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A Brief History of the New York Pro
By Ron Harris
The springtime muscle extravaganza known as the New York Pro had its origins in an event called Night of Champions, held in New York City from 1978 to 2004. Many of the greats in the sport had their first big win there or solidified already established pro careers, stars like Lee Haney, Lee Labrada, Gary Strydom, Dorian Yates, Kevin Levrone, Nasser El Sonbaty, Flex Wheeler, Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler, Markus Rühl and Victor Martinez.
2005 – the First Year
In 2005, gym owner, IFBB pro judge, and contest promoter Steve Weinberger took the reins on the annual May event and dubbed his new show The New York Pro. That premiere edition was won by Trinidad’s Darrem Charles, known as “The King of the $10,000 shows.” He did win many other contests, including a whopping six events in Classic Physique when that division was introduced in 2016, but this would remain his most prestigious win of a long and accomplished career. Placing 14th out of 15 was a kid from Brooklyn making his pro debut who would go on to do very well for himself – Kai Greene. It would also be the only pro show that 2004 NPC National Champion Capriese Murray ever did, retiring prematurely due to health concerns. Capriese is alive and well and married to IFBB Women’s Physique Pro Jill Livoti.
1. Darrem Charles
2. Ahmad Haidar
3. Victor Martinez
4. Craig Richardson
5. Capriese Murray
2006 – the Rise of The Gift
Darrem returned the following year looking to repeat, but he was stopped in his tracks by the 2005 USA Champion, Phil Heath. Phil tested the waters that spring with just two pro shows, this and the Colorado Pro, winning both. Dennis James, now retired, was enormous in third place, just ahead of The Giant Killer, David Henry. The 202 division was still a couple of years away, but Henry never had trouble mixing it up with the bigger men. Just outside the top five in sixth was the outspoken King Kamali. The stage was packed this year with 32 men, and Kai Greene failed to place this time.
1. Phil Heath
2. Darren Charles
3. Dennis James
4. David Henry
5. Bill Wilmore
2007 – Texas Invades New York
I still remember Branch Warren making his pro debut here in 2004, the last year of the Night of Champions, and how disappointed he was to place eighth. He returned three years later for retribution, and vengeance was his. He fended off two huge men named Dennis who started bodybuilding in Germany, Dennis James and Dennis Wolf. In fourth place was 2006 NPC National Champion Desmond Miller, who only did four pro shows in 2007 and 2008 before nearly losing his life to double pneumonia and deciding to retire from the sport. Kai moved up to sixth place this year.
1. Branch Warren
2. Dennis James
3. Dennis Wolf
4. Desmond Miller
5. Silvio Samuel Saviour
2008 – Kai’s Rise Begins
Kai Greene had one pro win under his belt at this point, the 2007 Colorado Pro, but this would be the win that put him on the map. The next year he would win the Arnold Classic and place fourth at his first Mr. Olympia. This was also the year Kevin English started his winning streak. At the 2017 New York Pro, he’d been 17th place. This year, the 202 class was added to the event, and crossovers were allowed. Thus, Kevin placed second in the open to Kai in a field of 25 men, and beat David Henry to win the 202 class. Henry would defeat him that September to win the first 202 Olympia Showdown, but Kevin held the title for three consecutive years after that from 2009 to 2011.
Open
1. Kai Greene
2. Kevin English
3. Ronny Rockel
4. David Henry
5. Craig Richardson
202
1. Kevin English
2. David Henry
3. Jason Arntz
4. Charles Dixon
5. Rashid Shabazz
2009 – Evan Takes Manhattan
Evan Centopani had turned pro at the 2007 NPC Nationals, but kept his many fans waiting to see his pro debut while he took all of 2008 to improve. It proved to be worth the wait, as Centopani brought a package of brutal mass with crisp condition that some feel was his best look ever. It allowed him to fend off veteran Dennis James as well as the monstrous Markus Rühl. In the 202 division, Kevin English continued his winning ways, beating out a more streamlined and conditioned Mark Dugdale. This was also the pro debut for Jose Raymond, who landed in eighth place but would very quickly become one of the division’s top contenders.
