Tag: nEWS
Steve Kuclo Reacts to Third Place at the Arnold Classic: “I Felt I Was Either Going To Be 1 or 2”
Steve Kuclo gives his insights on coming in third place at the 2021 Arnold Classic.
Well it appears that Steve Kuclo was a bit taken aback by his third place showing at the Arnold Classic. One of the top bodybuilders in the world, Kuclo impressed at the show.
With a well muscled, well conditioned physique, Steve Kuclo cut a rather impressive figure on stage. He looked like he was carved out of granite. Despite that fact, Kuclo was unable to topple both Nick Walker and Iain Valliere who took first and second respectfully.
2021 Arnold Classic Prejudging complete… amazing top 5 callouts with @nick_walker39 & I battling it out for 1 & 2.
Steve Kuclo was no doubt a truly impressive competitor that night. In fact it wouldn’t be surprising if there were those who thought he deserved to win the whole show. But it appears that the one most surprised by his third place showing is Kuclo himself.
Kuclo Reacts
Taking to Instagram to share his feelings on his performance, Steve Kuclo revealed that he thought he deserved to take first or second place at the show. See his full reaction below.
2021 Arnold Classic – 3rd place
It’s always an honor to take the stage at the @arnoldsports with the best in the world to compete for one of the most prestigious titles in bodybuilding.
First I want to congratulate @nick_walker39 for showing up and making everyone a believer. Nick is an absolute freak and it was an honor to battle it out for the title.
Getting 3rd place was a shock as after prejudging I felt I was either going to be 1 or 2… but I tip my hat to Nick & Ian. This is a huge year for both of them!
The rest of the field @akim_bkbeast_williams @sergioolivajr @justindifbb all brought stellar packages that could win any show.
I want to thank my family and all the fans who supported me at this show and have over the last 15+ years competing.
We will come back with a vengeance and continue to do the work and fight to the top!
While he may have expected to do better, Steve Kuclo appears to be taking the whole thing well. After all, coming in third place out of all those talented competitors shows that Kuclo has plenty left in the tank. With some fine tuning it’s possible that he could easily win and major show and qualify for the 2022 Olympia.
What did you think of Steve Kuclo and his performance at the 2021 Arnold Classic?
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
News and Editorial Writer 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.
Victor Martinez: How To Avoid Retaining Water Weight On Creatine
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Victor Martinez explains key tips on how to properly cycle creatine to avoid holding water weight.
Victor Martinez is an iconic long running pro bodybuilder who also featured in the original Generation Iron and has now started his own supplement company. To say he is knowledgeable about all things bodybuilding would be an understatement. While discussing about his supplement company, Superhero Labz, we asked him for some advice on creatine usage. In our latest GI Exclusive, Victor Martinez breaks down the key strategy to get the best results from creatine without retaining too much water.
Creatine is an amazing (and legal) supplement for packing on mass and muscle. It’s often one of the earlier supplements that serious lifters start to use. While it provides a wonderful boost to your gains, it also has a negative side effect. Over time, consistent usage can lead to retaining higher levels of water weight.
For casual lifters, this might not be a big deal. But for those who are looking to be shredded on top of all that muscle, this is a major problem. Double so for competitive bodybuilders. That’s why we turned to Victor Martinez for advice on how to best use creatine in your bodybuilding diet and supplementation.
Victor Martinez jokes at first – saying he could lie and recommend that lifters buy creatine monthly from his new company. But he honors transparency and trust. Which is why he admits that the supplement should be used on a cycle rather than non-stop consistently. Martinez relates to his own experience first using creatine, how it affected his body, and how he eventually adjusted to an optimized strategy.
Like nearly any lifter who starts using creatine, Victor Martinez saw immediate results. So long as you maintain training – creatine will help bulk you up with bigger muscle mass. It even helps provide the coveted pump during a particularly grueling session in the gym. But what Martinez quickly noticed was that the effects started bending more towards the negative. This happened approximately six to eight weeks into using creatine. He noticed that he was holding more and more water weight. He also noticed that he was no longer receiving the pump.
