He died while successfully defending his championship in the pankration at the 54th Olympiad (564 BC). Arrhichion has been described as "the most famous of all pankratiasts".
At the end of a close-fought match, he was held by his opponent in an iron stranglehold. He could not make any move. He prospect of an honorable death prompted Arrichion to use a temporary weakening of his opponent's hold to dislocate his foot with a kick of his right leg.
To make this maneuver more effective, he casted his body to the left. Because of the unbearable pain, the opponent made the sign of submission to the umpires.
During this maneuver of Arrichion, however, the opponent still held Arrichion's neck in a stranglehold. Because of Arrichion's sudden move, his neck broke, more or less like the neck of someone who is hung. He wanted victory even if death was imminent!
