Tag: New York Pro
Lee Priest Predicts ‘Beef Stu’ and Tonio Burton Will Battle for 1st at 2023 New York Pro This Weekend
The bodybuilding season marches on as competitors prepare for another busy weekend. In a recent Rx Muscle interview, Lee Priest predicted which bodybuilders are most likely to walk away with gold at the 2023 New York Pro.
Over the last six months, the Men’s Open division has changed dramatically. At the 2022 Mr. Olympia contest, mass monster Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay failed to repeat as champion. Instead, Iranian-born Hadi Choopan claimed the title after outlasting contenders Derek Lunsford and Nick Walker in the finals.
Nick Walker and Hadi Choopan at The Mr. Olympia 2021
With a new Mr. Olympia champion looking over the category, fans’ attention turned to Columbus, Ohio for the 35th annual Arnold Classic. Once again, Walker was in the running to win but was narrowly defeated by Samson Dauda.
Considering Choopan, a former 212 bodybuilder, was able to win the Open title at Mr. Olympia, some in the sport believe the division is shifting to favor shape and conditioning over freak factor. And while the season has remained somewhat quiet since Dauda’s victory, that is about to change at the sport’s third most prestigious contest this weekend.
Lee Priest Names Tonio Burton & ‘Beef’ Stu Sutherland As 2023 New York Pro Favorites
Having assessed Tonio Burton‘s physique, Lee Priest shared that he was impressed with the athlete’s shape, muscularity, and conditioning, adding that he could ‘definitely win it.’
“Yeah, I think I just saw some photos, he’s the one that has the tattoos on him doesn’t he? Yeah, I’ve always been impressed when I’ve seen him with his shape, muscularity, and conditioning I’ve sometimes seen him in.
I think he popped up on Instagram this morning he was doing a lat spread or something . Like I said, he looks great. Just the proportions and what he has, he has one of those physiques where he’s going to look so much better on stage, the illusion of the round muscles and the shape. He can definitely win it,” said Lee Priest.
Before looking at other contenders, Priest was taken aback by the lack of big names participating this weekend.
“Back in the day, remember the big names that would turn up at those shows, it was always the Olympia, the Arnold, and the Night of Champions, now the New York Pro, those were good shows and if you wanted them, they were a good win. Like I’ve said before, a lot of these pros sit out so many shows where they could fuc**ng win them if they turned up in great shape.”
Priest dubbed Maxx Charles as a dark horse given his consistent ability to enter shows with great conditioning.
“The thing about Maxx, I like Maxx, I think I’ve seen him in a few shows,” said Priest. “There’s a few shows I’ve seen him in. Like last year, where I thought he should have placed higher than he should have than he did I mean. His conditioning is generally on point. He can, like I said, it’s going to be one of those things, you don’t know till the day.”
In addition to Burton, Priest anticipates ‘Beef’ Stu Sutherland fighting for gold. He explained that Stu managed to hold his own against Hunter Labrada during a guest-posing event earlier this year.
“I could see him being, he could win or be top three easy from the names so far,” Priest shared. “Wasn’t there a guest posing a while ago where he was posing next to Hunter Labrada and he held his own.”
While some in the community had hoped for bigger names in the 2023 New York Pro, Priest believes it’s exciting because there’s no clear winner leading up to the contest.
“We don’t a lot them but that still makes it exciting like I said, because there is no clear winner. Watching this show is going to be picking the winner as well with the judges. There’s nothing worse than you go, ‘Okay the judges are going to put him first he always wins.’ Make it exciting that way. Even for the competitors too, they must know.
It sounds bad when you say there’s no big names in it, like there’s no good bodybuilders, because these guys competing are great bodybuilders. You know what I mean, back in the day, it had to be like those names, like Kevin Levrone, it was like, ‘Oh, Kevin was going to win.’ Even for the guys competing in this show, they’re probably all going in it with the mindset, ‘Shit any of us can win this.’ There’s no standout person here. It probably makes them try harder.”
