The reigning World's Strongest Man is out of the Arnold Classic. Rayno Nel's highly anticipated debut at the prestigious event was abruptly canceled. A severe health scare has forced the champion to withdraw from the competition.

In a recent video on YouTube, Laurence ‘Big Loz’ Shahlaei and his wife, Liz, revealed that Strongman Rayno Nel has withdrawn from the upcoming competition following a Salmonella contraction.

The couple reported that following the contraction, the reigning World's Strongest Man champion was hospitalized and subsequently lost 37.5 lbs. It forced Nel to drop his name from the upcoming 2026 Arnold Strongman Classic, an event that was supposed to see him debut.

The former rugby player is known for his explosive strength, speed, and composure. His rugby career was cut short due to a knee injury, but instead of giving up, Nel decided to change path and enter the world of Strongman.

It was a correct call as he became a rising star by winning the 2025 World's Strongest Man in his debut year. He shocked everyone by defeating veteran champions like Tom Stoltman and Mitchell Hooper. He became the first rookie to win the competition since Jouko Ahola in 1997.

Later, he also won the 2025 Strongman Champions League World Finals.

But This Isn't the End of the Road for Nel

Since 2023, Nel has participated in 12 major Strongman competitions, winning nine. That's why fans wanted to know if he could defeat Mitchell Hooper at the 2026 Arnold Strongman Classic.

But it doesn't mean we'll see a matchup like this one again. Just a month after the Arnold Strongman Classic, we'll have the 2026 World's Strongest Man competition in April.

Fans hope to see Nel return for the competition and to see if he can defend his title.

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Written by

Ruwa Javed

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar