Known by his nickname T-Rex,[2][3][4] Singleton has also won 6 more international strongman competitions under Giants Live franchise: 2019 North American Open, 2021 World Open, 2021 Arnold UK, 2023 Strongman Classic, 2023 World Open, and 2025 Strongman Classic.[5]
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,[6] though the lawsuit was thrown out by a judge in 2018.[7]
Strongman career
After his wrestling career ended, he had a brief spell in bodybuilding[8] 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 1,000lb (453.5kg) in competition have served to signal the arrival of a genuine World’s Strongest Man contender.[9][10]
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.[11]
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.[12] At the World's Strongest Man in May, Singleton made the podium, coming in 3rd.[13] This was despite injuring his foot on the first event, the frame carry.[14] Singleton would then finish 6th at the Strongest Man on Earth in August and 4th at the Rogue Invitational in October.
In 2025, Singleton would start his season placing 6th at the Arnold Strongman Classic in Ohio. In May, Singleton was forced to withdraw from the World's Strongest Man in the heats after picking up an injury during the first event. Two months later, he picked up his 6th international title by winning the Giants Live Strongman Classic at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England. Singleton won two of the five events, ultimately finishing 1.5 points clear of second-placed Jaco Schoonwinkel.[15] In August he won his biggest title of his career Strongest Man on Earth at the Shaw Classic, defeating the likes of Lucas Hatton, Thomas Evans and 13 others.[1]
Personal records
Strongman:
Equipped Deadlift – 455kg (1,003lb) (with suit and straps) (2023 Giants Live World Open)
Standard bar Raw Deadlift – 420kg (926lb) (without suit and with straps) (2024 Strongest Man on Earth)
Elephant bar Raw Deadlift – 438kg (966lb) (without suit and with straps) (2025 Arnold Strongman Classic)
Trap bar Deadlift (from 12 inches) – 514.5kg (1,134lb) (2025 Strongest Man on Earth) (Joint-World Record)[16]
Log Press – 200kg (441lb) (2025 Strongest Man on Earth)
Standing keg drop chest press – 170–258.5kg (375–570lb) x 9 weights (2025 Strongest Man on Earth)
Keg toss (for weight) – 31.8kg (70lb) over 4.57 metres (15ft 0in) (2025 Strongest Man on Earth)
Medley – 453.5kg (1,000lb) yoke for 20m course into 330kg (728lb) frame carry for 20m course in 30.21 seconds (2024 World's Strongest Man) (World Record)[17]
Medley – 160kg (353lb) per hand farmers walk for 15m course into 200kg (441lb) anchor & chain drag for 15m course in 27.38 seconds (2021 Giants Live World Open) (World Record)[17]
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