Tag: Blessing Awodibu
Blessing Awodibu Full Interview | Trash Talk, New York Pro, & The Future Of Bodybuilding
[embedded content]
Watch the full uncut GI Exclusive interview with Blessing Awodibu
Blessing Awodibu blew up on the pro bodybuilding scene in 2020 through to this year. This was due to two reasons. First, his physique updates on social media showcased a threatening package. Second, his personality and trash talk online spawned a rivalry with another up and coming bodybuilder in the spotlight – Nick Walker.
Since then, Blessing has competed in the Indy Pro and the New York Pro. While he didn’t win either of those competitions – his physique shows true promise. He placed third at the Indy Pro and sixth at the New York Pro. Disappointing compared to the hype behind him – but a respectable start for his pro career to be sure.
Over the past few months we’ve released multiple GI Exclusive segments from our interview with Blessing Awodibu. Now we’re releasing the full length interview including topics such as his online hype & trash talk, the New York Pro, and how he plans to transform the future of bodybuilding.
Listen To Our Blessing Awodibu Interview On The Generation Iron Podcast
Our full length interviews are now also in podcast form! Subscribe to the Generation Iron Podcast for candid, full length interviews with the biggest names in bodybuilding, fitness, combat, and strength sports.
Listen to the full Blessing Awodibu interview here:
Blessing on trash talk and his rivalry with Nick Walker
True to character, Blessing embraced the entire rivalry with Nick Walker in the lead up to the New York Pro 2021. He believed that this kind of beef is simply part of the entertainment of bodybuilding. He is doing it because he wants to put on a show. He thinks that the New York Pro would have the “highest pay-per-view streams” than any other IFBB show. He thinks this is solely due to the hype he helped create.
He also thinks that Nick Walker might have taken everything a bit too personally. Blessing believes that athletes understand an unspoken contract as pros – that the trash talk and rivalries are nothing personal. It’s simply the mindset of a confident athlete looking to win.
“I don’t think Nick understands it. He took it too personal, you know?”
Blessing expresses the importance of bodybuilders bringing entertaining personality to the sport.
Blessing Awodibu thinks the sport of bodybuilding has one major problem. It has nothing to do with the physiques or bubble guts. Blessing thinks we have a crisis of personality in bodybuilding. More specifically, he thinks that bodybuilding has stopped being entertaining.
Of course, Blessing is not referring to the actual competitions themselves. He understands that the drama of the Olympia or Arnold Classic or any other major IFBB pro show is still there with the quality of physiques on display. The problem is everything in between. There are not enough personalities, rivalries, and hype building up into the competitions.
Blessing Awodibu is already someone who is making headlines in the industry. Not only due to his massive physique but also due to his outspoken nature leading up to the New York Pro 2021. He’s called out Nick Walker and built anticipation with a temporary rivalry between the two leading up to the show.
Beyond that, Blessing Awodibu, has been making viral content online for years. He’s been dubbed the funniest bodybuilder in the sport. During our conversation, we asked him what other bodybuilders look to be matching him in terms of entertainment and personality. Blessing had a hard time coming up with any names.
That’s the problem. For every Kai Greene or Bradley Martyn, there are dozens of other bodybuilders that simply stay quiet. What makes this most frustrating for Blessing, is that he knows that there are tons of great bodybuilding personalities in the sport. He thinks there is a lot of talented bodybuilders who can create great hype and content. But in Blessing’s opinion – they are being lazy.
Of course, Blessing means this only on the personality or entertainment front. In fact, he points out that these pro bodybuilders are so good at training, dieting, and sculpting their physique – that they don’t make time to entertain the fans.
Wrap Up
Our conversation with Blessing Awodibu lasted just about an hour – so there are many other topics that we can’t discuss in full within this article. That’s why you can check out the full uncut GI Exclusive interview with Blessing above!
Victor Martinez: Hunter Labrada Has The Mass Of Nick Walker & The Shape Of Blessing
[embedded content]
Victor Martinez critiques three of the biggest up and coming pro bodybuilders – Nick Walker, Blessing Awodibu, and Hunter Labrada.
In late 2020 and through the first half of 2021, three names have stood out as rising stars in the pro league. Those three athletes are Nick Walker, Hunter Labrada, and Blessing Awodibu. With a few pro shows under each of their belts, they have showcased extremely promising physiques. That’s why we’ve turned to veteran Victor Martinez for his analysis on these three bodybuilders – and what we can expect from them in the future. In our latest GI Exclusive, Victor Martinez discusses how Hunter Labrada hits the sweet spot of size and shape – standing out above Nick Walker and Blessing Awodibu.