Open
1. Evan Centopani
2. Dennis James
3. Markus Rühl
4. Silvio Samuel Saviour
5. Hidetada Yamagishi
202
1. Kevin English
2. Mark Dugdale
3. David Henry
4. Eduardo Correa
5. Jason Arntz
2010 – The Dutch Beast arrives
He’d just make his pro debut a couple of months prior at the Arnold Classic, but this would be Roelly Winklaar’s first pro win and the one that launched his career. Many prefer this version of Roelly to the larger but less tapered physique he built in the years to come. Special mention needs to go to a totally diced Hide Yamagishi, who managed to beat out men like Dennis Wolf and Toney Freeman, who towered over him and outweighed him by 60-70 pounds. This would be one of only six pro shows Erik Fankhouser did before walking away from competition in 2012. In the 202 division, Kevin English, by now the Olympia champ, made it three in a row with Jose Raymond giving him a serious battle in second.
Open
1. Roelly Winklaar
2. Hide Yamagishi
3. Dennis Wolf
4. Toney Freeman
5. Erik Fankhouser
202
1. Kevin English
2. Jose Raymond
3. Jason Arntz
4. Vincent Wawryk
5. Sean Jenkins
2011 – Kai Comes Back
By now, Kai was already a two-time Arnold Classic champ, but the native New Yorker couldn’t resist coming back to the show where it all started for him to nab a second title. This year was notable for how many top guys missed their mark – Roelly in ninth place, Brandon Curry in 10th and Cedric in 11th. It would also be the final open event for Pavol Jablonicky from the Czech Republic, who retired this year after a pro career that started in 1989. This was also only the second pro show Lionel Beyeke competed in. Jose Raymond made this the third pro win of his career, beating none other than Flex Lewis to do so. After this season, Flex would never be defeated again and collected 17 more pro wins including seven Olympia titles before retiring from the 212 division in 2018.
Open
1. Kai Greene
2. Ronny Rockel
3. Craig Richardson
4. Lionel Beyeke
5. Robert Burneika
202
1. Jose Raymond
2. Flex Lewis
3. Marvin Ward
4. P.D. Devers
5. Jason Joseph
2012 – Cedric Shines
Since turning pro at the 2009 NPC Nationals, great things were expected of Cedric McMillan. Here he gave us a taste of just how good he could be, peaking properly and dominating with his combination of size, shape and proportion. 2011 USA champion Steve Kuclo made a strong pro debut here, big and ripped in third place. This would also mark the pro debut of two local guys of Dominican heritage, Juan Morel and Jonathan De La Rosa, both of whom landed in the top five. Kevin English won his fourth New York Pro 202 title here. It would be the final win of his career, as he retired after failing to place at the 2015 Olympia.
Open
1. Cedric McMillan
2. Johnnie Jackson
3. Steve Kuclo
4. Juan Morel
5. Jonathan De La Rosa
202
1. Kevin English
2. Sami Al Haddad
3. Jose Raymond
4. Marco Rivera
5. Guy Cisternino
2013 – the World meets Big Ramy
He’d won the Amateur Olympia in Kuwait a few months before, but no one in the USA knew who Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay was until he stormed onstage at 285 pounds to crush the competition here. Victor Martinez was looking fantastic but couldn’t match the sheer wow factor of Ramy. Once again, Juan and Jonathan were solidly in the top five. In the 212 division, Jose Raymond made a last-minute decision – as in the day before – to compete here and it paid off with his second New York Pro title.
Open
1. Mamdouh Elssbiay
2. Victor Martinez
3. Juan Morel
4. Jonathan De La Rosa
5. Clarence DeVis
212
1. Jose Raymond
2. Sami Al Haddad
3. Mark Dugdale
4. Aaron Clark
5. Marco Rivera
2014 – Ramy Returns!
I’m sure most of the New York area pros thought Big Ramy was all done with this show after winning it in his debut, but no such luck! The giant returned, spoiling the plans of an insanely peeled Juan Morel in second. In my wrap-up after judging with Bob Cicherillo, I had a brain malfunction and forgot to mention Aaron Clark, who went on to win the 212 division. In third place was Iranian Baitollah Abbaspour, who would tragically die the following August of vasculitis at only 36 years old. This would be the pro debut for Shaun Clarida in 13th, as well as new pro Breon Ansley, who failed to place and did not return for the night show. Breon only did one other 212 show that year before taking a long break until Classic Physique was introduced two years later.
Open
1. Mamdouh Elssbiay
2. Juan Morel
3. Jonathan De La Rosa
4. Lionel Beyeke
5. Maxx Charles
212
1. Aaron Clark
2. Guy Cisternino
3. Baitollah Abbaspour
4. Marco Rivera
5. Curtis Bryant
2015 – a Win for Juan
It was a joyful night in New York as local hero Juan Morel finally got the win here. It was a bittersweet victory, as he beat out his good friend and mentor Victor Martinez in the process, with the massive Maxx Charles in a strong third. In fourth place was Montreal’s Henri-Pierre Ano, who successfully transitioned to Classic Physique in 2018. Guy Cisternino already had three pro wins going into this event, but he’d always wanted a New York Pro title – and now he had it. This would be one of only two pro shows Chris Tuttle would do that year before deciding to focus on his growing coaching business.
