When the “World’s Strongest Man 2025” contest began, all eyes were on two men; defending champion and three-time winner Tom Stoltman and 2023 champion Mitchell Hooper. Can the Albatross go back-to-back and cement their legacy as historic champions with a historic fourth title, or will Hooper reclaim the title that may have slipped from his grasp due to a hand injury during the 2024 final?
The answer was actually C: None of the above. That’s because the man from South Africa, who was considered a dark horse with a chance to reach the final, achieved what some pundits thought he would. the biggest upset of the century to win the title. Rhyno Nel wasn’t a name many knew outside of the pre-race community, but he was the latest name for the 2025 champion to secure the title by half a point over Stoltmann. Even he did not see that he won the championship in his first trip.
“I originally came in with the goal of making the finals and being competitive,” Nel said. “I shocked myself a bit.”
From Unknown to Champion: The Rise of Rhyno Nel
To understand how Nel became the first person to win a title since Jouko Ahola in his debut year, you have to go back to how he got into the sport. Nel is from Krugersdorp, a mining town in West Rand, Gauteng Province. He became an engineer by profession, but also played rugby, which he says could be a religion in his part of the world. He discovered the sport of strength through a local competition held every year.
“It was mostly just local guys, like community farmers,” Nell said. “So they forget about it for a year.”
Nel also saw Gerrit Badenhorst, a powerlifter and strongman who excelled in strength, doing local shows for schools and groups. Rugby was Nell’s ultimate dream until about three years ago when he had a light bulb moment while having a beer with family members.
“Let’s try the strong,” he thought. While his country is a big place, he has been fortunate to be around athletes with experience, including men who have placed in their country’s top two competitions. Nell learned well and quickly. By 2023, he not only participated in the “South Africa’s Strongest Man” competition, but also won it. Obviously, he didn’t know it was a sign of things to come, but he knew he had potential.
“I think I’ve been doing the sport for six or seven months and I’ve already won it. So a little over a year, I did my first one. Strongman League of Champions (SCL) tournament.»
The SCL is a respected organization within the sport and it serves as a launching pad for many of the sport’s stars. They host many national and international tournaments and Nel wasted no time establishing himself in 2024, winning two and winning his world title by the end of that year. He would do the same in 2025. These victories did more than give Nell confidence; they prepared him for the final stage.
“It almost felt like I wasn’t going to be star struck if I made it to the next stage. I know I can be competitive.”
Nell came to Sacramento, California for the WSM event and placed in Group 3. He was joined by established rivals such as Shane Flowers, Lucas Hutton and even ex-runner Mateusz Kielski. Nel never finished lower than second at any point in the qualifiers and took his best place, taking him to the final.
It looked like Nel would do the same in the final, but the fourth event, the Flintstone Press Max, resulted in an eighth place finish. That opened the door for Stoltman or Hooper to make a move. Nell and Hooper are tied for the overall lead heading into the final event, the Atlas Stones.
The goal of the final event is to lift five stones of increasing weight from the ground to your platform in the fastest time. Stoltman was once called the “King of Stones” and Hooper was a master technician. Stoltman won the event in less than 32 seconds, which gave him the win. Nel finished third with four stones in 30.17 seconds. Hooper was less than a second behind Nell. By the time the points were settled for the finish, Nel had won the title by less than a point. He had no idea of the story behind the victory, but he knew that his future had changed forever.
“So much has changed.”
How Rhyno Nell beat Tom Stoltman and Mitchell Hooper
Like being the Mr. Olympia title in bodybuilding, the World’s Strongest Man becomes part of the winners’ legacy. Nell’s name will forever be remembered because of her amazing performance. There are responsibilities that come with the title such as representing the sport and traveling the world. Nell is privileged to be in his position, but is also passionate about his full-time engineering career, and he has no plans to give it up anytime soon.
“For me, it’s a good thing to have something to turn off the strong part and focus on something that’s completely different.”
When he is at his best, his training and preparation has been on point and he is more confident this year than last. Nell cites working on his overhead pressing ability as well as his strength in areas he excels in, such as deadlifts and deadlifts.
However, Nell just wasn’t prepared for this. Along with his wife Monya, he has been working with trainer Terence Bosman and celebrity nutritionist Nathan Payton to ensure he is at his best for the competition. He originally planned to compete in the 2026 Arnold Strongman Classic, but withdrew due to a salmonella infection and focused on defending his title. Now that he is the hunted man, he is aware of 24 other men who are trying to dethrone him.
“There are a lot of guys who are going to be a threat,” he said. “That said, I know what Tom and Mitchell can do, but it should take less than 1% of my energy.”
Can Rhyno Neal defend his title in 2026?
The 25 best wrestlers in the world will gather in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina from April 23rd to 26th to compete in this tournament. The World’s Strongest Man 2026 Edition. Obviously, Nell can’t fly under the radar this time because he’s the reigning champion. On top of that, now both Stoltman and Hooper are intent on reminding him who the sport’s ultimate boss really is.
However, Nel is now thinking about more than just the final. This first trophy is the only one in his jersey and he fully intends to bring another one back to South Africa to continue his legacy in the sport. As for Hooper and Stoltman’s intentions, Nell is doing what many champions in his position would do — controlling his preparation and effort.
“When I go to a tournament, I don’t care who the guys are or what history says, I just want to do my best.”
You can follow the world’s most powerful man by following them on Instagram @theworldsstrongestman.