Over the past few years, pro bodybuilding has been in a transitionary stage. We’ve had three different Mr. Olympia champions in three years. We’ve also seen a handful of new younger athletes rise into the spotlight. The torch is in the process of being passed – and a new generation of bodybuilders are ready to prove their worth.
Three standout athletes in particular are Nick Walker, Blessing Awodibu, and Hunter Labrada. Nick Walker just won first place at the New York Pro 2021, solidifying the hype surrounding his massive physique. Blessing Awodibu, while not winning any major competitions – remained in top placings with a threatening physique that simply needs some fine tuning.
Hunter Labrada has not yet competed in 2021, but his last appearances in 2020 caught a lot of attention. His aesthetic, conditioning reminded many of his father Lee Labrada. On top of that, he seems to be bringing in a more modern level of muscle mass. Will this make him a true contender to be a future Mr. Olympia champion?
We spoke with Victor Martinez during our video interview and asked him who he thought were the most interesting young bodybuilders rising in the ranks. Martinez gave immense praise to all three of these bodybuilders – but singled Hunter Labrada out as the one with most promise. The reason? He appears to hold the perfect combination of strengths between Nick Walker and Blessing Awodibu.
Victor Martinez had this to say about Hunter Labrada during our interview:
“Labrada has the mass of Nick and the shape of Blessing. He’s like an in between of both of them. Because Blessing has great shape, the mass, keeps dieting and it’s going down. Nick Walker is just staying massive but he doesn’t have the shape.”
Of course, time can change a lot of things. Victor Martinez’s comments were made just before the New York Pro 2021. While his opinion might still stand – Nick Walker’s win will certainly give him confidence to continue improving.
Big Ramy was a bodybuilder who many thought would never be able to find the right balance of size and conditioning. He ultimately proved them wrong. Nick Walker is too early in his career for anyone to make permanent assumptions. We’ve yet to see the full potential of his abilities – but as Big Ramy proved – either way incredible things can happen.
As it stands now, Hunter Labrada simply has the work ethic and the genetics to truly impress Victor Martinez. And he’s not alone. Many fans and fellow bodybuilders are surprised at just how on point Hunter Labrada has looked the past year. We can’t wait to see what kind of damage he can do when he next steps on stage.
You can watch Victor Martinez’ full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Joey Swoll: Blessing Awodibu Is Great For The Sport Of Bodybuilding
[embedded content]
Joey Swoll looks analyzes the most promising young bodybuilders rising in the ranks and highlights Blessing Awodibu’s contributions to the sport.
Joey Swoll might not be a competitive bodybuilder – but he is deeply passionate and involved with the sport. Which is why upon reconnecting with him for an interview, we asked for his thoughts on the Olympia 2020. We also asked for his thoughts looking towards the future. What up and coming bodybuilders seem primed to become a rising star in bodybuilding? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Joey Swoll discusses how Blessing Awodibu has both the physique and personality to bring something great to bodybuilding.
Blessing Awodibu is a bodybuilder who garnered a lot of attention going into the Indy Pro and the New York Pro in 2021. This is certainly due to his physique looking impressive on social media updates. But it’s also because of Blessing’s ability to stir up controversy and hype leading up to the show.
Blessing started up a rivalry with up and comer Nick Walker, who was also set to compete at the New York Pro. The rivalry led to some back and forth trash talk. It lit up the internet in bodybuilding. It was exciting, sometimes controversial, but 100% in the front of everyone’s mind.
Ultimately, Blessing Awodibu fell behind Nick Walker and placed sixth at the New York Pro 2021. Walker landed first place. This was somewhat disappointing to fans fo Blessing. But to Joey Swoll – that’s not too much to be concerned about. Blessing is still relatively new to the competitive world of bodybuilding. His physique shows promise and can always improve.
Joey Swoll believes that Blessing Awodibu is great for the sport of bodybuilding. He’s bringing an element of entertainment and excitement to the sport. If he can continue to combine that with a threatening physique – we can have another Kai Greene type athlete on our hands.