Open
1. Juan Morel
2. Victor Martinez
3. Maxx Charles
4. Henri-Pierro Ano
5. Grigori Atoyan
212
1. Guy Cisternino
2. Kim Jun Ho
3. Marco Rivera
4. Jose Raul Sanchez Reyes
5. Chris Tuttle
2016 – Dexter Makes a Surprise Visit
With a Mr. Olympia win and a record five Arnold Classic titles to his credit, nobody was expecting Dexter Jackson to jump into the New York Pro. But as The Blade explained it, “This is the only title I’ve never won, so I wanted it.” And he had it, edging out Roelly Winklaar and Victor Martinez, both in top form, to get it. Rookie Nathan De asha from the UK was seventh place here, and in the 212 division, Guy “Quadro” Cisternino repeated his win. Classic Physique debuted here for the first time, and New York’s Arash Rahbar became the first champion.
Open
1. Dexter Jackson
2. Roelly Winklaar
3. Victor Martinez
4. Maxx Charles
5. Steve Kuclo
212
1. Guy Cisternino
2. Marco Rivera
3. Shaun Clarida
4. Kim Jun Ho
5. Craig Ricardson
2017 – a New Legend Begins
Since he had turned pro at the 2015 NPC Nationals, bodybuilding fans had been eagerly anticipating the pro debut of Sergio Oliva Jr., son of the legendary three-time Mr. Olympia champion Sergio Oliva. Sergio Jr. had appeared on a pro stage for the first time at just two weeks old at the 1984 Mr. Olympia right there in New York, held aloft by his father. Now he was all grown up, and tremendously improved from his Nationals win 18 months before. Local star Jonathan De La Rosa put up a hell of a fight, but was in second place when the dust settled. Juan Morel was right behind in third place. Former open star Ronny Rockel gambled with a move to the 212 that paid off with a win, narrowly edging out Shaun Clarida. California’s Breon Ansley crossed coasts to beat out local star George Peterson for the Classic Physique title. Four months later, Breon would win his first Olympia title, and Peterson would take third.
Open
1. Sergio Oliva Jr.
2. Jonathan De La Rosa
3. Juan Morel
4. Justin Rodriguez
5. Akim Williams
212
1. Ronny Rockel
2. Shaun Clarida
3. Milan Sadek
4. Craig Richardson
5. Alex Cambronero
2018 – NY vs. UK
The last time a Brit had won a pro show in New York had been Dorian Yates in 1991, but Nathan “The Prophecy” De asha was ready to take on all the incredible local talent. The open portion of the event came down to a tooth-and-nail battle between Nathan and Juan Morel, with De asha emerging triumphant. In the 212, The Giant Killer Shaun Clarida finally got his win, though he had a worthy opponent in Canada’s Zane Watson. Interestingly, both Juan and Zane would win two weeks later in Toronto. The biggest news of the weekend was the last-minute secret switch of Regan Grimes from the open class to Classic Physique, which supposedly required the Canadian to lose over 20 pounds in the final 48 hours before weighing in. The drastic tactics paid off, as he scored the win.
Open
1. Nathan De asha
2. Juan Morel
3. Justin Rodriguez
4. Josh Wade
5. Jonathan De La Rosa
212
1. Shaun Clarida
2. Zane Watson
3. Ahmed Elsadany
4. Mahmood Al Durrah
5. Ahmad Ahmad
2019 – The Title Stays in New York!
Juan “Diesel” Morel had not been pleased to concede victory to Nathan De asha, and this time he was not letting another usurper stand between him and the coveted New York Pro title. As fate decreed, his biggest (literally) opposition came in the form of his fellow New Yorker and friend Akim Williams, who had finally mastered conditioning to go along with his massive size and cartoonish shape. In the end, Juan was crowned a two-time New York Pro champ. The 212 division saw a battle between two-time Olympia runner-up Ahmad Ashkanani from Oxygen Gym in Kuwait, and 212 legend Eduardo Correa from Brazil. Ahmad was not in his best condition, while Correa, who was making his first appearance since the 2016 season after suffering a triceps tear, was in top form. Ahmad got the nod, though many in the audience, particularly the Eduardo fans, were not pleased. In Classic Physique, 24-year-old sensation Keone Pearson edged out Alex Cambronero.
