Why do Eddie Hall and Hafthor ‘Thor’ Bjornsson hate each other? The ‘Game of Thrones’ Mountain strongman feud with arch rival
- Two of the biggest names in strongman go tit-for-tat after their friendship turns sour in 2017
- A controversial decision in World’s Strongest Man costs ‘Thor’ the title and hands it to Eddie Hall
Two World’s Strongest Man winners have a bizarre and ongoing feud that periodically rears its head as the men take to social media to call each other out and engage in one-upmanship.
Eddie Hall and Hafthor “Thor” Bjornsson, famous for playing the Game of Thrones Mountain, seemingly hate each other. But it was not always the case. The pair were friends until a fateful day in 2017.
They were competing during the 2017 World’s Strongest Man. The round was the “Viking Press”. The competitors lifted a heavy load above their heads, using only their arms. The referee deemed Bjornsson to have used his legs to get an extra bit of strength and discounted a rep.
The no-rep cost Bjornsson a point and ultimately the title, handing it to his old friend Hall and ruining their relationship. Bjornsson was livid and did not accept the no-rep.
Bjornsson reclaimed the World’s Strongest Man title in 2018, and fuelled their rivalry further.
Hall had retired from competing by that stage, so Bjornsson did not get the catharsis he yearned for. So in 2020 Bjornsson set his sights on deadlifting 501kg. It was a world record and a snub; it was just 1kg heavier than the former world record set by, you guessed it, Hall in 2016.