Tag: nEWS
Hafthor Bjornsson ‘Wouldn’t Say No’ To Fight With Logan Paul
Hafthor Bjornsson not against the idea of fighting Logan Paul in the future.
Hafthor Bjornsson has not been shy about documenting his venture into the boxing game after making the transition from strongman. Bjornsson has flooded his Instagram page with different training videos showing off his recent progress. This was all in preparation for a showdown with fellow strongman turned boxer, Eddie Hall.
This fight has been postponed after Hall suffered a bicep tear. This leaves Bjornsson open for a new opponent and he served up an opinion on a rather well-known name in a recent interview.
Hafthor Bjornsson made it clear that he would be open to the idea of fighting Logan Paul if the opportunity presented itself.
“If he would want to fight me, I wouldn’t say no.”
“I mean, Logan Paul fought Floyd Mayweather and there was some height difference between those those guys plus weight difference. Logan Paul is 188cm tall, I’m 205cm, so I think there was a similar height differences from Floyd to Logan as Logan to me, but probably more weight difference, though.”
This would pair two fighters who made a name for themselves in different areas. Bjornsson set the deadlift world record of 501kg in May 2020. He took the record from Hall, who previously held it at 500kg since 2016. This was the initial intrigue of the Bjornsson-Hall boxing match. Paul became a YouTube sensation, along with his brother Jake, and now both are trying to make it in the boxing world.
This is something that Bjornsson acknowledged and admitted that he respects.
“You know, boxing is always huge, boxing is huge,” Bjornsson said. “But getting two brothers like the Paul brothers, who have millions and millions of followers following them, it’s just gonna get more attention to the sport. So I think it’s a good thing. It’s a good thing, because they’re taking it serious as well. I’ve seen at the beginning a lot of criticism and stuff like that, but, you know, you have two young brothers that are very successful, very dedicated, and motivated.”
Hafthor Bjornsson referenced the exhibition fight between Paul and Mayweather. This is a fight that went the distance and there was not a winner. There were mixed feelings after the fight because of the reason it happened and the effort put forth by both fighters. Regardless, Paul stepped into the ring with Mayweather and this shows that boxing is something he takes seriously.
Jake Paul has three professional fights under his belt to this point. He has picked up victories against fellow YouTuber AnEsonGib, former NBA player Nate Robinson, and MMA fighter Ben Askren. He is scheduled to take on Tyron Woodley on Aug. 29. There are no plans as of now for Logan Paul’s next fight. He has been linked to Conor McGregor but that does not seem to be on the horizon.
The same can be said about Hafthor Bjornsson. After his fight with Hall was postponed, there is no immediate for Bjornsson to face. He has been active in training and serious in his dedication to boxing. This means that a new opponent could surface quickly and Bjornsson could get back in the ring.
There will be more updates provided on Hollingshead’s status as it becomes available. For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Samir Bannout: “No Bodybuilder Should Accept The Problem We Are Having Today”
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Samir Bannout: “Mass has to come with class”
Samir Bannout is a bodybuilder who was inspired to compete by the Golden Era of the sport. He was also lucky enough to make his way into the pro leagues right at the tail end of the Golden Era. The sport has changed a lot since then. While Bannout sees a lot of good discoveries happening over the decades, he also thinks the sport has accepted certain bad discoveries as well. He wants to try and help course correct the sport and inspire a new generation by looking at the past. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Samir Bannout explains why the increased mass of the past few decades need to now be matched with “class” as well.
Samir Bannout doesn’t think that increased mass monster size in bodybuilding is inherently a bad thing. In fact, he understands that as technology and science changes – so too does bodybuilding. The limits have been pushed to new levels. That’s the nature of any sport – for athletes to push boundaries and set new standards.
But Bannout also believes that in pushing new boundaries of mass, other negative changes have been accepted as well. Namely, Samir Bannout believes that the new increase in mass has led to less attention to conditioning. Not only that – but the focus on mass has led to some seriously unhealthy habits that pro bodybuilders were not taking back in the Golden Era.
We asked Samir Bannout if he thought that the Golden Era of bodybuilding held better physiques than the bodybuilders of today. He didn’t answer the question directly. He does believes that some of the changes in physiques today are supremely impressive. Bodybuilders like Ronnie Coleman showcased a new level of perfection – and he is being remembered as a legend for it.
But the cost of how this changed bodybuilding overall has led to some changes that Samir Bannout doesn’t agree with. The size of Ronnie Coleman has remained but hardly anyone matches his kind of conditioning. More importantly, he thinks that the new level of mass that has been desired by bodybuilders has led to extremely risky methods. Athlete want to get big “at any cost.” The health of the sport is at stake.
Samir Bannout makes a quick statement that he thinks all bodybuilding should live by. “Mass has to come with class.” What he means by this is that bodybuilders shouldn’t do merely anything to build more mass.
“You don’t want to be a champion and die at 30 or 40 by crossing the line,” Samir Bannout states in our interview. Here’s referring to the increased risks that bodybuilders are taking to build mass fast and push new limits. This usually involves higher doses of PEDs compared to what athletes were taking back in the Golden Era.
Samir Bannout hopes that we can find a middle ground between the advances bodybuilding has made with physiques while also looking and learning from the past of bodybuilding. It’s often said today that Arnold Schwarzenegger’s physique wouldn’t even land in the top five of today’s athletes. But perhaps this is part of the problem. Perhaps there’s something between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronnie Coleman that can be achieved. A blending of the old way and the new that can lead to a “classier” version of the sport – to use Samir Bannout’s words.
Do you think that the modern era of bodybuilding has pushed he limits too far? Watch Samir Bannout’s full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above and then decide for yourself!