So he came off of creatine. The water weight diminished and he started feeling better again going into his training sessions. What Victor Martinez ultimately concluded, was that creatine needs to be cycled. That a bodybuilder should stop using the supplement about six to eight weeks in. Then come off the product and start again. Martinez took a three week break between using creatine. That seemed to keep everything in check.
Victor Martinez also suggests that a bodybuilder plan out their creatine cycles to match it up with peak week. He believes that if you are in the early stages of using creatine in the week of a competition – you’re in a good place. He’s stated he’s used creatine to hold water weight on purpose – to avoid looking completely flat Of course, it’s a delicate balance, you don’t want too much to make you look soft and puffy.
If you keep all of these tactics in mind, you’ll find creatine to be an extremely valuable weapon in your bodybuilding arsenal. You can watch Victor Martinez go into full detail about creatine cycling in our latest GI Exclusive interview above!
Ryan Terry: How Judges Feedback Can Do More Harm Than Good
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Ryan Terry warns of how relying too much on judges feedback might hurt your physique instead of help it.
Being a professional bodybuilder, Ryan Terry has had his fair share of competitions and interactions with the official judges. Being a subjective sport, there are times where an athlete might not agree with how he or she was scored. Terry knows this all too well throughout his years of competing. But ultimately, the judges are there for a reason and their advice should be heeded… that is unless it throws you off psychologically. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Ryan Terry warns of the dangers of relying too heavily on judges feedback.
Pro bodybuilding is just as much a battle with yourself as it is against the other competitors. At the end of the day, there’s nothing you can do to make another person’s physique worse. All you can do is focus on improving yourself. In that regard, reassessing and adjusting your tactics is important. A bodybuilder needs to have an open mind in order to find new ways to improve. That’s where judges feedback can be helpful. It’s direct insight into the mind of the very people who score you on stage.
But Ryan Terry warns of relying too heavily on feedback from the judges. Terry actually recommends to sometimes avoid feedback (whether it be from judges or online comments). This might sound counter intuitive. Why would you not want valuable feedback?
The whole endeavor has to do more with the mind than the body. Terry notes that if you try too aggressively to meet the feedback given by judges, you might actually throw your entire training and prep off balance. If you’re constantly second guessing your own process – that doubt will eat away at your confidence. Losing that confidence can be a big blow against progress.
Does this mean you should ignore feedback entirely? Not necessarily. Perhaps it depends on knowing yourself and how you will react. Ryan Terry clearly prefers to keep certain feedback off the table so he can stay laser focused without white noise throwing off his direction. Others love feedback and finds that it actually helps provide direction. It’s something each up-and-coming bodybuilder needs to discover for his or herself.
A perfect example of this is Bev Francis. Famous in her heyday for having one of the best female physiques in the history of bodybuilding, her journey through the years is well chronicled. While she is a legend in the sport, she was also a sort of victim to too much feedback. At a time when Women’s Open bodybuilding was finding its identity, Bev Francis was constantly adjusting the kind of physique she held on her frame.
Whether it was due to direct feedback or simply assessing the winner the judges chose – Francis often found herself ping-ponging between needing to put on more mass and needing to look more feminine. Due to this, she never won a Ms. Olympia despite believing herself that she deserved it.
The Ms. Olympia and Women’s Open Bodybuilding of that time might be an extreme case. A time when judges themselves were unsure of what the division champion should look like year after year. But it’s a good example of how feedback can ultimately drag you around and make you lose sight of an overall direction.
Ryan Terry seems to suggest that all feedback, even from judges, should come with a grain of salt. You should know your body better than anyone, even the judges. So that should always be kept in mind when getting feedback.
You can watch Ryan Terry go into detail about his advice for up-and-coming bodybuilders in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Men’s Physique Competitor Andrew Noltemeyer In ICU After Being Hit By Car
Andrew Noltemeyer was involved in this accident on Wednesday.
Men’s Physique competitor Andrew Noltemeyer is in the ICU after being hit by a car on Wednesday while on foot.