Before making his New York Pro debut, Stuart Sutherland joined Fouad Abiad on a recent Bro Chat episode. He was happy there wasn’t a ‘bunch of studs’ performing this weekend and said he was feeling confident about his chances of success.
The winner of this year’s 2023 New York Pro will earn an invitation to the Mr. Olympia contest November 2-5 in Orlando Florida, where they will have the chance to face off against the reigning champion Choopan.
RELATED: Sergio Oliva Jr. Aiming for 2023 New York & Cali Pro, Fires Back at ‘Instagram Bodybuilder’ Label
Watch the full video below from the Rx Muscle YouTube channel:
Published: 18 May, 2023 | 4:05 PM EDT
2023 New York Pro Preview, Competitors List & Top Names to Watch
The 2023 New York Pro takes place this weekend and serves as the third most significant event of the IFBB Pro League calendar. With Blessing Awodibu away from the stage, a new champion will be crowned on May 20. This contest will feature a total of nine divisions: Men’s Open, Classic Physique, 212 Bodybuilding, Men’s Physique, Women’s Bodybuilding, Women’s Physique, Figure, Bikini, and Wellness.
In addition to 2022 champion Blessing Awodibu’s absence, the 2021 New York Pro winner, Nick Walker, has opted to use the extra time to prepare for 2023 Mr. Olympia. Whoever claims Steve Weinberger’s New York Pro title over the weekend will gain substantial momentum in their quest to shine on the Mr. Olympia stage in November.
With the event set to kick off Saturday in Teaneck, NJ., fans are eager to see their favorite athletes vie for gold and a coveted 2023 Mr. Olympia invitation. Find a full competitors list and names to watch below:
2023 New York Pro Lineup
Men’s Open Bodybuilding
Heading into New York, fans expect Tonio Burton to make a statement. Having competed in 212 and the Open, Burton continues to make strides and sports a freaky physique. Last year, he won a Men’s Open show at the 2022 Legion Sports Fest Pro and plans to secure another title this weekend.
However, Burton will have to get through a couple of threats, such as veteran Maxx Charles and Nate Spear. At the 2022 New York Pro last year, Charles took third and intends to inch closer to gold in his next appearance.
On the other hand, Stuart Sutherland has shown promising updates during prep for his New York debut, weighing as much as 253 pounds. Spear, who last competed at the Boston Pro (7th) appears to have added size as well. Other notable standouts include Joe Seeman and Slavoj Bednar.
Slavoj Bednar
Tonio Burton
Maxx Charles
Lionardis Cardoza Delfino
Walter R. Debbs
Jason Hebert
Mike Hulusi
Josef Kveton
Keunwoo Park
Joe Seeman
Nathan Spear
Robin Strand
Stuart Sutherland
Brent Swansen
Mariusz Tomczuk
Eric Wood
Classic Physique
Having just claimed gold at the 2023 Pittsburgh Pro, Michael Daboul is an obvious favorite heading into this weekend’s event. Considering he’s already in shape and riding momentum, it will take a massive effort to overshadow him on stage. As a former Men’s Physique competitor, fans expect a big turnout from Matthew Greggo in his debut for Classic Physique. Greggo’s last contest came last year in seventh place at the 2022 Tampa Pro.
In addition, Junior Javorski is in the running for gold. He competed against the 2023 Arnold Classic champion Ramon Dino but ultimately left town in sixth. He also has ambitious plans this weekend and is aiming to earn his Olympia invitation.
Eric Abelon
Munkhsaruul Altangerel
Zeek Andrews
Kherlan Batbayar
Brandon Coope
Michael Daboul
Camilo Diaz
Javie Duarte
Jorge Luis Guerrero Gallegos
Matthew Greggo
Callum Hinze
Junior Javorski
Hubert Kulczynski
Tyler Okowinsky
Rickoy Palmer
Rob Van Sant
Herbert Surita Sotillo
Alexander Westermeier
Jeremiah T. Willies
Andrew Wilson
212 Bodybuilding
Defending champion Noel Adame plans to silence any doubters on Saturday. He dominated the show last year to win his first New York Pro title, showcasing an impressive blend of conditioning and balance.