“Blessing, that kid, I think he’s great for the sport. He’s very, how do I say this, he has a lot of personality,” Joey Swoll states in our interview. He continues:
“He brings a lot of character to the stage. He’s not quiet. And I love that. I love that there was a little bit of beef between him and Nick. I didn’t get too involved into it but I like that. It’s good for the sport. It creates some, like you know, everyone is always going to talk about Phil and Kia. When Phil and Kai got beef and got on stage next to each other that was probably the most exciting Olympia finals ever.”
Joey Swoll goes on to clarify that it’s important to know the difference between competitiveness and disrespect. A rivalry and some trash talk is good for the sport, it helps engage the fans, and creates more drama. But if it becomes disrespectful, that’s not professional. That’s not what a pro athlete should represent. It’s a fine line – but Blessing seems to be the kind of guy who knows how to walk it.
Joey Swoll also mentions other standout rising stars such as the aforementioned Nick Walker and also Hunter Labrada. These athletes all show incredible promise that is starting to solidify in recent years. A new generation of athletes are on the horizon and the future looks bright.
You can watch Joey Swoll’s full comments on Blessing Awodibu and other young bodybuilding hopefuls in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Blessing Awodibu Profile & Stats
The biography, life, and accomplishments of Blessing Awodibu
Blessing Awodibu is an Irish professional bodybuilder who has become known for his massive physique and shredded aesthetic. With two wins at the Arnold Classic and four IFBB overall championship titles, he is a force on the pro bodybuilding circuit and proof of sheer strength and undeterred will to succeed.
Below is a complete breakdown of his profile, stats, biography, training and diet regimens.
Full Name: Chris Bumstead (Classic Physique Bodybuilder)
Weight
Height
Date Of Birth
235-245 lbs.
5’10”
09/20/1991
Division
Era
Nationality
Open
2010
Irish
BIOGRAPHY
Blessing Awodibu is an Irish professional bodybuilder that is known for his huge and aesthetic physique. Some people call him ‘A force of nature.’ Blessing is an successful bodybuilder that holds 2 Arnold Classic Titles, along with 4 IFBB Overall Champion Titles.
Blessing wasn’t always a picture of strength or success. Growing up, he was underweight. Working out in the gym was initially his only a hobby in which he hoped to gain some strength and size. At the time, his priorities were mainly academics. He hoped that he’d enroll in a great college after his high school graduation.
After his dream of becoming an academic was shattered and he realized he couldn’t join a college that he wanted, Blessing turned to the only outlet that he had left and that is bodybuilding.
Blessing’s first international show and Pro Qualifier was Diamond Cup in the Czech Republic in 2017. He won the super heavy weight class and the overall title. This is how he gained his Pro card. That same year, he competed at the IFBB Diamond Cup. He won the super heavy weight class and the overall title. This is how he received his second Pro card.
Blessing Awodibu made his IFBB Pro debut at the Indy Pro 2021. He placed third. While Awodibu’s debut was extremely hyped, most fans were more excited to see him compete in his second IFBB pro show – the New York Pro 2021. The excitement was in large part due to Awodibu creating a rivalry with Nick Walker, another anticipated pro bodybuilder who was set to compete at the New York Pro. Both athletes presented photo updates that made them expected to be the top placing athletes at the show. Ultimately, Blessing Awodibu placed sixth. Nick Walker won the show.
TRAINING
Blessing does two workout sessions per day. He focuses on one muscle group with maximum intensity during every workout. Before he starts each workout, he does warm up sets followed by 15 minutes of intense ab exercises.
Blessing trains once on Saturday, and takes Sundays off to rest. He does 11 workouts per week in total.
“Cardio isn’t part of my regimen because I have an active lifestyle. Sleep is very important, but I don’t get much because of my work schedule.”
