For a sport as unforgiving as strongman, you'd be excused for expecting these incredible athletes to have a short shelf life. Instead, they seem to get stronger each year. If you don't believe me, look no further than 2015's World's Strongest Man final. Of the 10 athletes who competed, three were in their 40s -- including the runner-up, Žydrūnas Savickas ("Big Z").

This Saturday, the veterans will get an official title for the first time in history: World's Strongest Master. The contest will take place at Doncaster Dome in England alongside the return of the World's Strongest Woman competition.

Tune in to FloElite on Saturday, September 17, starting at 6AM (CST) to catch all of the action live!

Here are this weekend's top contenders:

Paul Carter, England

Standing at 6-4 and tipping the scales at more than 205kg, Paul "The Manbear" Carter lives up to his nickname. Unsurprisingly, Carter is the biggest athlete in the lineup and certainly has strength to match. Pulling 400kg and squatting 375kg, he will be one to watch on the static lifts -- especially the 350kg car deadlift, which could pose problems for the smaller athletes.

Eric Patterson, ­USA

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Here, we're transitioning from the biggest competitor to one of the smallest, but quite possibly the most jacked: former pro bodybuilder Eric Patterson. At only 117kg and 5-11, it might be easy to dismiss Patterson as a lightweight, but I'd advise against it. The 47-year-old grandfather holds American records in log, axle and deadlift -- all of which will serve him well on the notoriously tough Viking press. But from what I've heard, I wouldn't bet against him on the moving events, either.

Dennis Van Beusekom,­ The Netherlands

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Smaller than many of the competitors, Van Beuskekom makes up for his lack of height with plenty of fitness, and I imagine he will be looking at the frame and yoke carry events with glee, because that's where his athleticism should really come into play. But with a 390kg deadlift and 170kg log press to his name, he won't be shying away from the static events, either.

Mark Felix,­ England

Here's a man who doesn't need an introduction among strongman aficionados. Not only is 50-year-old Felix the oldest in the field, but he is also arguably the most accomplished with 11 World's Strongest Man competitions under his belt. Known for his incredible back and grip strength, Felix has been undefeated for seven years in the deadlift at WSM. Even against the quality of athletes in the masters field, I doubt anyone will surpass him on the car deadlift or the frame carry. Felix will be tough to beat in every event, especially the stones.

Stefan Bergqvist,­ Sweden

Specialising in one event has its perks -- just ask the deadlift monsters out there. But when it comes to walking away with hardware, nothing compares to consistency. Fortunately for Bergqvist, that's something he has stockpiled over more than a decade of competition. He has placed in each of the last 12 Sweden's Strongest Man competitions, and finished on the podium in four of them. With a 370kg deadlift and a 300kg squat, Bergqvist might not be the strongest man in the Dome that day, but that doesn't mean he won't be able to cause an upset.

Nick Best,­ USA

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With seven World's Strongest Man competitions behind him, I doubt much rattles Nick Best these days, but he must be feeling particularly confident about coming to Doncaster this year. The last time the former powerlifter was in Yorkshire, he won the heart of everyone in the Giants Live crowd by regaling them with stories of wild nights and past competitions in between the events instead of resting behind the curtain. Athletically, Best is one of the strongest, and could secure a top-three finish in every event perhaps with the exception of the Viking press.

Mike Kromer, USA

The big American truly earned his invite when he completed inhuman feats of strength despite the blistering-hot temperatures at the North American Official Strongman Championships in Indianapolis earlier this year. Kromer is a fantastic all-arounder, as demonstrated at that competition, and this will be his first time performing on the world stage.

Rob Frampton,­ England

After a nasty neck injury at the Arnold Classic Australia left Frampton's strongman career hanging in the balance, many feared he wouldn't be able to compete this Saturday. Always happy to prove the haters wrong, the World's Strongest Man competitor is looking to prove there's still some fight in the old dog. With 14 years of high-level strongman competition to his name, Frampton is a true veteran of the sport who can always be counted on to keep the crowd entertained, as evidenced by his recent professional wrestling debut. As a strongman, Frampton is statistically right up there with the best -- he sports a 405kg deadlift and a 190kg overhead press, which should put him in the mix for the top spots in the static events this weekend.

Vidas Blekiatis,­ Lithuania

If you aren't familiar with the name Vidas Blekiatis, you certainly will be after this weekend. The Lithuanian has been quietly building an impressive collection of accolades, including the 2015 and 2016 World Log Lift Championship titles. But he can do a lot more than just press, as he recently proved at a masters world championship, where he dominated a field that included Mark Felix. Although Blekiatis is not one of the biggest competitors, he is one of the strongest. He boasts the best log press and squat PRs out of any of the competitors: 205kg and 440kg, respectively. Looking through his recent social media posts, it's clear he isn't resting on his laurels, either -- he made a 420kg yoke look like speedwork. Take my word for it: Vidas won't be happy leaving Doncaster with anything short of absolute victory.

John 'The Machine' Pollock,­ Scotland

The Scotsman brings an unusual package to the competition. A veteran powerlifter, the static lifts are his bread and butter, and I suspect he'll relish the opportunity to turn some heads on the car deadlift. Strength aside, he's one of the more athletic guys in the competition. At only 40 years old and weighing in at a lean 120kgs, Pollock isn't afraid to really push it on the moving events. But "The Machine" is still new to the sport of strongman, and will be looking to gain as much experience as he can this year before going for the win in the near future.

Those are your top contenders for Saturday's World Strongest Masters competition. With such deep talent and challenging events, it truly is anyone's title to take.

Tune in starting at 6AM (CST) to catch all of the action live!




By Chris Bland