Kerrith Bajjo plans to steal the 212 spotlight again after a successful season last year. He won the Texas Pro before taking seventh at 2022 Olympia. In light of his recent physique updates, fans believe Bajjo could make a run for first place.
Noel Adame
Kerrith Bajjo
Peter Castella
Anthony S. Dellaventura
Ralph Farah
Ho Yeon Jang
Sung Yeop Jang
Jason Joseph
Shuqing Lin
Marc Lobliner
Jose Marte
Diego A. Guerra Montoya
Babacar Niang
Jicheng Qian
Michael Schneider
Nate Telow
Jordan Wise
Men’s Physique
Men’s Physique favorite Ryan Terry will make a quick turnaround after narrowly finishing second to Corey Morris at last weekend’s 2023 Pittsburgh Pro show. Given his record of success and massive chest, he hopes to earn a victory after the close call in Pittsburgh.
Meanwhile, Charjo Grant also stands out as an early favorite. He last appeared in December on the Mr. Olympia stage where he impressed in fourth place. And while Vitor Chaves took 13th at the 2022 Olympia, many in the bodybuilding community refuse to dismiss his chances on the East Coast.
Daniel Ammons is a surefire frontrunner as well as he found loads of success on stage in 2022. He enters this show on the heels of back-to-back wins at the Tampa and Texas Pro.
Philip Acevedo
Daniel Ammons
Joseph Angell
Vitor Chaves
Andrew J. David
Matthew J. Gelia
Juan Manuel Gochez
Maxim Golovatii
Charjo Grant
Aaron Harvey
Jarrett Jenkins
Dennis Kloster
Ephfram Lawhorne
Joseph Mencel
Gage Moran
Sidy Pouye
Francisco Rodriguez
Ryan Terry
Dawid Wachelka
Deke Walker
Richard Young
Miguel A. Zapata
Women’s Bodybuilding
In Women’s Bodybuilding, 2022 Toronto Pro Supershow fourth-place finisher Gisela Nunes Chan is determined to shine in her latest outing. Tamara Makar, who took ninth at last year’s Tampa Pro, is on track to bring her best look to date. However, the biggest favorite of the night is likely Donna W. Salib, who enters the contest as the defending New York Pro champion. Before calling it a season last year, she took 14th at 2022 Olympia.
Saqweta Barrino
Gisela Nunes Chan
Tamara Makar
Rene Marven
Vera Mikulcova
Donna W. Salib
Andrea Saurer
Towanda D. Smith
Julia Whitesel
Women’s Physique
Saturday will feature the reigning 2022 Women’s Physique Olympia Natalia Abraham Coelho. She brought exceptional conditioning to Las Vegas last year and defeated former two-time Olympia champ, Sarah Villegas in a huge upset. Coelho enters this contest with added momentum as she won the 2023 Pittsburgh Pro title a week ago.
Candice Carr
Natalia Abraham Coelho
Sarah Crail
Debbie Gaccione
Ann Gruber
Yuna Kim
Amandine Kolly
Alexis Lowery
Angela Noury
Diana Schnaidt
Joseli Schoenherr
Tanja Schroder
Becky Short
Christine Siegrist
Michele Steeves
Jennifer Taylor
Christina Wilson
Figure
Top five Figure Olympia finisher Natalia Soltero is aiming for another pro show victory. Last weekend, she walked away in second following a very close competition against Cherish Richardson at the Pittsburgh Pro. The event was certainly memorable as it featured a star-studded lineup of Open class guest posers.
Yukhno Aksana
Jessica Baltazar
Danielle Barros
Yukina Betz
Lynn Centino
Angelika Chapman
Lu Faustin
Annelies Charlotte Fortuin
Rebecca Godwin
Constance Jones
Julie R. Medina
Rene Miller
Traci Miller
Nina Paulus
Maria Luisa Baeza Diaz Pereira
Danielle Rose
Kelly Sammut
Nakeisha Scruggs
Jiyoon Seo
Natalia Soltero
Andrea Villalobos
Thais Cabrices Werner
Aksana Yukhno
Jennifer Zienert
Bikini
Aimee LeAnn Delgado is on a roll in 2023 with three consecutive pro show victories. Earlier this year, Delgado dominated the Klash Series Pro, the Wasatch Warrior Pro, and most recently, claimed gold at the Pittsburgh Pro, where she defeated popular three-time Bikini Olympia winner Ashley Kaltwasser.
Maria Acosta
Marnie Al-Saraf
Bridget Bailey
Shenese Case
Aimee LeAnn Delgado
Ivi Escandar
Valerya Fedorenko
Eli Fernandez
Christina Friscia
Rudie Guerrero
Reijuana Harley
Langsha He
Yume Kurokawa
Noemi Lavacca
Alice Rocha
Angely Rojas
Rachel Schartz
Areum Song
Nedjie Thompson
Petra Voldanova
Jessica Wilson
Wellness
Even with a smaller competitors list, fans expect a fiery Wellness contest given that Gisele Machado is participating. She last competed at the 2023 Pittsburgh Pro and took first place. Since she earned an Olympia invite already, she’s aiming to prevent other competitors from making their way to the Olympia stage in November.
Carol Canrarero
Lili Dong
Daisha Johnson
Edna F. De Souza
Gisele Machado
Tefani-Sam Razhi
RELATED: Dan Solomon Reveals 2023 Olympia Will Return To Orlando, Florida In First Week of November
As it stands, the 2023 Mr. Olympia Qualification System has undergone notable changes. Most importantly, IFBB Pro League athletes can no longer qualify for the annual Mr. Olympia competition based on points. The point system has been removed and bodybuilders must win a pro show to guarantee passage to the biggest event of the year.
With the 2023 New York Pro set for November 20, fans are excited to see the bodybuilding season move forward. The 10 winners from this contest will have the opportunity to face the respective champions of their division in less than six months.
Published: 16 May, 2023 | 5:19 PM EDT
Every Winner Of The New York Pro Bodybuilding Show
Photo via @philheath Instagram, @big_ramy Instagram, and @nick_walker39 Instagram
Get all the winners of the New York Pro below!
Many people know some of the big names in bodybuilding contests, however, there are those important events that can make athletes’ careers that people may not know about. The New York Pro is one of them and this event has helped spring many bodybuilders into the spotlight while earning them qualification for a host of other big-time events, like Mr. Olympia.
The New York Pro contest will take place on May 21, 2022 in New Jersey in what is stacked up to be an exciting event. With most divisions present, fans will get to see their favorite bodybuilders hit the stage in efforts to take home the top prize.
We put a list together of the past winners for this event so everyone can see some of the legendary names in the record books. And maybe we’ll have a new addition come the end of this contest.
New York Pro Winners
Darrem Charles – 2005
Phil Heath – 2006
Branch Warren – 2007
Kai Greene – 2008 & 2011
Evan Centopani – 2009
Roelly Winklaar – 2010
Cedric McMillan – 2012
Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay – 2013 & 2014
Juan Morel – 2015 & 2019
Dexter Jackson – 2016
Sergio Oliva Jr. – 2017
Nathan De Asha – 2018
Iain Valliere – 2020
Nick Walker – 2021
Darrem Charles – 2005
Darrem Charles won 14 pro shows and competed at Mr. Olympia 14 times throughout his career. His first IFBB competition was in 1989 and from there, he would go on to win events like the Toronto Pro, Atlantic City Pro, Puerto Rico Pro, and this New York Pro contest in 2005.
Phil Heath – 2006
This New York Pro event, along with the Colorado Pro Championships, were the first two professional wins for Phil Heath. Over the next couple of years, he would train hard and continue at Olympia’s doorstep where in 2011 it finally happened. For the next six years, there was no stopping him and he went on to tie Arnold Schwarzenegger for the second most wins of all time. He also earned the reputation of being one of the most muscular men on the planet.
