Martins Licis

Rogue athlete Martins Licis—affectionately known as “The Dragon”—stands out in the Strongman world as both an electrifying showman and a master of consistency. His ability to blend crowd-pleasing charisma with powerful, technical performance has made him a standout figure in the sport.

Building on his earlier titles, Licis claimed the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic with a spellbinding come-from-behind performance, capping it off with a Stone-to-Shoulder win that edged out Oleksii Novikov. That same year, he finished runner-up at the 2022 World’s Strongest Man, narrowly missing first place to Tom Stoltman on a tiebreaker.

Licis has long been a fixture at the Rogue Invitational: champion in 2021 (beating Tom Stoltman and Novikov), and a respectable 4th place in 2022 despite battling a bicep injury. In 2023, he continued his presence by participating in Rogue’s renowned Elephant Bar Deadlift event, though he took a hiatus from full competition that year to focus on strengthening and a leaner physique.

Beyond the competition stage, Licis launched the Strength Unknown documentary series in 2022, traveling the globe to uncover hidden strength traditions and cultures—from Latvia to Mongolia.

With milestones ranging from a record-breaking 565 LB Steinborn Rockover Squat (surpassing Milo Steinborn’s near-century-old mark) to a 300 LB Thor’s Hammer world record, Licis remains one of the few modern athletes who bridges the old-school power feats with today’s elite field competition.