IFBB Women’s Physique Pro Jada Beverly shared a post on Instagram asking for prayers for Noltemeyer. She mentions that he is going in for surgery today to repair two fractured legs. The accident happened sometime during the morning.
“Please pray for Andrew.
This is 28 year old physique competitor Andrew Noltemeyer was hit on foot by a car today. He is in surgery today for his badly fractured legs… He was hit only a few hours ago today September 28th…”
According to his Instagram page, Noltemeyer is an NPC competitor in the Men’s Physique division. He is also a fitness model and content creator.
Noltemeyer appeared in the 2020 NPC Championships, where he placed 11th in Men’s Physique Class C. He also finished 9th in Men’s Physique Class B at the NPC Natural Ohio back in 2014.
Jada Beverly earned her Pro Card back in 2019. She finished 10th at the Tampa Pro Women’s Physique this year and also appeared on stage at the Lenda Murray Savannah Pro. She earned 11th in Women’s Bodybuilding.
Generation Iron sends thoughts and prayers out to Andrew Noltemeyer during this time. This article will be updated as more information is confirmed and becomes available.For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Greg has covered the four major sports for six years and has been featured on sites such as Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports, SB Nation, NJ.com, and FanSided. Now, he is transitioning into the world of bodybuilding and strength sports.
Jon Jones Arrest Details Revealed, Israel Adesanya Weighs In
More details arise in the Jon Jones arrest story and UFC champion Israel Adesanya weighs in.
It appears more details are coming out about the recent Jon Jones arrest. According to the arrest report the situation is far more complicated than it was first given credit. Israel Adesanya, the UFC middleweight champion and budding rival of Jones, had quite a bit to say about the incident.
The arrest of Jon Jones occurred in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jones was there as his first fight with multiple-time UFC title challenger Alexander Gufstafsson was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. What was meant to be a celebratory time for the talented UFC great would devolve in a truly embarrassing arrest for Jones.
A number of news outlets have reported on the former UFC light heavyweight champion’s arrest. But now details of the reason for the arrest and the entire incident are now coming to light. According to TMZ, Jon Jones was apparently very aggressive and violent during the arrest.
During his arrest, Jon Jones allegedly pulled his fiancee’s hair and then headbutted a police car, leaving a dent in the hood and chipping paint.
The Details
UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya recently weighed in on the harrowing incident. Adesanya pulled no punches in his own assessment of the situation and had some bold words to say about Jon Jones.
You can see the full arrest details and what Adesanya had to say in the Tweet below.
I’m sure y’all will give him “one more chance” lol. I swear I said he’s gonna fuck up again, he can’t help it. Now here we are. I’ve made mistakes in my time, I learn from them. I don’t think this is the first time this has happened in his house. But yea…posi vibez goiz ?✨ pic.twitter.com/i6i3N6O3s3
— Israel Adesanya (@stylebender) September 28, 2021
From the looks of things, Jon Jones has a bit more than just a drinking problem.
Some of the rash actions of Jon Jones have been captured in the past in the documentary The Hurt Business. It appears that the former UFC champion is still battling demons.
Do you think this latest incident should get Jon Jones released from the UFC?
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
News and Editorial Writer 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.
INTERVIEW: The Surprising Reality & Prep Behind Jujimufu’s Viral Stunt Videos
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Jujimufu discusses the origins of his viral videos and the long hours of prep that goes behind each one.
Bodybuilder and fitness athlete Jon Call might be better known in the bodybuilding world by his nickname – Jujimufu. He’s a massive a jacked bodybuilder best known for his viral videos that often involve impressive flexibility and timing. More recently, he has dedicated himself to competitive bodybuilding – bringing him even more media attention as his physique improves. Now that he’s competing, how do his viral stunts play into his prep and does he fear setting himself back due to injury? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Jujimufu explains in detail his viral stunt origins, the work it takes to pull them off, and more!
