Louie Perkins and Colbe Pudell have quite the icebreaker to start up any conversation these days.
“Hi, we’re the best knife throwers in the World.”
The pair of young men from Michigan are World champions.
But it’s what they two are the best of the best in that separates them from the pack.
Perkins and Pudell are World champions in the sport of knife throwing. Specifically, the duo won the Knife Duals world championship back in April at the 2026 World Axe and Knife Throwing Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Both Perkins, who lives in Berrien Springs, and Pudell, who calls Stevensville home, admit that it’s hard to keep a lid on their title.
“It’s hard not to mention it when someone asks me about my hobbies,” said the 21-year-old Perkins. “At first, people are shocked and don’t understand it. I just try to tell them that I’m decent at it.”
Pudell, 18, admits that the reaction is interesting when he shares his claim to fame.
“I try to keep it on the down low, but I do enjoy talking about it,” Pudell said. “People think it’s weird and crazy, but they are also like, ‘wow, that’s really cool too.'”
Perkins began throwing about five years ago, while Pudell started when he was 13 years old. The pair train at the Lumberjax Urban Axe Throwing in St. Joseph, Michigan.
“A lot of people have helped me out, especially Austin (Austin Bock, who owns Lumberjax), ” stated Perkins, who works at Lumberjax. “The competitiveness at our venue has helped pushed me. It’s made me work harder. It was always my goal to make it to the Worlds, but for us to win it this young is still just crazy to me.”
Perkins, whose first love is baseball, points to a couple of factors as key to the success for the duo.
“We’re both young and kind of have that who cares attitude,” Perkins said. “I semi-retired last year and then came back and Colbe and I threw for maybe like two months together. The thing is we trust each other. You can’t throw scared.
“On any given day, one bad throw and you lose. It just depends on the day what I’m best at throwing. Every day is different for me and the unknown of it excites me. You never know what is going to happen. I don’t like to lose, but I try to be humble when I do.”
Pudell opted to skip his senior prom to compete in the event, which included throwers from eight different countries competing in a variety of knife throwing categories.
“Honestly, I was going to skip it anyway,” said Pudell of prom.
Pudell, who is currently planning to attend a trade school in Cleveland, came to Lumberjax initially for a birthday party for his older brother. That served as his introduction to the sport, and the rest is now history.
“I was not very good when I started,” said Pudell. “It’s about fearlessness and being a decision maker. I tell myself that I need to hit this shot. Everyone told me when I was younger that I could be a world champion, but I was like no.”
The World Knife Throwing League was founded in 2021 as a sister league to the World Axe Throwing League. Competition knives must be at least 13.5 inches long and no longer than 16 inches and weigh no more than 1.65 pounds. Knives in competition are thrown from a distance of 15 feet.
The pair shared that things in their small towns got a little crazy after they returned home from Tulsa.
“The first couple of weeks after the Worlds were surreal,” Perkins explained. “We were in parades and on the news. I was just out at a tournament in Iowa last month and a kid came up and said he wanted me to autograph his shirt.”
“At first, it did not feel real and was definitely weird with all the attention,” Pudell added. “But I’m used to it now.”
The duo definitely impressed Evan Walters, Commissioner of the World Knife Throwing League.
“Colbe and Louie. Wow. Not only did you earn your spots as Knife Duals Champions with an amazing weekend of throwing, but you are also the youngest champions in all of WATL or WKTL, for arguably one of the hardest disciplines between the two organizations,” said Walters. “I can’t wait to see you guys continue on your throwing journey.”
The pair of champions have a huge support system, led by their families and sponsors. Sponsors include ZSF Enterprise, SS Website Solutions, Shembarger Asphalt Sealing and AJ’s Uptown Bar and Grill, all in Berrien Springs, along with Michigan Family Air in Battle Creek and Cheer Bows By Obsessed with Ribbon in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
The replay of their title performance will be shown on ESPN on Saturday, Aug. 8 at 3 p.m.
Pudell came up with a huge kill shot in the semifinal match at Worlds to send the pair into the title bout.
“That was the best moment,” said Perkins. “I told Colbe he could do it and he nailed it.”
Perkins and Pudell have an automatic entry to defend their world title next year. The pair hope to be able to compete together again.
“I’m not sure right now about the future,” said Pudell. “I’m not sure if I’m going to have time to throw, attend school and work too. Hopefully we can keep throwing together.
“I can’t tell you what will happen because I have no idea. But I can’t be mad if we do not win again. We’re world champions and we will always have that no matter what.”
Quite the way to start future conversations for sure.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: The knife throwing world champions reside in southwest Michigan
Reporting by Scott Davidson, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Scott Davidson, South Bend Tribune | USA TODAY Network
