A 150KG Atlas Stone Shattered—and So Did the Old Order
There are moments in sports that defy prediction. Moments where fate reveals itself not in quiet triumphs, but in explosive ruptures. The 2025 U105 Strongman Finals gave us exactly that: a moment frozen in strength sports history.
In the climactic Last Man Standing Atlas Stone event at 2025 Lift On Strongman® New Legends, defending champion Zhu Guowei faced off with the surging young challenger Xiao Yang. With both men pushing their bodies to the brink, the duel escalated to a level where even the equipment couldn't contain the energy.
During Zhu’s 5th lift and Xiao’s 6th attempt, the 150KG Atlas Stone—a symbol of raw, immovable force—fractured mid-event, split cleanly in two.
A Historic Fracture
The crowd gasped. Officials froze. And yet, amid the shock, something became clear: this wasn’t just equipment failure. This was symbolic transformation.
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One half of the stone: Zhu’s stoic reign—solid, stable, and time-tested.
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The other half: Xiao’s hunger, burning with the intensity to shatter legacies and carve his own.
When absolute power meets absolute will,
Even the sport's toughest icon must evolve—or be overtaken.
𝐀 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐌𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: 𝟏𝟓𝟎𝐊𝐆 𝐀𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐌𝐢𝐝-𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭
The Battle Didn’t End There
With the 150KG stone deemed unusable, the platform shifted to a 160KG Atlas Stone. Neither athlete flinched. The duel intensified:
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Xiao Yang cleared it three times with blazing speed,
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Zhu Guowei, ever the warrior, answered with two brutal lifts that showed the heart of a champion.
But momentum had already shifted.
The crowd knew. The judges knew. The arena felt it.
Xiao Yang wasn’t just lifting weight—he was lifting legacy.
A New Era Begins
In strength sports, tools rarely break. But when they do, and when they break like this—in the heat of a final clash—it becomes more than spectacle. It becomes legend.
The split stone now sits in our storage, preserved like a relic, and marked with the names of two titans:
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Zhu Guowei: The Reigning Stone
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Xiao Yang: The Shattering Flame
This wasn’t the end of a rivalry. It was the beginning of a dynasty reborn.
📌 Follow us for more moments where strength meets destiny. Watch the full recap, hear from the athletes, and explore our exclusive behind-the-scenes breakdown—only on Lifton Strongman.