Jujimufu is a rare kind of bodybuilder. He displays incredible acts of flexibility and motion. Not only that – but he also has a funny personality that he puts on full display. He brings more absurdism and fun into the bodybuilding world. It’s refreshing – so it’s no wonder why he’s amassed such a following over the years. Jujimufu was originally a viral bodybuilder who didn’t compete – but as of last year he has decided to put his hat into the ring. He’s been prepping for bodybuilding competitions and his already massive following is excited to see his new and improved physique.
During our conversation with Jujimufu, he explained to us that competition isn’t his end goal. He simply wants to give it a shot due to his love and passion for massive physiques. Ultimately, he is passionate about many forms of fitness including martial arts and gymnastic-type flips and tricks. So being a competitive bodybuilder isn’t the end goal – he’ll always want to dedicate himself toward the viral stunt videos he’s so well known for.
Speaking of his viral videos, we dug in deep exploring everything that goes on behind the short but popular stunt videos. Jujimufu explains the origins behind his viral status. Since a very young age he was in love with fitness. He has been training in martial arts since he was a teenager and transitioned that into gymnastic stunts such as the splits and flips we see today.
After succeeding as a functional athlete, he felt the desire to build more muscle and size. This began his journey towards a more bodybuilding lifestyle. Fast forward to today and Jujimufu caught eyes for having the physique of a bodybuilder but the nimble movements of a gymnast. It’s a combination you rarely ever see – and it helped him become an internet icon.
While his videos are usually short clips – Jujimufu reveals that there is a massive amount of prep work that goes behind each stunt. He often starts small – with a germ of an idea that he practices to see if it’s possible. As he practices, the idea becomes bigger and bigger. Eventually, it becomes a sort of short form stunt spectacular. It’s at this stage that he has to begin prepping the actual plan for the official video.
The prep for shooting the stunt might be a surprise to many. These aren’t videos he just records on the fly. He spends hours, even sometimes days, preparing for the shoot. He has to make sure the stunt is as safe as possible and also work to get all of the tools he needs to pull it off. This includes getting a small crew together to film – and often a collaborator athlete to bring even more fun and exposure to the clip.
All in all, Jujimufu explains that a one minute stunt video might take hours of prep before it’s done. If you include his earlier practice work – it’s actually a total of days of prep. In a sense, this explains the difference between someone like Jujimufu and the copy cats who just try a stunt on the fly. That’s where the unnecessary injuries happen that cause more conservative folks to worry about the growing trend of viral stunt videos.
Jujimufu is an athlete and doesn’t want to get hurt. So he makes sure to take his videos seriously like they were a job. That means prep time and lots of it. You can watch him explain his entire process in detail by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Manny Pacquiao Announces Retirement From Boxing
Legendary boxer Manny Pacquiao has decided to call it a career.
One of the legendary careers in boxing has come to an end. Manny Pacquiao has announced his retirement from the sport on Wednesday.
In a video posted on Facebook, the 42-year-old boxer shared some words on his career and what boxing has done for his life.
“As I hang up my boxing gloves, I would like to thank the whole world, especially the Filipino people for supporting Manny Pacquiao. Goodbye boxing. It is difficult for me to accept that my time as a boxer is over. Today I am announcing my retirement,” Pacquiao said in the video.
Manny Pacquiao enjoyed a career that spanned 26 years. In 72 fights, he finished 62-8-2. Out of 62 victories, Pacquiao picked up 39 knockouts and 23 by decision. He is a 12-time world champion. Pacquiao last fought in August when he was defeated by Yordenis Ugas. This was his first fight in nearly two years.
Pacquiao left the Philippines as a teenager and began his fighting career at 16 years old. He made his professional debut in 1995 as a junior flyweight and the rest is history. Pacquiao was one of the highest-paid athletes over the course of his career.
It is not surprising to see Pacquiao hang up the gloves as he has hinted at this for awhile now. He has since ventured into politics and recently accepted his political party’s nomination. Pacquiao will run for president of the Philippines in the May 2022 elections.
