| Bill Kazmaier | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 30, 1953 Burlington, Wisconsin |
| Occupation | strongman, powerlifting, professional wrestling, sports commentator |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight | 320 lb (150 kg) active |
| Competition record | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Strongman | |||
| Competitor for United States | |||
| World's Strongest Man | |||
| 3rd | 1979 World's Strongest Man | ||
| 1st | 1980 World's Strongest Man | ||
| 1st | 1981 World's Strongest Man | ||
| 1st | 1982 World's Strongest Man | ||
| 2nd | 1988 World's Strongest Man | ||
| 4th | 1989 World's Strongest Man | ||
| World Muscle Power Championships | |||
| 3rd | 1985 | ||
| 1st | 1988 | ||
| World Strongman Challenge | |||
| 3rd | 1988 | ||
| 2nd | 1990 | ||
| Pure Strength | |||
| 2nd | 1987 | ||
| 1st | 1988 w/Stuart Thompson | ||
| 2nd | 1989 w/O.D. Wilson | ||
| 1st | 1990 w/O.D. Wilson | ||
| Scottish Power Challenge | |||
| 1st | 1984 | ||
| 1st | 1985 | ||
| 1st | 1986 | ||
| 1st | 1987 | ||
| 1st | 1988 | ||
| 1st | 1989 | ||
| Strongbow Strongman | |||
| 1st | 1980 | ||
| Le Defi Mark Ten Challenge | |||
| 1st | 1987 | ||
| 2nd | 1990 | ||
| Powerlifting | |||
| Competitor for United States | |||
| IPF World Powerlifting Championships | |||
| 1st | 1978 | ||
| 1st | 1983 | ||
Bill Kazmaier (born December 30, 1953, in Burlington, Wisconsin) is a former powerlifter, strongman and professional wrestler from the United States. He is widely considered to be one of the all-time greatest competitors in strength competitions. During the 1970s and 80s, he set numerous powerlifting and strongman world records, and won two International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) world championships and three World's Strongest Man titles. He was the first and only person in history to lift a live bengal tiger overhead with his left arm.
Kazmaier played American football at the University of Wisconsin–Madison from 1973–74, before leaving school to pursue powerlifting full-time.
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In 1978, Kazmaier won the IPF world powerlifting championship and the American powerlifting championship. He won the IPF world championship again in 1983. In 1981, Kazmaier became the first person to bench press 300 kg in competition. The 1981 event was the same competition in which he totaled 1,100 kg (2,425 lb). His best lifts were: 925 lbs squat (done without a suit), 662 lbs bench press,[1] and 974 lbs deadlift.
Kazmaier won the World's Strongest Man (WSM) title three times in 1980, 1981, and 1982.[2] After these victories, Kazmaier was not invited back to compete in the WSM contest again until 1988, when he finished second to Jón Páll Sigmarsson[3] He finished fourth in his final WSM appearance in 1989.[4]
Trained by Verne Gagne and Brad Rheingans, Kazmaier began wrestling in 1986. During the 1980s, he had wrestled for promotions such as Stampede Wrestling in Canada and Continental Championship Wrestling in America.
His biggest national exposure came when he debuted for World Championship Wrestling in the summer of 1991. He received several shots at Lex Luger's WCW World Heavyweight Championship but failed to win the title. He also briefly teamed with Rick Steiner, only to lose to The Enforcers in a tournament final for the WCW World Tag Team Championship. While in WCW, Kazmaier also wrestled for New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Kazmaier held no championships in his entire wrestling career.
In NJPW, his theme music was "Poundcake" by Van Halen.
After Kazmaier retired from strongman competition and pro wrestling, he opened a fitness club, Kaz Fitness Center, in Auburn, Alabama. The gym closed in 2005. Kazmaier then opened, and continues to operate, S.W.A.T. gym in Opelika, Alabama.
Kazmaier currently appears on ESPN as a co-commentator for the American broadcast of the annual World's Strongest Man competition along with Todd Harris and 2006 World's Strongest Man winner Phil Pfister. He also does some additional co-commentating in the British broadcast.
Professional Competitive Record - [1st (14),2nd (3) ,3rd (3) - Out of Total(21)]
Performance Metric - .967 [American - .970 International - .966]
| Professional | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | INJ | DNQ | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American | 3 | 1 | 4 | ||||||||||
| International | 11 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 17 | ||||||||
| Combined | 14 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 21 |
COMPLETED CONTESTS
World Strongman Challenge - 3rd place (1988)
World Muscle Power Championships - winner (1988)
World Muscle Power Championships - 3rd place (1985)
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