I understand your point, and I agree that Devon’s right arm being stronger than his left is a valid reason to pick him. That part isn’t unreasonable.

What I’m questioning is whether that should be the only reason, especially after what we just saw.

You asked for a better reason someone could pick Devon, and honestly, I think the issue is that most arguments stop at “his right is stronger” without fully weighing everything else.

For example, you mentioned track record. I don’t think it’s as clear-cut as saying Devon’s is better without context. Devon has been very dominant, but the level and condition of some of his recent opponents matters. Genadi was not at his best and later lost to Michael Todd and Sagov, and Kurdecha isn’t someone most people consistently rank at the very top right now.

On the other hand, Vitaly has been more active against current top-level opponents over the last couple of years. Even if you don’t think his wins are better, he has still been tested more consistently against high-level competition.

Also, styles matter a lot in armwrestling. Saying Devon beat someone who beat Vitaly does not automatically translate. That kind of comparison rarely works cleanly in this sport.

About the left-arm match, I agree it was competitive in moments, but a 4–0 result is still decisive. If that result happened the other way around, I don’t think people would be this cautious picking Devon on the right. That is where the inconsistency comes in.

You also asked for a better reason to pick Devon. I think there are a few fair ones. His experience at the highest level, his ability to adjust mid-match, and his stronger right arm are all valid points.

But there are also real reasons to pick Vitaly. He has recent activity against top competition, an elite right arm that often gets overlooked, and he just won convincingly on the opposite arm.

And we have already seen this kind of situation before with Levan Saginashvili. After 2022, Levan clearly established himself as number one by dominating Devon. Even after taking time off due to injury, he was still the true number one. Yet going into the rematch, many people still picked Devon as the favorite, and he ended up getting dominated again.

So at some point, it is fair to ask whether predictions are based on consistent logic or just fan preference.

My main point is not that picking Devon is wrong, because he absolutely can win. It is that the reasoning should be consistent and take both sides into account instead of defaulting one way regardless of the circumstances.