Manny Pacquiao will leave boxing with a legendary career as an influential athlete. His story began at a young age and turned into an inspirational one for all people. Pacquiao will continue to be in the spotlight, just in a different way. Either way, he will always be part of boxing and its history.
“Thank you for changing my life, when my family was desperate, you gave us hope, you gave me the chance to fight my way out of poverty,” Pacquiao said. “Because of you, I was able to inspire people all over the world. Because of you, I have been given the courage to change more lives. I will never forget what I have done and accomplished in my life that I can’t imagine. I just heard the final bell. The boxing is over.”
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Pro Natural Bodybuilder Colin Congo: Drug Tests Can Probably Be Beaten
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Pro Natural Bodybuilder Colin Congo gets honest about drug testing – claims no drug test can be 100% accurate.
With the Mr. America 2021 just around the corner, we are reconnecting with some pro natural bodybuilders from our time filming Generation Iron: Natty 4 Life. Colin Congo is a Men’s Physique pro natural bodybuilder set to compete at the Mr. America in October. We reconnected with Congo to discuss the realities of natural bodybuilding and drug testing in the sport. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Colin Congo explains why he thinks the drug tests can be beaten.
Natural bodybuilding is often met with skepticism in the overall bodybuilding world. There is little evidence for that criticism except for gut reactions. Namely, that some natural bodybuilder simply look too massive and shredded to be possibly all natural. The biggest natural league in industry, PNBA/INBA, utilizes WADA drug testing for their events. This is the same drug testing used for the Olympics.
That’s a strong credibility to have for pro natural bodybuilding. So it seems the overall skepticism speaks to something bigger than just bodybuilding. In nearly all professional sports – fans believe that someone is getting away with using PEDs – whether there are tests or not.
But does this skepticism have any merit whatsoever? We asked this very question to Men’s Physique Pro Natural Bodybuilder Colin Congo. A featured athlete in Generation Iron: Natty 4 Life, we reconnected with Congo to dive deeper into his thoughts on drug tests and whether or not they are effective.
Colin Congo admits that he thinks that the WADA tests can be beat. That being said, he thinks that they ultimately do what they are meant to. Majority of athletes know they will be tested and have no interest in trying to beat it. And the WADA tests do catch PED users yearly in the league. The remaining small percentage of athletes who get away with it are a very small number.
That’s why Colin Congo doesn’t say anything even when he believes that there is a competitor on stage who is enhanced. Congo claims that he knows when he steps on stage, there will always be a chance someone is unnatural. In fact, he’s gone into competitions believing someone battling against him was enhanced. He never said anything. That person won the competition.
Colin Congo doesn’t see himself as the gatekeeper for drug testing. That’s what the federation is for. He also knows that many natural bodybuilders are often mistaken for being enhanced. Sometimes, it seems like something is impossible without the use of PEDs. But that’s the great thing about pro natural bodybuilding – they accomplish things that seem impossible. So Congo won’t call someone out without 100% evidence – because he could simply be wrong.
“This test can probably be beaten if I had to guess. And I know there are folks out there who are going to be on stage with me that are not 100% natural,” Colin Congo states in our interview. He continues:
“I know there are dudes out there that are 100% natural that just have absolutely gifted physiques. And they are going to look enhanced and they are going to just look like that. I’m not the gatekeeper for who’s natural and who’s not. I know I get up there and put my best physique on the stage. And I’m counting on the organization to hold those guys to the same standard that I’m holding myself to.”
Nothing can ever be 100% guaranteed. But a drug test on the level of WADA also helps create preventative measures that stop athletes from even thinking of trying in the first place. It’s like a sign that says, “You are being filmed.” Even if there is actually no camera filming – most people will assume that they are, in fact, being filmed and not steal from a store. Sure, some will call the bluff and cheat. But the measures in place help far more than nothing at all.
You can watch Colin Congo go into more detail about natural bodybuilding and drug testing in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Tamara Walcott Sets Women’s Raw Deadlift World Record of 288.5kg
Tamara Walcott broke the previous record by 1.5 kg.