Related: Complete List Of Masters Olympia Winners Through The Years
Branch Warren – 2007
Coming into this New York Pro win, Branch Warren was just getting his footing in the pro circuit. He had won a couple shows, but finished 8th and 12th at Mr. Olympia thus far. This show seemed to be a turning point for Warren, for after this win he would place in the top 3 a number of times at Olympia, win the Arnold Classic on numerous occasions, and continue to have a dominant bodybuilding career.
Kai Greene – 2008 & 2011
Kai Greene took on the pro circuit in 2004 and had a string of success leading into the earlier 2010’s, including his first win at the New York Pro contest. He continued training with a prep coach and would see another victory here in 2011, but this time he had his sights set on Mr. Olympia. He finished second at the Mr. Olympia contest in 2012, 2013, and 2014. Despite falling just short, Greene’s 2016 was a great year and he would take the Arnold Classic South America crown, as well as Arnold Classic and Arnold Classic Australia. He has not competed since then.
Evan Centopani – 2009
Evan Centopani earned his pro card in 2007 and quickly took this New York Pro contest in 2009. While his pro career may not have been as long as some of his fellow competitors, he competed at some of the biggest competitions and held sponsorships with some of the top brands in the industry.
Roelly Winklaar – 2010
Roelly Winklaar turned pro in 2009 and won this New York Pro contest the following year. Those in the community were stunned and this accomplishment gave him his chance to compete at Mr. Olympia. With wins at contests like the Yamamoto Pro, Prague Pro, Arnold Classic Australia, and Chicago Pro, he continued to fight for that Olympia title, finishing third in 2018.
Cedric McMillan – 2012
Cedric McMillan was one of those bodybuilders seeking to bring back that golden era look of old school bodybuilding. He earned his pro card in 2009 and has been a real contender in the pro circuit. With wins at events like the Arnold Classic, Levrone Pro Classic, and this New York Pro event, he continued his dominance against the best in the sport. McMillan passed away in 2022.
Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay – 2013 & 2014
Mamdouh Elssbiay, better known as Big Ramy, earned his pro card just three years after he started training. His pro debut was at this New York Pro event, which he won in both 2013 and 2014. Entering the Arnold Classic South America contest, Big Ramy was the next new guy, the one who bodybuilders were looking towards to see what would happen. And he didn’t disappoint. A great career has most recently seen back to back first place finishes at the Mr. Olympia contest in 2020 and 2021.
Juan Morel – 2015 & 2019
This boxer turned bodybuilder, Juan Morel made his amateur debut in 2007 and earned his pro card in 2011. He was constantly battling among the best in the field and finished in the top ten at Mr. Olympia in 2014. Things slowed a bit after for Morel, despite his 2017 New York Pro win, and it wasn’t until 2019 when he strung together three huge wins at his second New York Pro, Japan Pro, and the Arnold Classic South America contest.
Related: Complete List Of Arnold Classic South America Winners
Dexter Jackson – 2016
Dexter “The Blade” Jackson took the 2008 Olympia contest after having a great year including wins at the Arnold Classic and Australian Pro Grand Prix VIII. He continued to have an amazing career and added the New York Pro win in 2016 to the list. He has competed in 20 Mr. Olympia contests and is the only bodybuilder to win the overall title at Mr. Olympia and Masters Olympia. He started his own bodybuilding competition called The Dexter Classic in 2009.
Sergio Oliva Jr. – 2017
Sergio Oliva Jr. is the son of multi-time Olympia winner Sergio Oliva. He earned his pro card in 2015 and this New York Pro win was his best finish so far. He continues to compete at top bodybuilding shows as he follows his father’s footsteps.
Nathan De Asha – 2018
Nathan De Asha hit the stage at his first event when he was 21-years old and although it took a little while, he earned his pro card in 2014 at the British Championships. He would go on to have some top 10 finishes at Mr. Olympia and this New York Pro is one of a few shows that De Asha can add to the list.