Day 1 – Session 1: Shoulders/Traps
Upright Rows, 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Shrugs, 4 sets of 12-15 reps
Standing Behind The Back Shrugs, 4 sets of 12-15 reps
Seated Behind The Back, 4 sets of 12-15 reps
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press, 4 sets of 12-15 reps
Dumbbell Front Raises, 3 sets to failure
Seated Shoulder Press, 5 sets of 12-15 reps
Barbell Front Raises, 4 sets to failure
Bent-Over Lateral Raises, 5 sets of 15-20 reps
Seated Bent-Over Lateral Raises, 5 sets of 15-20 reps
Incline Bench Lateral Raises, 3 sets of 15-20 reps
Incline Bench Barbell Front Raises, 4 sets to failure
Day 1: Session 2: Legs
Calf Workout, 15 minutes of various exercises
Lunges, 3 sets of 20 reps
Squats, 6 sets of 12-15 reps
Lying Leg Press, 4 sets of 15-20 reps
Leg Extensions, 6 sets of 15-20 reps
Leg Curls, 8 sets of 15-20 reps
Day 2 – Session 1: Back
Pull-Ups, 6 sets of 15-20 reps
Lat Pull-Downs, 5 sets of 15-20 reps
Lat Pull-Overs, 3 sets of 15-20 reps
Barbell Bent-Over Rows, 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Seated Cable Rows, 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Dumbbell Bent-Over Rows, 4 sets to failure
Day 2 – Session 2: Chest
Incline Dumbbell Press, 6 sets of 8-10 reps
Incline Bench Press, 4 sets of 15-20 reps
Bench Dumbbell Flyes, 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Incline Dumbbell Flyes, 4 sets of 12-15 reps
Dumbbell Bench Press, 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Pec Decks, 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Bench Press, 6 sets of 12-15 reps
Day 3 – Session 1: Arms
Barbell Curls, 9 sets of 12-15 reps
Seated Barbell Curls, 3 sets to failure
Seated Dumbbell Curl, 4 sets to failure
Standing Hammer Curls, 4 sets of 15-20 reps
Seated Hammer Curls, 4 sets to failure
Cable Triceps Extensions, 4 sets of 15-20 reps
Barbell Triceps Press, 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Decline Skull Crushers, 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Cable Triceps Extensions, 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Skull Crushers, 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Dips, 4 sets to failure
Day 3 – Session 2: Lower Back/Glutes/Hamstrings
Lunges, 3 sets of 20 reps
Leg Curls, 8 sets of 15-20 reps
Back Extensions, 3 sets of 15-20 reps
Deadlifts, 5 sets of 15-20 reps
Day 4 – Session 1: Shoulders/Traps
Repeat Day 1 Session 1
Day 4 – Session 2: Back
Repeat Day 2 Session 1
Day 5 – Session 1: Chest
Repeat Day 2 Session 2
Day 5 – Session 2: Legs
Repeat Day 1 Session 2
Day 6: Arms
Repeat Day 3 Session 1
Day 7: Rest
Full body recovery
NUTRITION
Blessing eats a lot of lean proteins and complex carbs. These include tuna, duck eggs, lean beef, and oats. He also makes sure to drink enough water to keep his muscles hydrated and energized.
There’s also time and place for ‘cheat meals’ in Blessing’s diet regimen. He’ll usually have something from the Chinese cuisine once or twice per week.
Meal 1: Pre-Workout
Oatmeal, 75 grams
Milk, 10 ounces
4 Eggs
Whey Protein, 2 scoops
Meal 2: Post-Workout
Tuna, 129 grams
Whey Protein, 2 scoops
Meal 3: Pre-Workout
Pasta, 550 grams
Ground Beef, 8 ounces
Whey Protein, 2 scoops
Meal 4: Post-Workout
Chicken Breast, 500 grams
Whey Protein, 2 scoops
Meal 5
Noodles, 170 grams
Duck Eggs, 4 eggs
Meal 6
Pasta, 550 grams
Grilled Chicken, 8 ounces
Cashews, 100 grams
Meal 7
Cereals, 100 grams
Milk, 10 ounces
Blessing isn’t a big believer in supplements. For him, whole food is more important when it comes to building muscle.
“Supplements aren’t the key for me. It’s all about the diet. My only supplement is whey protein.”
COMPETITION HISTORY
2x Arnold Champion
4x IFBB Overall Champion
IFBB Pro Card – IFBB Diamond Cup Czech Republic overall winner (2017)
2021 Indy Pro
2021 New York Pro
Blessing Awodibu Pulls Out of Cali Pro, Squashes Beef with Nick Walker
Blessing Awodibu has decided to go back to the drawing board.
Blessing Awodibu won’t be competing at the California Pro. While he was set to step on stage at the show, Blessing has decided to pull out of the show. At the same time, it appears that he has squashed his beef with Nick Walker, giving the NY Pro winner a ton of credit for his dominant performance.
Blessing Awodibu got a pretty huge wake up call at the NY Pro. The popular bodybuilder looked to cement himself as an athlete to watch in his first two IFBB Pro League appearances. Instead it became obvious that Blessing still has some work to do before he can challenge the best of the best.