The 2021 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) The Showdown in Kansas City, MO saw powerlifters set some big-time marks. There were records smashed, both personal and world. Tamara Walcott is high on the list as she set a new women’s raw deadlift world record of 288.5kg (636lb).
With “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins on the speaker, Walcott stepped up to the bar with nothing but a lifting belt and wrist straps. She performed the lift and from the looks of it, had plenty left in the tank. The world-record lift can be viewed on Walcott’s Instagram page.
Tamara Walcott put on a show during the event. She set a personal record with a 165kg (363lb) bench press. This was in addition to the world-record deadlift and competition-best squat at 265kg (584lb).
Walcott will have some room to improve on her world record. She beat the previous mark of 287kg set by Sara Schiff. Before Schiff, it was Jessica Springer who held the world record of 285.7kg. Walcott’s previous best during competition was set at the 2021 Kern US Open back in April when she lifted 272.5kg.
Walcott took to Instagram to post the lift and share some thoughts on the road she has taken to get to where she is.
“I’m not a natural born athlete ….. powerlifting did not come easy to me!!!! When I started this journey to getting strong back in 2017 … 315lb deadlift was my goal!!!! Today I exceeded expectations not only of myself but so many other people out there !!!!! I hope I made you guys proud! I hope I did y’all well! I hope you know YOU CAN DO IT TOO!!!”
Tamara Walcott began competing at events in 2018 at 34 years old. Out of six competitions, she has just one loss and has made an impact on all stages. Walcott competes in the superheavyweight division.
There have been plenty of impressive lifts made by Walcott over the years and that is not going to change. Walcott made this lift look easy and that means there could be some higher numbers in the future.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Aaron Singerman Details Reasons For Pulling RedCon1 Sponsorship From Arnold Classic
Aaron Singerman speaks on removing RedCon1 from the Arnold Classic.
Aaron Singerman recently talked about why he removed RedCon1 from the Arnold Classic during a recent interview on the Valuetainment podcast.
The fallout of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s statements on freedom reverberated deeply in the bodybuilding community. Arnold Schwarzenegger said some things that made quite a few people in the bodybuilding community upset. One of those individuals is RedCon1 owner and operator Aaron Singerman.
A bodybuilding enthusiast and heavy hitter in the supplement industry, Aaron Singerman has cemented himself as a powerful business owner. With his RedCon1 brand, Singerman has become one of the major players in the supplement industry. RedCon1 has established itself as one of the most well regarded, well respected supplement brand in the world. As such, Singerman commands a great deal of influence.
Removing The Sponsorship
So when Aaron Singerman decided to remove RedCon1 as a sponsor at the Arnold Classic it sent shockwaves through the industry. Singerman was truly upset by the statements Arnold Schwarzenegger made. As such, Singerman decided to pull his supplement brand.
Appearing on a recent podcast on Valuetainment, Aaron Singerman went into details about his thoughts, feelings, and reasonings on the situation.
“I told (my wife), I’m like damn, this guy came from Austria, had nothing, created this empire, this iconic brand, Arnold brand. Everything about him is great, I love him, I looked up to him as a kid. Now he says this, and if he stayed in Austria, he wouldn’t be s—t. He’d be like a charismatic farmer or something. What would he be? He’d be a police officer or whatever,” said Singerman.
“The reason why he got famous, is because Joe Weider gave him the opportunity to move to America, him and Franco (Columbo) started their own business, he went to college and he got in movies, and everything he’s done is so awesome. It’s something that I really look up to.”
Sticking To The Decision
Singerman does sound conflicted about his feelings on the situation, but that didn’t change his mind removing his sponsorship. Singerman was dead set on standing by his own values.
“I’m obviously not for cancel culture. I just think that people need to not support people with their dollars. So as a business owner or even as an individual consumer, if you don’t believe what the thing stands for, you actually are making a difference. You’re able to vote by not sending your dollars. So to send him a few hundred thousand bucks just felt really wrong,” explained Singerman.
Aaron Singerman clearly thought a great deal about this situation. He didn’t make the decision rashly.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
News and Editorial Writer 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.