Alexander Sedykh became on overnight internet sensation after a video emerged of his freak accident.
Now, he has the scars to show for it.
The Russian man mountain was competing at the World Raw Powerlifting Federation European Championships in Moscow last week when he fractured both his knees in a failed attempt to squat 400kg.
With his spotters either side of him, Sedykh tried desperately to maintain his balance under the immense pressure fo the steal plates. But it became too much for the big fella.
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Crumbling under the weight, Sedykh's knees awkwardly buckled as he collapsed to the ground.
Crying out in pain, medical staff and spotters quickly rushed to the scene to help him. But the damage had already been done.
Sedykh underwent a six-hour operation to fix his fractured knees and took to social media to update his followers on his extensive recovery.
The Russian powerlifter captioned his photo: "Don't look at the faint-hearted!
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"Let today be the starting point for the world of recovery!
"After 10 days, the stitches will be removed, it will be a little easier."
The video of Sedykh's horrific injury instantly went viral with millions of squeamish fans tuning in from all over the world to watch it - some more reluctantly than others.
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Speaking moments after his intense operation, Sedykh said: "The forecasts are as follows: Lie down for two months, do not move your legs. Then learn to walk again.
"The quads were double stitched, the knees were reassembled."
Featured Image Credit: Instagram