Pulling Out of the California Pro
A response to a post on social media confirmed that Blessing has decided to get back in the lab and work on his physique.
Blessing Awodibu will NOT be doing the upcoming California Pro.California is scheduled to take place in 2 weeks on the 29th.
After asking him if he plans on competing at Cali Pro, Blessing commented insinuating that he’s not competing anytime soon, perhaps taking a long off-season.“I’m going to take a little break and go back to school, I got work to do.”
While Blessing Awodibu had some high aspirations, it seems that he has decided to take some time off and regroup. Coming in at sixth place at the NY Pro has humbled him immensely it would appear. It was no doubt a learning experience for the popular bodybuilder.
The Beef is Over
Speaking of humbleness, it also appears that Blessing Awodibu has put his beef with Nick Walker to bed. The two had some pretty heated exchanges on social media during the lead up to the NY Pro. After Nick Walker dominated the competition at the show, Blessing felt compelled to give his rival praise.
Just cuz I’m a fan ?
@nick_walker39 aka the #mutant truly lived up to his name this past weekend at the #NYPro.Very honoured to have shared same stage with himWe went back n fourth at each other for the whole 10 weeks straight leading up to the NY pro show, to create hype, interest and excitement for the show. We had everyone talking and glued to bodybuilding for the whole 10 weeks which also allowed myself and Nick to work extra harder in the gym!
I was able to get in the best condition I’ve ever been only to have it all turn upside down a few hours before Indy Pro while Nick dashed to the finish line in style. This isn’t the end. Sometimes by losing a battle you find a new way to win the war and we will battle again! Round 2 is going to be ? Bodybuilding is in good hands. This is the new era!
This was pretty big of Blessing Awodibu to squash the beef with Nick Walker. It takes a level of humbleness and self awareness to not only realize when you’re beat, but that you have work to do.
While he may not have won the NY Pro, the future is still bright for Blessing Awodibu. We will see how he adapts in the future.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Managing Editor at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.
Blessing Awodibu Reacts to Third Placing at Indy Pro, Looks Forward to NY Pro
Blessing Awodibu speaks out about his Indy Pro performance and looks forward to the NY Pro.
So the Indy Pro didn’t turn out exactly as Blessing Awodibu hoped. In his IFBB Pro League debut, the outspoken bodybuilder took third place. While he was one of the favorites to win the show, that honor belonged to Justin Rodriguez who showed up in impressive shape. Never one to shy away from success or failure, Blessing Awodibu issued a statement on his performance at the Indy Pro and his intentions for the NY Pro.
Many in the bodybuilding community may be cheering that Blessing Awodibu took third place in his IFBB Pro League debut. There are a large contingent of fans who dislike Awodibu’s brash personality and were pleased that he was unable to take first place at the Indy Pro.
It’s certainly a negative mindset to say the least. Celebrating the failure of a competitor capture their goal perhaps isn’t the best use of time. That said, when you talk as much trash as Blessing Awodibu the owness is on him to back it up.
That said, Blessing Awodibu did look pretty impressive in his debut. His legs were far more impressive than many had thought. He came in pretty solid condition, but it wasn’t enough to beat Justin Rodriguez.
Blessing Reacts
Now that the NY Pro looms, Blessing Awodibu had his own thoughts on his performance at the Indy Pro as well as his intentions for the future.
This pic was taken just before tanning but anyway, I just wanna say thank you to everyone for tuning in, think we set a record yesterday for the the live stream ???.Also thank you all for all the love and support, it truly means a lot ??.Shoutout to @davebowersproductions @dave_bowers @ifbbindypro for putting together an amazing show .Yesterday’s show was a try out before the main event – NY pro! Having been away from competing for 4 years, stepping back on stage is extremely hard, to nail peaking and timing.Yesterday we learned a ton, we messed up pre judging and we knew exactly what went wrong , we tried to fixed things but it was a lil too late. Still we were able to move up in placing.We will be ready to battle at the NY proStay tuned it’s gonna be epic ? Big shoutout to @justindifbb he brought it yesterday. Well deserved win but I’ll see you again next week.
It seems that Blessing Awodibu was treating the Indy Pro as a test show. He calls the NY Pro the main event. While some may say this is merely deflection on Awodibu’s part, we won’t know until the NY Pro rolls around.
What do you think of Blessing Awodibu taking third place at the Indy Pro? Do you think he can bounce back at the NY Pro?
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Managing Editor at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.