Erie has been home to some great athletes over the years.  They've competed in football, baseball, basketball and the Olympic sports.  Let's not forget about arm wrestler Dave Chaffee.

Dave went from competing at local taverns in 2006 to being a World Champion in 2010.  Two weeks ago, he won the King of the Table Super Heavyweight Match in Dubai. Arm wrestling fans are calling it ‘The Greatest Arm Wrestling Match of All Time.’

"I've been on ESPN a few times.  I've been overseas like 11 or 12 times now to compete.  I'm truly lucky to be able to do this stuff.  I'd never, ever thought in a million years I'd be where I am now,” says Dave.

Dave took on another arm wrestling legend in Dubai.  He faced Vitaly Laletin.  Laletin, from Russia, is also a former World Champion.  He's 6’ 7” and weighs 300 pounds. 

Dave won the first two rounds of the Best of Seven match.  Laletin came back to win the next three. The announcers on the worldwide pay-per-view telecast were questioning Dave's chances of a victory.  Then came the grueling Round Six.  Both competitors were physically spent.

"I'm exhausted.  I'm so tired,” recalls Dave.  “I'm thinking to myself, 'My 8-year old son might be able to beat me right now."  

The pay-per-view camera close-ups showed the intensity of the competitors in Round Six.  Dave's hand was bleeding from having it slammed onto the table in an earlier round. He also strained his abdomen and had trouble breathing.  Arm wrestling matches are usually over quickly.  Round Six was a marathon.

Dave won Round Six in after a grueling struggle. He was exhausted before Round Six.  He was fired up before Round Seven.

"You look at your opponent and I'm looking at him and I'm seeing I'm tired but he's more tired than me.  You just go for it,” said Dave.” 

Dave won King of the Table.  Soon after, his friends urged him to read the online reviews calling it the ‘Greatest Match of All Time.’

"Hundreds of people...thousands of people saying that.  You realize you've been involved in something special.  It's pretty cool,” says Dave.

Dave works as a correction officer at the Erie County Prison.  He may go unrecognized on the streets of Erie, but he is a star in many European countries that closely follow arm wrestling.  Dave says he is still recovering from the match with the big Russian.  His opponent fared much worse.  Laletin was taken to the hospital after the match for treatment of exhaustion.