In a surprising and entertaining segment of Bo Nickal‘s podcast, NCAA Heavyweight Wrestling Champion Greg Kerkvliet made the extraordinary claim that he could defeat a chimpanzee in hand-to-hand combat. When asked about this hypothetical matchup, Kerkvliet responded with an emphatic “Yeah, for sure,” before proceeding to break down his tactical approach to the theoretical battle.
The Champion’s Detailed Strategy
Kerkvliet‘s declaration was nothing if not specific.
“It’s like, dude, I train every day—come on. What are you going to do to me?”
The champion wrestler then laid out an intricate sequence of moves:
“Like, a chimp—yeah, that chimp’s going to come at me. Let’s say they come at me—arm drag, knee to the ribs, take the back, body triangle—over.”
His strategy didn’t stop there. Kerkvliet continued with an elaborate plan for various scenarios:
“If he’s on my back? Yeah—cross pummel, catch the leg, leg slip, reverse elbow, make him turn his back. Now I’m going to slide, arm-in guillotine, finish. He turns over, rolls—heel hook.”
“I’m going to get control—both feet, push down below, turn, spin out. At that point, I’m going to end up on top, crucifix, elbows, TKO.”
A Strong Man’s Humbling Experience
However, former World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall offers a starkly different perspective based on real-world experience.
“I have actually met and had the, like, been in physical contact with a chimpanzee, which in nowhere near the size of the big gorillas. And their grip strength is another level,”
Hall recounted in his conversation with Bisping. This admission from Hall—who at his competitive peak weighed 430 pounds and could squat and deadlift 1,000 pounds—provides a sobering counterpoint to Kerkvliet‘s confidence.
The Bo Nickal Connection
This isn’t the first time the wrestling community has sparked debate about human-primate confrontations. UFC middleweight prospect Bo Nickal similarly claimed he could handle a chimpanzee, even citing AI-generated analysis to support his position. However, when the same AI was consulted independently, it provided a very different assessment, highlighting the dangerous nature of such encounters.
Comedian Bryan Callen notably criticized Nickal‘s stance, emphasizing the feral nature of chimpanzees and describing them as “all demons” with a penchant for violence. A viral video showing a small chimpanzee effortlessly lifting a human three times its size has further challenged such claims from human athletes.
Scientific Reality
Studies consistently show that chimpanzees possess upper body strength approximately three times greater than that of a well-trained human male. Unlike human muscles, which are designed for precision and agility, chimp muscles are built for raw power. This evolutionary difference means that while a chimp might struggle with delicate tasks, it can easily outperform a human in feats of strength.
Public Misconception
A YouGov survey revealed some surprising statistics about human confidence in animal encounters: 17% of respondents believed they could defeat a chimpanzee in hand-to-hand combat, while 8% felt confident about taking on a gorilla, and 6% thought they could best a grizzly bear. These statistics suggest a widespread misunderstanding of wild animal capabilities.
So, that’s a no then?
While Kerkvliet‘s wrestling credentials are impressive and his detailed strategy shows tactical thinking, the scientific evidence and real-world examples suggest that human combat training, even at an elite level, would be insufficient to overcome the natural physical advantages possessed by chimpanzees. His bold claim, while entertaining and detailed, serves as a reminder of the often underestimated strength of our primate relatives and the importance of maintaining a realistic perspective on human physical limitations.
As Eddie Hall himself concluded after his encounter with a chimpanzee, some forces of nature remain unmatched by human strength, regardless of training or technique. It’s a humbling reminder that even the strongest humans must respect the incredible capabilities of the animal kingdom.
