# Maxim Lemire

Maxim Lemire (born March 30, 1982) is a Canadian strongman and professional wrestler.

## Early life

Lemire was born in Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel on March 30, 1981. He lived there until his family moved to Trois-Rivières when he was in the third grade.

## Football and bodybuilding career

In 1996 and 1997, Lemire played defensive end for his high school football team, Lions de Chavigny. In 1996, he also played on the Benjamin Junior Team. In 1998, he made the collegiate AAA team Diablos, of Trois-rivieres, where he was on the reserve player roster. In 1999, he quit football in order to become a police officer.
In 2005, he finished 2nd in the heavyweight class of the Mr. Mauricie, an amateur bodybuilding contest. In 2007, he won the heavyweight class of the same contest. In 2008, he placed 5th in the heavyweight class of the Quebec de l'est bodybuilding show.
In 2009, while Lemire was in contest preparation for the bodybuilding division of the World Police and Fire Games, he was injured and required emergency surgery, after which he began training for strongman competitions.

## Strongman career

In 2015, Fort Comme un Roc (English: Strong as a Rock), filmed during the 2013 season, aired on television. This was a show about 5 Canadian strongman, Jean-François Caron, Louis-Philippe Jean, Christian Savoie, Paul "Shorty" Vaillancourt, and Maxim Lemire. This show featured a look into their lives, including their jobs, training, and contests.
In 2016, Lemire retired from strongman competition following a complete quadriceps rupture. He still does occasional demonstrations for charity events.

## Professional wrestling career

When Lemire was 17 years old, he participated in his first wrestling show. He began training with Rejean Desaulnier, in Shawinigan, in the FCL (Federation Canadienne de lutte) training facility. He wrestled in this promotion under the name Samael and then Maxxx Testosterone. He also wrestled in a few local promotions before retiring from the ring. Later on, he wrestled 2 times for an agent in St-Basile. He had a comeback match in the FCL in 2009.
In 2015, Lemire had a return match during an XQW charity event, defeating Jack Dundee by submission with a move called the backbreaker rack. On October 3, he returned, after a 7-year layoff, to the Shawinigan-based FCL. During that match he suffered a complete quadriceps tendon and patella rupture. He was rushed to the nearby hospital for emergency surgery. On October 6, he was cleared from the hospital and was advised that his strongman and wrestling career might be over and that there was possibility of his never recovering more than 60% of the use of his leg.
On April 23, 2016, he made his return to the ring, in St-Basile Quebec, teaming with former WWE star Sylvain Grenier to take on Brody Steele and MG Animal. His team eventually won the match. On May 7, he wrestled in a 6-man match in the LPQ, in Drummondville. He got eliminated at the end of the match, by John Dundee and Jayson Reaper. On May 14, he returned to FCL to Face the Hellraisers, with Razor Revolution as his partner. They won the match with an F-5 finishing move. On June 4, he wrestled again with Razor Revolution in the FCL promotion against the tag team Genesis. Genesis won the match. On June 25, he make his GNW Great North wrestling debut in Pembroke, Ontario, in a no DQ match against Hannibal for the Canadian Heavyweight Championship. He lost the match to Hannibal by Pinfall. On July 9, he won a match against Alex North with the F-5 in Bécancour, Quebec, this was the main-event of the night. On July 16, he teamed with Kady James, in his hometown of Trois-Rivières, to defeat the team of Genesis after an F-5. The match was filmed for a movie by Denis Cote. On August 6, he defeated SOA Amin, after a Spear, in the main event of a show in St. Prosper de Beauce. On August 13, he defeated Thrax, in Drummondville Quebec, with a pin fall, after a Spear. On August 19, he made his CRW Montreal-based promotion debut, winning, after 40 seconds, in a match against Simon Easton. He later attacked Paul Rosenberg with a Spear and an F-5, allowing Velvet Jones to win the promotion Hardcore Title.
Since 2018, Lemire has been regularly wrestling for the International Wrestling Syndicate.
Lemire had a WWE tryout during SummerSlam (2019) weekend in Toronto.

## Filmography

Fort comme un Roc (2015 TV series, filmed 2013) Ta Peau Si lisse (release date March 2017, filmed 2016)

## Personal life

Lemire is now married and a father.
He gives motivational speeches in schools, and strength demonstrations for charity events such as the Special Olympics Canada.
Lemire suffers from bipolar disorder and anxiety disorder.

## Records
### Powerlifting records

Never porfermed in official powerlifting meet , only PR gym lift
* Squat – (710 lbs) Raw with band
* Bench press – (550lbs) raw
* Bench press – (650) Single-Ply suit
* Deadlift – (775 lbs)

### Strongest man records

* Overhead Log Lift – (360 lbs) multiple contest
* Overhead Log Lift – (394 Lbs) Gym PR

### Other feats

* Standing Overhead Press – (405 Lbs)
* Pulled an airbus of 172,000 lbs a few feet