sport. This culminated in a match against Russian pro arm wrestler Aleksandr Beziazykov, known online as Schoolboy. Williams lost, but it sparked the idea to hold a rematch — this time, as a pay-per-view event in 2021 called ‘King of the Table’.

According to Adam Silver, Williams’ then manager and collaborator, they partnered with Don Idrees’s sports events platform Core Sports to organize the event in Dubai. Aside from the rematch, pro arm wrestlers Mark Boyd and Devon Larratt also faced off at the first edition of King of the Table, among others. The tournament was a massive success and has had several seasons since, and is now a premier arm wrestling event.

King of the Table now is a different beast; it’s all about the best arm wrestlers in the world. Everybody there that's competing is paid. They're paid either an appearance fee and then there may be additional funds if you win your match.

Pro armwrestlers John Brzenk (L) and Denis Cyplenkov (R) take each other on at Season 6 of King of the Table, a premier arm wrestling event.Supplied

What’s next?

The overarching goal for arm wrestling in the UAE is clear — expansion.

The country took a significant step forward in 2023 by becoming part of the World Armwrestling Federation (WAF) in 2023. The EBBF’s Al Zaabi reveals that the Federation is attempting to bring international competitions to the UAE, with Dubai bidding to host the World Armwrestling Championship in 2026.

Al Zaabi also stresses the importance of training and developing the small pool of existing talent in the UAE. The UAE’s team of just three earned two silver medals at the 2023 Asian Arm Wrestling Championship and is hungry for future international success.

Sergiu Marcu (L) spars with Maxim Polishchuk (R) at Strong Armwrestling in Strong Gym Al Quoz, Dubai.Nukta Dubai

Though there aren’t any official coaching centers yet, there are a number of unofficial spots where aspiring athletes can train. Trainers Polishchuk and Marcu, who run Strong Armwrestling out of Strong Gym in Dubai, encourage those interested to check out their local clubs.

“You need to start with smart people. The best is with a coach who knows how to prepare you and do it safely,” said Polishchuk.

Marcu describes arm wrestling as a “retirement sport.”

You’ve heard the expression ‘old man strength. Arm wrestling helps you develop a certain strength that kind of stays with you. It’s a longevity sport.