The light-hearted collaboration brought together arguably the greatest no-gi grappler of all time with two arm wrestling legends, giving fans a rare crossover between two sports built on leverage, grip strength, and technical precision.
Although the lesson was billed as a “five-minute arm wrestling crash course,” Larratt and Brzenk managed to cover several of the sport’s fundamental techniques before Gordon turned the tables and introduced them to some Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Learning the Basics
Brzenk began by explaining the hook, one of arm wrestling’s classic inside positions. Rather than relying on pure arm strength, he emphasized using the back and lat muscles to drag an opponent’s arm across the table while keeping wrist control.
From there, the trio moved on to the top roll, a technique Larratt has spent time teaching Ryan in previous training sessions. The focus is on attacking an opponent’s fingertips, climbing to a higher hand position, and using pronation to weaken their grip before finishing the match.
The lesson continued with the press, which Larratt described as a natural progression from the hook. By bringing the shoulder further behind the hand, the press allows an arm wrestler to commit more body weight into the finishing motion.
Devon Larratt Explains the King’s Move
Of course, no lesson from Devon Larratt would be complete without discussing his signature technique, the King’s Move.
Often one of the most debated techniques in professional arm wrestling, Larratt explained that the King’s Move is less about scoring an immediate pin and more about creating a defensive position that exhausts an opponent over time.
Rather than driving straight through an opponent, the technique relies on maintaining a high hand, strong pronation, and continuous drag pressure while forcing the other competitor to keep squeezing.
“The King’s Move is not a pinning move—it’s a stopping move,” Larratt explained during the demonstration.
The technique has become one of the defining features of Larratt’s career and has played a major role in many of his biggest matches on the international stage.
Gordon Ryan Returns the Favor
After spending several minutes as the student, Ryan invited Larratt and Brzenk into his world.
Demonstrating one of the fundamental principles of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Ryan showed how he creates separation when breaking locked grips before extending the lever with body weight to force the hands apart.
Despite years of elite-level arm strength, both arm wrestlers quickly discovered just how difficult it is to resist the mechanics behind high-level Jiu-Jitsu grip breaking.
The demonstrations quickly turned into laughter as both visitors found themselves tapping to Ryan’s submissions, highlighting the massive technical differences between the two sports despite their shared emphasis on hand control.
Two Sports Built on Leverage
While the collaboration was filled with jokes and friendly competition, it also showcased how much Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and arm wrestling have in common.
Both sports reward athletes who understand leverage, body positioning, grip fighting, and efficient movement over raw strength. Watching Ryan discuss grappling concepts with Larratt and Brzenk made it clear that many of the same mechanical principles apply, even if the rules and objectives are completely different.
A freelance journalist with more than seven years of experience covering a wide range of topics, with a focus on delivering accurate, engaging, and well-researched reporting. He studied at the University of Birmingham, where he developed a strong foundation in journalism and communications. Martin is a 10th Planet BJJ brown belt and has been training for approximately 10 years and a keen follower of submission grappling.
