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Evan Singleton

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Evan Singleton
Personal information
Born (1992-10-09) October 9, 1992 (age 32)
Height198 cm (6 ft 6 in)
Weight159 kg (351 lb)
Sport
SportStrongman, Wrestling
Medal record
Strongman
Representing  United States
World's Strongest Man
Qualified 2020 World's Strongest Man
Qualified 2021 World's Strongest Man
Qualified 2022 World's Strongest Man
5th 2023 World's Strongest Man
3rd 2024 World's Strongest Man
Arnold Strongman Classic
7th 2024 Arnold Strongman Classic
Shaw Classic
5th 2021 Shaw Classic
8th 2022 Shaw Classic
4th 2023 Strongest Man on Earth
6th 2024 Strongest Man on Earth
Rogue Invitational
4th 2023 Rogue Invitational
4th 2024 Rogue Invitational
Giants Live
8th 2018 North American Open
1st 2019 North American Open
5th 2019 World Tour Finals
2nd 2021 Strongman Classic
1st 2021 World Open
3rd 2021 World Tour Finals
1st 2021 Arnold UK
3rd 2022 Strongman Classic
9th 2022 World Open
1st 2023 Strongman Classic
1st 2023 World Open
12th 2024 Strongman Classic
4th 2024 World Open
9th 2024 US Strongman Championship
Arnold Pro Strongman World Series
5th 2019 Africa
3rd 2019 Forts de Warwick

Evan Singleton is an American strongman competitor and former professional wrestler who carries the nickname T-Rex.[1][2][3] In the WWE, he wrestled under the name Adam Mercer.

Singleton has won 5 Strongman competitions: 2019 Giants Live North American Open in Martinsville, Indiana, Giants Live 2021 World Open in Manchester, England, 2021 Arnold UK in Marston Green, England, 2023 Giants Live Strongman Classic in London, England and Giants Live 2023 World Open in Manchester, England.[4]

Professional wrestling career

[edit]
Adam Mercer
BornLancaster, Pennsylvania
Professional wrestling career
Billed height6 ft 6 in (198 cm)
Billed weight255 lb (116 kg)
Trained byCZW Wrestling School
DebutMarch 24, 2012

When he was 18, Singleton signed for World Wrestling Entertainment and competed under the name 'Adam Mercer'.[1]

Florida Championship Wrestling/NXT

[edit]

Singleton joined WWE's developmental promotion Florida Championship Wrestling, before it became solely known as WWE NXT as Adam Mercer during March 2012. At 19 years of age, Mercer was the youngest NXT member in the program's history. Despite his impressive physical credentials, Mercer wrestled a sparse series of matches, most of which were losses to notable up-and-coming wrestlers including Big E. Langston, Brad Maddox and Erick Rowan. Mercer participated on August 1 in a losing fatal four-way tag match, teaming with Chad Baxter, against The Ascension (Conor O'Brian and Kenneth Cameron), Jason Jordan and Mike Dalton and Brad Maddox and Rick Victor.

Mercer's last match in WWE/NXT was on September 27 in a squash match against Erick Rowan. During the match, Mercer sustained what he described as a "serious head injury", causing him to retire. He later joined Vito LaGrasso's lawsuit against the company in 2015,[5] though the lawsuit was thrown out by a judge in 2018.[6]

Strongman career

[edit]

After his wrestling career ended, he had a brief spell in bodybuilding[7] before coming across a man log-lifting at his local gym in Lancaster, struck up a conversation and within two weeks had decided strongman was his sport.

Evan’s professional debut was North Carolina’s Strongest Man and in 2018 he made his first Giants Live appearance at the North American Open. A year later he returned to record his first large contest victory.

In 2020 he made his competitive debut at World’s Strongest Man after attending the previous year as an alternate and equipment tester. A biceps injury prevented him from progressing from his heat. More bad luck followed in 2021 when, once again, his WSM aspirations were thwarted by food poisoning.

However, 2021 ultimately proved to be a huge year for Evan. Winning the Giants Live World Open and Arnold UK shows, as well as deadlifting 1,000 lb (453.5 kg) in competition have served to signal the arrival of a genuine World’s Strongest Man contender.[8][9]

In September 2022, Singleton suffered another biceps injury during a training session which put him out of the Giants Live World Tour Finals and Rogue Invitational that were held during October of that year. He underwent surgery to reattach his biceps tendon hoping to recover in time to prepare for the 2023 World's Strongest Man.[10]

In 2023, Singleton made the World's Strongest Man final for the first time, finishing 5th. Singleton would win two Giants Live shows that year: the Strongman Classic at Royal Albert Hall and World Open in Cardiff. He would also place 4th at both the Strongest Man on Earth Competition at the Shaw Classic and the Rogue Invitational.

In 2024, Singleton would compete at the Arnold Strongman Classic for the first time, placing 7th. He had to withdraw late into the competition with an injury. [11] At the World's Strongest Man in May, Singleton made the podium, coming in 3rd. [12] This was despite injuring his foot on the first event, the frame carry. [13]

Competitive record

[edit]

Winning percentage: 17.24%
Podium percentage: 34.48%

1st 2nd 3rd Podium 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 12th Total
International competitions 5 1 4 10 4 4 1 1 2 2 1 29

Bodybuilding

[edit]
Year Body Competition Division Placing
2015 NPC Atlantic State Championships Junior 7th

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "World's Strongest Man Athlete Evan Singleton Didn't Know What Strongman Was Until 3 Years Ago". barbend.com. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  2. ^ Writer, JOHN WALK | Sports. "Penn Manor alum Evan Singleton makes World's Strongest Man debut this week". LancasterOnline.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ "Sacramento flexing tourism muscle with World's Strongest Man Competition". abc10.com. June 14, 2021.
  4. ^ Roger, Lockridge. "Evan Singleton Wins 2021 Giants Live Strongman World Open". barbend.com. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  5. ^ "Former wrestlers sue WWE over concussions". ESPN.com. January 20, 2015. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  6. ^ "WWE Files Motion To Dismiss Lawsuit From Big Vito & Adam Mercer | Fightful News". www.fightful.com. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  7. ^ "Singleton, Evan". www.musclememory.com. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  8. ^ https://giants-live.com/athlete/evan-singleton/
  9. ^ https://barbend.com/evan-singleton-only-training-strongman-3-years/
  10. ^ "Strongman Evan Singleton Is Out For The Rest Of The 2022 Season, But His Biceps Surgery Was Successful". BarBend. September 28, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  11. ^ "Evan Singleton, Donna Moore, & Tom Evans Withdraw From 2024 Arnold Strongman & Strongwoman Classic". Fitness Volt. March 2, 2024. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  12. ^ "2024 World's Strongest Man Results & Leaderboard | BarBend". May 5, 2024. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  13. ^ "2024 World's Strongest Man Finals Event 1 "KNAACK Giants' Medley" Results | BarBend". May 4, 2024. Retrieved November 27, 2024.