Iain Valliere – 2020
Earning his pro card in 2014, Iain Valliere competed in various professional shows leading up to this New York Pro event. This win, however, is his most notable win. Despite some controversy at this event, he powered through and has won other events like the Tampa Pro and Texas Pro
Nick Walker – 2021
Nick Walker, also know as “The Mutant”, turned pro in 2020 and in less than a year, took home this New York Pro win, giving him an Olympia spot. He also won the Arnold Classic in the same year and took home 5th at Olympia, setting his career up to be something special.
Wrap Up
The New York Pro contest is an exciting event that can help rising bodybuilders, and already established ones as well, cement their place in the bodybuilding world. With another exciting event already taking shape, maybe another winner will be added to the list and the New York Pro history books.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Phil Heath Instagram, Big Ramy Instagram, and Nick Walker Instagram
IFBB New York Pro 2021 Results
Complete results for the IFBB New York Pro 2021
All eyes in the bodybuilding world were on New York – erm, Tampa – this weekend for the IFBB New York Pro 2021. For a second year, the event was moved to Florida due to restrictions in New York caused by COVID-19. Unlike last year, there was much more time for the athlete to prepare from the start of the year. Keep reading for full breakdown of the New York Pro 2021 results.
This year’s New York Pro held all nine divisions – making it one of the biggest bodybuilding events of the year. Not only that but the competition usually attracts some of the biggest names in bodybuilding. For those who follow pro bodybuilding closely, the New York Pro can be a predictor of what we can expect at the Mr. Olympia later in the year.
And while there were many divisions competing at the New York Pro 2021, majority of the hype was focused on the Men’s Open division. Specifically, with extra attention brought to Blessing Awodibu and Nick Walker as their rivalry has fueled much excitement leading into the show.
Though last weekend’s Indy Pro 2021 might have changed expectations a bit. Surprisingly, a large chunk of Men’s Open competitors from the Indy Pro reappeared for the New York Pro. Justin Rodriguez, who won the Indy Pro just last weekend, returned to the stage alongside other competitors such as Mohammad El Emam and Morgan Aste.
This large chunk of competitors from the Indy Pro gave fans extra insight as to what we might see on the stage this weekend. The true wild cards came in the form of Nick Walker and Hassan Mostafa. Both competitors received a large amount of hype but have yet to compete in 2021 before the New York Pro.
All things considered, this created a mega clash of titans where big personalities and even bigger physiques battled on stage. It was the most exciting bodybuilding competition of the year to date. But there can only be one champion above the rest. Did Blessing Awodibu step up his game from his 3rd place finish at the Indy Pro? Or did Nick Walker or Hassan Mostafa bring in a fresh perspective for a big win?
Champions of the New York Pro 2021 receive qualification to the Mr. Olympia later this year. So with that, let’s break down the New York Pro 2021 results below. Presented by Enhanced Labs and Nutrabio.
New York Pro 2021 Breakdown
Women’s Physique Results
1. Alyssa Kiessling2. Sheronica Henton3. Yuna Kim4. Julia Whitesel5. Claudia Arroyo
Men’s 212 Results
Classic Physique Results
Men’s Physique Results
Wellness Results
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Men’s Open Bodybuilding Results
Women’s Bodybuilding Results
Figure Results
Bikini Results
Make sure to check out our full IFBB Pro results page from this year and previous years right here to catch up on any action you may have missed!
How To Watch The IFBB New York Pro 2021 (Online Stream)
A complete guide on how to watch the 2021 IFBB New York Pro online.
Tonight, May 15 2021, the IFBB New York Pro 2021 takes place. It is one of the biggest bodybuilding events of the year – holding nine divisions all fighting for first place victories and qualification into the Mr. Olympia 2021. The even is being held in Tampa, Florida. But if you’re not in the area, we have a full breakdown on how to watch the event online and the schedule for pre-judging and finals.
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