PHOENIX – As the smell of fried food and hot dogs filled The Hangout entertainment and event area at the Arizona State Fair, arm wrestlers caked their hands in chalk and gathered around tables to test their strength.

The Arizona State Fair Armwrestling Championship doesn't just test tendons and technique, however. The true strength on display was the power of the sport to bring family and community together. 

From relatives trying to prove who is best in their family, to elite arm wrestlers competing for prizes, to promoters working tirelessly to grow the sport with newcomers, the championships showed how arm wrestling builds bonds.

Steve Simons has been promoting arm wrestling events across the country for 50 years. With a background in competitive tennis, he drew inspiration for this arm wrestling event from the United States Tennis Association format, holding regional events that culminated in a national competition. 

Simons has staged the championships at the Arizona State Fair for 15 years, an event he calls the Super Bowl of arm wrestling. It attracts veteran wrestlers from across the country and beyond the U.S., and Simons said the event also draws newcomers looking to test their abilities.

“You have the regulars; they’re the team players,” Simons said. “But like any school, you’ve got walk-ons.”

This year, Simons was not alone in promoting, as Phoenix-based Dino Muslic took a break from competing to organize the event. Despite tearing a biceps muscle a year ago, Muslic continued to compete, although organizing tournaments remains his true passion.

“I travel all around the United States competing, but my passion is more for organizing tournaments here in Arizona and different states,” Muslic said.

Most athletes enter an arm-wrestling tournament dreaming of getting the first-place medal placed around their neck. For Phoenix's David Burgess, however, losing to his son Titus was a victory in itself.

The father-son duo discovered the sport on social media in 2023 and decided to attend a local event. Since then, they have trained and competed against one another, creating a friendly rivalry.

Beyond the wins and losses, competing alongside Titus has given David a chance to strengthen their bond – and biceps – through a shared passion.

“I just think it’s so much fun to see how strong (Titus) is getting,” David said. “I want him to surpass me as my son. I want to see him reach his maximum potential.”

Phoenix’s David Burgess (right) didn’t mind losing at the Arizona State Fair Armwrestling Championship in Phoenix on Oct. 24. That’s because he lost to his son, Titus.

Richie Meno/Cronkite News

Reaching the pinnacle of the sport requires a lot of time and dedication outside of competition. Titus said his training regimen includes using a pulley system attached to heavy weights, allowing him to target different tendons and muscles. His workouts also include lighter repetitions where he can focus on mastering his technique.

“You can also do isometric (exercises), where you pull against an immovable object for a couple of seconds; that helps a lot, too,” Titus said.

The Burgesses are not the only family growing closer through competition.

Gilbert resident Britney Field walked away with two first-place medals, one for each arm. Her son introduced her to the sport, and she has trained and competed for a few years now. 

Field enjoys competing, but her true love is spending time with her son and the other arm wrestlers.

“We’ve grown really close because of arm wrestling,” Field said. “We spend a lot of time traveling and the arm wrestling family here is amazing.”

Britney Field takes down Bri Krzewina at the Arizona State Fair Armwrestling Championship in Phoenix on Oct. 24 to take home the first-place medal.

Photo by Richie Meno/Cronkite News

Arm wrestling has grown relationships through blood, but former Arizona Cardinals fullback and super heavyweight champion Reagan “The Juggernaut” Maui’a believes those bonds are passed down.

Maui’a runs the Juggernaut Arm Wrestling School (JAWS) in San Tan Valley and wants to help out the next generation of arm wrestlers by passing down the knowledge he learned from his mentor, John Brzenk.

“It’s only right that I pass the torch as it was passed to me,” Maui’a said. “The knowledge of arm wrestling, the art of arm wrestling, the art of fighting without actually fighting – that’s why we as JAWS Arizona, we take the approach as a community and as one.”

This was the fourth year Maui’a’s has competed at the Arizona State Fair. He came up short the first time, but he has taken home the first-place medal the past three years. While going home with the title of champion is always a bonus, Maui’a believes sticking together and having fun is the ultimate victory.

“We got to keep together as brothers, sisters and as fans of the sport; make arm wrestling fun again,” Maui’a said. “That’s what I’m all about.”

From parents competing against their kids to passing down knowledge taught by those before, the strength needed in arm wrestling expands beyond the table. For Maui’a, relationships and bonding will help take the sport to new heights.

“With the right mentality, with the right energy, with the right spirit, with the right time frame, we can move mountains, brother,” Maui’a said. “You know what I mean? We can cross oceans, man.”

This article first appeared on Cronkite News and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.