The 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic took place March 4-5, 2022, in Columbus, Ohio, marking the competition's return after the 2021 edition was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Martins Licis claimed his first Arnold title with a masterclass in consistency, never finishing outside the top three in any event except one, and secured the overall victory by winning the final Stone-to-Shoulder event. The competition featured a historic max squat event—the first time athletes competed powerlifting-style for a true one-rep max—won by JF Caron with a massive 966-pound squat. Licis became only the fourth athlete in history to win both the Arnold Strongman Classic and World's Strongest Man, joining the legendary company of Žydrūnas Savickas, Brian Shaw, and Hafthor Björnsson.