Open
1. Juan Morel
2. Akim Williams
3. Milan Sadek
4. Jonathan De La Rosa
5. Justin Rodriguez
212
1. Ahmad Ashkanani
2. Eduardo Correa
3. Kerrith Bajjo
4. Kim Jun Ho
5. Steve Benthin
2020 – Covid-19 Couldn’t Stop the Show!
It was a chaotic and uncertain year for the bodybuilding world, with many shows being forced to postpone or cancel due to restrictions on public gatherings and events. The New York Pro was originally scheduled for its usual weekend in May, but state regulations made that impossible. The show was postponed first to July, then to September 5. In August, when it became clear that the event still could not be held in New York with an audience, a bold decision was made to move to Tampa, Florida. It sounded crazy, but what wasn’t bizarre about 2020? As this is the third-biggest event in our sport, promoter Steve Weinberger was determined that the show would go on, and he made it happen.
Three out of the top five in the Open division were native New Yorkers who made the trek south to vie for the pride of that city’s legendary title win. In the end, the final battle came down to Justin Rodriguez and Canadian Iain Valliere, who both brought stunning packages of mass, shape and condition. Valliere’s muscle density ultimately gave him the edge over Rodriguez, who just won his first pro show in Indianapolis and was back at the New York Pro, an event he competed in all three previous seasons since he turned pro back in 2017. Fourth place from 2020 was Hassan Mostafa, who has relocated from Kuwait to Las Vegas to train under the watchful eye of seven-time Olympia 212 champ Flex Lewis. Hassan was heavily favored to win in 2021 along with young phenom Nick Walker.
The 212 division saw Tennessee’s Bo Lewis score his first pro victory with impressive mass, roundness and fullness along with cuts to spare. And in Classic Physique, former Men’s Physique competitor Logan Franklin also nabbed his first pro title.
Open
1. Iain Valliere
2. Justin Rodriguez
3. Jonathan De La Rosa
4. Hassan Mostafa
5. Maxx Charles
212
1. Bo Lewis
2. Jason Lowe
3. Errol Moore
4. Adam Young
5. Derik Oslan
Classic
1. Logan Franklin
2021: Rise of The Mutant!
The 2021 edition of the New York Pro was eagerly anticipated thanks to a fierce social media in the two months leading up to it between two rookie twentysomethings, Blessing “The Boogieman” Awodibu and Nick “The Mutant” Walker. The two traded jabs to the delight of the fans, who found the whole thing as entertaining as the lead-up to a WWE pay-per-view. Alas, the battle never materialized, as Blessing was off his mark. Walker, on the other hand, was on his game: massive, with freaky-huge arms and grainy hard condition at 5-foot-7 and 250 pounds. It was enough to fend off New York’s own Justin Rodriguez, hot off his Indy Pro win the weekend before. Nick would go on to win the Arnold Classic that fall and place fifth at his first Mr. Olympia. In the 212 division, Indiana’s Nathan Epler, who had made his pro debut just a week earlier, showed that you don’t necessarily need to be built like a tank, scoring a win with excellent shape and structure highlighted by blinding definition.
Open
1. Nick Walker
2. Justin Rodriguez
3. Hassan Mostafa
4. Dorian Haywood
5. Mokhamed El Emam
212
1. Nathan Epler
2. John Jewett
3. Noel Adame
4. Derik Oslan
5. Justin Randall
2022 New York Pro Schedule
Saturday, May 21
(All times EST)
Judging A: 8:00 AM
Women’s Physique
Men’s Physique
Wellness
Classic Physique
212
Judging B: 12:00 PM
Women’s Bodybuilding
Figure
Bikini
Open Men
Finals A: 4:00 PM
Women’s Physique
Men’s Physique
Wellness
Classic Physique
212 Bodybuilding
Finals B: 7:00 PM
Women’s Bodybuilding
Figure
Bikini
Men’s Bodybuilding
Finals
Tickets and pay-per-view info available at www.bevsgym.com
Be sure to follow along here at www.musculardevelopment.com and on the Muscular Development YouTube channel for contest pics, live play-by-play, wrap-ups, athlete interviews and much more.
Ron Harris got his start in the bodybuilding industry during the eight years he worked in Los Angeles as Associate Producer for ESPN’s “American Muscle Magazine” show in the 1990s. Since 1992 he has published nearly 5,000 articles in bodybuilding and fitness magazines, making him the most prolific bodybuilding writer ever. Ron has been training since the age of 14 and competing as a bodybuilder since 1989. He lives with his wife and two children in the Boston area. Facebook Instagram
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