Published September 12, 2026

Filip Larsson found useful hand position against Riekerd Bornman. The match still kept moving with Bornman’s drive.
That was the uncomfortable lesson at East vs West 26. Larsson threatened the wrist, yet Bornman stayed attached and kept pouring side pressure through the strap. The cleaner-looking position left the force attached.
Bornman won because his connection survived Larsson’s technical answer.
The Strap Kept Bornman Attached
Bornman’s first round carried the clearest version of the matchup. He stayed tight to his hand and sent pressure sideways from a compact shape in the strap.
Side pressure becomes expensive when the hand separates from the shoulder line. The arm takes the force alone while a good outside puller peels the wrist.
Bornman kept the chain short. His arm and shoulder moved together enough for the strap to support his attack. Larsson’s corrections still had to absorb pressure headed across the table.
Larsson’s Hand Control Needed a Finish
Larsson made the later rounds closer. He kept searching for hand position and gave Bornman more to solve after the easy-looking opener.
Bornman’s base remained intact.
Our look at Irakli taking Devon Larratt’s hand in an afterpull dealt with the same basic trap. A won wrist creates options. The pin still demands connection through the final inches.
Bornman kept pulling from his strongest base through Larsson’s pieces of control. His elbow stayed under the action, and his shoulder remained close. Larsson’s hand advantage then had to carry a side-pressure load beyond its useful angle.
That is why the relationship between wrist position and usable side pressure matters more than a pretty freeze-frame. The hand can lead the exchange while the body underneath it loses ground.
The Close Rounds Confirmed the Same Problem
Rounds two and three tightened up. Elbow fouls entered the second round, and Larsson made Bornman work longer than he had in the opener. The resistance increased while ownership stayed with Bornman.
Bornman stayed in control because the pressure kept arriving from a compact shape. He protected the route already winning the match and left the prettier hand position to Larsson.
That patience separated this result from a simple power wash. Bornman met a technical heavyweight who adjusted and still kept his own lane available. Recent East vs West results have repeatedly turned on denying one preferred lane. Bornman did something slightly meaner. He let Larsson reach his hand battle and made it insufficient.
A higher-ranked opponent is the sensible request after this performance. That next man will need more than a cleaner wrist. He will have to separate Bornman from the pressure that keeps following him into the strap.

I was born in the 1980s, so like a lot of fans, Over the Top was my first introduction to pro arm wrestling. Years later, Devon Larratt’s YouTube channel pulled me back in, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Rewatching classic matches, following the modern supermatch hype, and keeping up with the personalities, rivalries, and culture that make arm wrestling so addictive.
