Theodore Arcidi[2] (born June 16, 1958) is an American former professional wrestler, actor and powerlifter. He is known to be the first man in history to bench press over 700 pounds in competition, establishing an official world record.[3]
Ted Arcidi bench pressed 705.5 pounds (320kg) on March 3, 1985 at Gus Rethwisch's Budweiser World Record Breakers in Honolulu, Hawaii for an APF & USPF world record, to become the first man to bench 700 pounds in an officially recognized powerlifting competition.[1][2][4] Then, after being 5 1/2 years away from competition due to his wrestling career, he made a comeback. Weighing 291 pounds, Arcidi set another world record with a 718.1lbs bench press at the APF Bench Press Invitational on September 30, 1990, in Keene, New Hampshire.[5] On September 14, 1991, at a Mr. Olympia contest, he squared off face to face with his greatest rival Anthony Clark to determine who the greatest bench presser of the world was. Arcidi defeated the much bigger Clark (5'8", 375lbs) by pressing 725 pounds off his chest to establish yet a new, but controversial, world record.[6] The attempt was later disqualified after it was revealed that Arcidi had failed to lock out his arms due to bone spurs in his elbows which he had corrected with surgery.[5]
Arcidi's 705 pound all-time world record bench press was performed in one of the earliest bench shirts - an original prototype supportive bench press shirt, which was 50% polyester and 50% cotton and only one layer thick.[7][8] It was thus later categorized as "equipped", although it did not improve his bench by much, if anything.[7] In 1984 Arcidi had benched an official 666.9 pounds (302.5kg) at 286.0 pounds bodyweight completely raw, without a bench shirt in Honolulu, Hawaii as well.[9] He is considered to be one of the greatest bench pressers of all time.[6]
Arcidi was released by the WWF upon the return of former Olympic "strongman" Ken Patera (who was returning after a 2-year stint in prison) as Vince McMahon did not want to have issues with having two men billed as the "World's Strongest Man". Although his tenure was brief, Arcidi did have an action figure produced by LJN for their Wrestling Superstars toy line. Patera had been instrumental in Arcidi's signing with Titan Sports-WWF. His final match was against Jake Roberts on February 14, 1987 in Calgary, Alberta.[14]
After his WWF run, he went to Calgary and briefly worked for Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling.[13] After that, Arcidi moved on the World Class Championship Wrestling in Dallas, Texas, where he was known as "Mr. 705" (referring to his world record bench press). He was managed by Percival Pringle III and was part of a stable of wrestlers including Rick Rude, the Dingo Warrior and Cactus Jack Manson. Arcidi captured that organization's Texas Heavyweight Championship on August 31, 1987 and held it until he lost to Matt Borne on November 10 that same year.[15] Arcidi left the organization in 1990 to pursue other endeavors. He made several appearances in the Caribbean but never came back to national stature.
Business ventures
Arcidi has several ventures outside of his wrestling and bench press careers. Among these are his ownership of New England's largest women's gym in Manchester, New Hampshire, a supplement company called Arcidi Strength Systems, and a gym equipment company called Weightlifters Warehouse. He is also focusing on an acting career with parts in films and shows such as Law & Order and in several commercials. In the early 1980s, he was a part-time physical education teacher at Concord Middle School in Concord, MA and ran a weightlifting class in the town in the mid-1980s. He was instrumental in the initial strength coaching of both Paul "Triple H" Levesque and Joanie "Chyna" Laurer and assisted them in contacting Killer Kowalski, who trained them for wrestling.[16]
↑ Will, Gary; Duncan, Royal (2000). "Texas: NWA Texas Heavyweight Title [Von Erich]". Wrestling Title Histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. pp.268–269. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
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