West Sussex man is British arm wrestling champion for the third year in a row

Mitchell Tutt, who lives in Yapton, took home super heavyweight gold at this year’s British arm wrestling championship, which took place at Escape Bar and Lounge in Worthing on May 18.

An arm wrestler for the last eight years, Mr Tutt said this championship win was a ‘special’ way to round out his achievements in the sport. “I wanted to go for that hattrick of wins,” he said. “And it’s great because, over the last three years, my left arm has never been pinned. So I’m basically the undefeated British champion, as well.”

A former powerlifter and competitive strong man with a swathe of medals already under his belt, Mr Tutt said he turned to arm-wrestling because he wanted a more direct, visceral way to test his strength. “I enjoyed strongman, but it was just lifting weights. Whereas this, it’s almost like a combat sport. You’re facing off against another person who’s trained just as hard as you,” he said. "It comes own to who wants it more, really.”

Mr Tutt’s grit, strength and determination as an arm-wrestler has earned him the nickname ‘The Vanilla Gorilla’ amongst fellow competitors, but this latest win is just the latest chapter in a successful few years for the athlete. In 2023, he faced off against Canadian arm-wrestler John Thompson on a super-show in Ireland, as well as winning several other similar face offs in Manchester and Lancashire to maintain his undefeated streak.

An old-school test of strength, Mr Tutt said competitive arm wrestling is getting bigger than it has ever been, with several championship belts and a super-competitive international scene. Asked why, he said it’s an immediately relatable kind of drama: “It’s just exciting. Pretty much everyone in their life has had an arm wrestle at one point, whether it’s with their mate or at school or down the pub. Wherever. And because of that, everyone seems quite interested in what we do. We always get a decent crowd turn up to watch. I just found it exciting, this idea of taking on another person. Because, really powerlifting, is quite boring. People can’t really relate to what the weight means, but everyone knows what an arm wrestle is.”