Matt Mask is a confident, sometimes boastful and intense competitor in the arm wrestling world.
And he happens to be from Red Deer.
Mask has found success in the World Armwrestling League, finishing in second place in 2017 and in 2016.
“I’ve been the undefeated provincial champ in Alberta every year I’ve competed for the last 16-17 years,” said Mask. “Five years ago I said I want to see exactly how far I can go because there’s nobody around this area that can beat me.
“I started venturing down to the States because you’re nobody unless you start beating those guys.”
And he’s had success beating “those guys” finishing in second in the World Armwrestling League championships for both the right and left hands in 2017. He also won finished first in the WAL Eastern (right hand), Southern (left hand) and Western (right and left hands) regionals in 2017.
He will compete at the premiere event of the Super match Showdown Series on Aug. 9 in Los Angeles.
“That’s going to be a big, big match,” said Mask.
Mask will face Devon Larratt, who he lost the 2016 WAL left hand Championship to while dealing with a dislocated middle finger.
This season, Mask has a 31-11 record.
That event is the fifth and final regional event before the WAL Championships in Atlanta on Sept. 5. Both events will be broadcast on Bleacher Report Live, a web-based streaming service that airs episodes of WAL competitions.
“The last five years I’ve been chasing around and going after the best,” said Mask.
Mask has competed off and on in arm wrestling for the past 18 years. It started with a small tournament and grew from there to where he is one of the top arm wrestlers in North America.
“When it comes time for a competition I can’t eat that day, I’m stressed right out,” said Mask. “I get pretty freaking intense.”
When he’s not arm wrestling, Mask works in the oil and gas sector in the Red Deer area.
mcrawford@reddeeradvocate.com
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