CONFIRMED： BRIAN SHAW vs LEONIDAS ARKONA on EvW 23

We got some great news that I'm really excited about. Brian Shaw is going to face Leonidas Arcana in East vs West 23 in Germany in April. I think it was April 18th. I have to double check the date but it just got confirmed. So first before we go and I talk about the match, how it happened, my thoughts about it. I want to know your thoughts. What do you think? Who's the favorite? And is this a big step up for Brian or it's a maybe in your mind or maybe someone else's mind it's a step down from Brandon Allen. So anyway, Leonidas, I think the last time he pulled was versus Devon and that was a painful match. I was there, I watched the match, I commentated the match. It was really painful just to watch it. Devon was absolutely dominant and Leonidas just couldn't do much in that match. So I think it kind of broke him a little bit and I talked multiple times about what is the next step for Leonidas. So Leonidas has pulled I think four times on East vs West stage or King of Table and East vs West stage. Larry Wheels. He beat Larry Wheels. He beat Schoolboy. Then he lost to John Brzenk and he lost to Devon Larratt. And I said before like for Leonidas to come back the match needs to be bigger match than those matches before. He pulled Larry Wheels which is an insanely big influencer. Then he pulled Schoolboy, probably second most known armwrestler on the planet behind Devon Larratt. Then he pulled John Brzenk which is an absolute legend, the greatest of all time. And then he pulled Devon Larratt himself in a match. Leonidas is a social media guy. Like he's an influencer. Like he needs the clicks. He needs the things to make sense for him because he puts himself out there. He's ready to win. He's ready to lose but it needs to make sense for him. And I said like I think we had a match with Eddie Hall and Brian Shaw in Atlantic City. And I was like well like if Brian wins like that's the match that makes sense. If Eddie wins that's the match that makes sense for Leonidas. Then Leonidas did a whole trip to Canada. You can go and check it out. I think it's a lot of stuff on Devon's channel, a lot of stuff on his Leonidas channels, Instagram, everywhere. And it was awesome. And somewhere in between that Devon talked him into having a match at East versus West. And I think it's absolutely amazing. I think this is one of the matchups that makes sense. I think this is one of the matchups that I really really want to see. I think Leonidas, my personal opinion is from what I've seen from Leonidas, he's probably the best of all the influencers we have seen. Like that have started armwrestling and doing it. I think he has progressed the most. I think he has good understanding. But he probably took a year off. He probably took a year maybe. Yeah I think it was in November when he pulled Devon. And then I think there was a big moment of I don't want to do this right. A little bit maybe sour taste in his mouth. You go watch the match like I don't have to explain to you. But Devon convinced him. Or at least you know like hey what do you what do you think. And Devon will pull Vitaly on the right hand there okay. They're pulling Lefty in Vienna. And then they're going to Cologne in Germany. And he's pulling Vitaly on the right arm. And just making a match in Germany. Leonidas is from Germany right. And having him there pull Brian Shaw I think it's just awesome. I think it's super super great thing to have in armwrestling world. I think for the fans it's probably if we will have big enough venue we'll probably sell out right now. Like because Devon is going to be there. Vitaly is going to be there. That's already a match like boom. Like you don't need much there. But then you put this on top of it. This is awesome. So I'm super super excited. And I was starting to think like what will happen. I watched a little bit of videos of Brian training with Brad Grundy. I don't know should I maybe do a recap or review or something like I have done in the past of the videos that they were doing there. Brian I think like Devon always thinks in two things. He's like don't hold on achieve height. And Brian kind of learned to achieve height by holding on by controlling his fingers and opponent's hand. And in that video I watched it and I was like okay that's some impressive things he's doing there. Works way better without a strap than in a strap. But probably the match with Leonidas will be in a strap. It will be multiple rounds. I don't know best of five. Maybe we can talk them into best of seven which is great. But I do feel personally this is a step up for Brian. If Leonidas wouldn't taken a year off and I would know like he's really training for armwrestling. He's still continuing doing all those things. I would have him as a favorite. I would still have him as a favorite. But right now I think it's pretty equal. And I really right now from what I've seen I can't make any decisions. I can't make any predictions from it. But Leonidas he just needs to get back to armwrestling. He needs to condition his arm to be able to hold on the stress level of armwrestling. And for Brian he really needs to prepare. He's going into an enemy territory. He's traveling to Germany. So there's going to be a lot of things stacked against him. Leonidas is very experienced. He's very smart. He pulls inside outside. We have seen multiple different techniques from him. He's really really good. I think for Brian it's a huge step up. I don't know right now. I think both guys are awesome and I would really love for both guys to continue armwrestling. But we do have to understand it and this is for a lot of fans they don't understand that they are influencers before anything else. If they really wanted to be an armwrestler they would go to every single tournament they could and pull without giving a ---- if they lose. But they're not. They're influencers. So this match I think is a big enough match that it makes sense for Leonidas. There's no one right now bigger. He has pulled from the people that he hasn't pulled than that on social media platforms. Maybe Eddie Hall. So let's say if if Leonidas pulls Brian and Brian wins then maybe Leonidas versus Eddie Hall is a possible matchup. But if Leonidas wins probably that match will not make sense to most people and will not happen. But there is something there. I'm really really excited. I have a really equal right now because of both guys are in and out in and out and I think it's gonna be awesome to see Brian back on table since summer. Yeah I think when he pulled was like August. I think it was August right. He pulled right now. So going back and having his third super match. That's third probably third. Yeah. So that that will be awesome. Germany. So anyway East versus West 23 Germany. I think April 18th. We got a double check. But anyway super excited. I think it's awesome match to add. I think for the local people for the strength fans and I think it's a part of FIBO festival. Like you can't make like a better story than this. I'm pretty sure Devon did this. Devon convinced Leonidas to have a match with Brian. I'm very happy both of the guys took it. I'm really excited. I'm gonna be there. We're gonna we're gonna have an absolutely epic event. I'm pretty sure whatever venue we pick it will sell out right now. It's gonna absolutely sell out. Anyway that's my take. I want to hear your thoughts in the comment section. How excited are you? Stay strong. Love Armwrestling guys.