James Hollingshead Forced To Halt Training Due To COVID-19
James Hollingshead will take time off from training for Mr. Olympia 2021 after contracting COVID-19.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been controlled to a degree but it still impacts the lives of many out there — including athletes like James Hollingshead. The bodybuilder recently announced on Instagram that he has contracted the virus and will be forced to take some time away from training for the 2021 Olympia.
James Hollingshead posted a video on his official Instagram page on Saturday to break the news. In the video, he lays out how he has not left his house since last Sunday and has been unable to train. Hollingshead has received two positive tests.
“Sorry I’ve been quietWe live in a time where not much is personal and I wanted some time to digest the situationAs a bodybuilder with a very fortunate support network I feel it right to let people know the current situationSo yeah there it is been out of action for a while but hey it is what it is and there is not a lot one can do except ride this shit outI’ll be staying isolated until I get a string of negative testsI honestly don’t think this will have too much an effect on my efforts this year besides the obvious week + of no trainingFor now I’m just gonna focus on the days ahead and once I’m ready to get back it I willCheers guys”
James Hollingshead is qualified for the Olympia this year. He became one of the first athletes to qualify after winning the 2020 British Grand Prix Bodybuilding Show on Nov. 4, 2020. He began training back in the spring and shared a video on YouTube on March 13 taking viewers through his first public workout in preparation for the competition.
This news comes after Hollingshead decided to opt out of the 2020 Olympia. He gained qualification to that competition by winning the Europa Pro back in October 2020. Hollingshead put all of his focus onto this year’s Olympia but will be forced to halt his progress.
Hollingshead has been out of training for approximately one week, as of now. He will continue to remain home until he gets a string of negative COVID tests. Hollingshead has not been forced to remove himself from the Olympia. In fact, it could be quite the opposite. Hollingshead could use this as even more motivation, especially after being opting out of last year’s competition.
There will be more updates provided on Hollingshead’s status as it becomes available. For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Oleksii Novikov Bounces Back, Wins 2021 Giants Live Strongman Classic
Oleksii Novikov gets back to his winning ways at the 2021 Giants Live Strongman Classic.
2020 World’s Strongest Man Oleksii Novikov made a return to action, picking up a victory at the 2021 Giants Live Strongman Classic. After issuing in a less than ideal performance at the 2021 World’s Strongest Man, Novikov was able to once again assert himself in the strongman rankings with this major win.
Taking place at the legendary Royal Albert Hall in London, England, the 2021 Giants Live Strongman Classic featured some of the best of the best in the sport. Namely 2020 World’s Strongest Man Oleksii Novikov took part and won the show.
After being knocked out of the 2021 World’s Strongest Man early, Oleksii Novikov needed a big win to show that he was still one of the strongest on the planet. Novikov was riding a huge wave of momentum after his showing at the 2020 WSM. It was halted a bit after his performance at the 2021 show.
That said, Oleksii Novikov on cue again proved that he still has the potential to be the future of strongman. He went to battle against fellow impressive strongman competitors Evan Singleton and Cheick “Irom Biby” Sanou who took second and third respectively. The three strongman showcased some pretty impressive strength at the show.
WOW what a venue what a show !!!Well done to all the athletes but HUGE congratulations to the podium winners1st place @novikov_strong_wsm ?2nd place @evan_trex_strongman3rd place @ironbiby
Below are the final point standings for the 2021 Giants Live Strongman Classic.
2021 Giants Live Strongman Classic Final Point Standings:
Oleksii Novikov: 44.5 points
Evan Singleton: 43 points
Cheick “Iron Biby” Sanou: 37.5 points
Adam Bishop: 33 points
Tom Stoltman: 30 points
Luke Stoltman: 27.5 points
Laurence Shahlaei: 25 points
Gavin Bilton: 22.5 points
Pat O’Dwyer: 21.5 points
Aivars Smaukstelis: 21 points
Mark Felix: 9 points
This was a great win for Oleksii Novikov, a much needed one indeed. Now that he’s back to his winning ways, Novikov has proven he’s a man to keep your eyes on in the future.
What do you think of Oleksii Novikov and his victory at the 2021 Giants Live Strongman Classic?
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.
Zane Watson: I Can’t Be Perfect At Men’s 212 Weight
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Zane Watson looks to the future of his career and potentially moving up to the Men’s Open division.
One very interesting thing about Zane Watson is how completely candid and honest he is about his own bodybuilding physique and progress. He’s not a blunt controversial talker – but he will plainly talk about his own deficiencies vs his successes. For example, in our previous segment he was very open about life being more than just bodybuilding 24/7 – despite his desire to be a champion competitor. That’s rare for athletes looking to be the best.
So when it comes to his career in Men’s 212 – he is once again directly honest about his current situation. He is on the edge between divisions – unsure if he wants to go all in on Men’s Open or continue with Men’s 212. It all comes down to his weight. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Zane Watson explains how dropping down to 212 pounds hurts his physique – and his thoughts on moving up to Men’s Open.
As Zane Watson has aged, he’s found it harder to come in naturally under 212 pounds. This is required in order for him to compete in the Men’s 212 division. It’s natural for athletes in this category to bulk up and then cut down to make weight. But Watson is coming to the realization that he physically can’t bring his weight down without sacrificing the quality of his physique. On the other hand, he ideally would sit right at 225 pounds to pull of his perfect physique. This is also on the lighter side for Men’s Open – where athletes typically land around 250 pounds or higher.
“I’m in a really weird spot,” Zane Watson stats plainly in our interview. He continues:
“I don’t think I have more to accomplish in 212 just because I can’t be perfect at that weight. I’m 222 pounds with 5% body fat. And for me to pull 12 pounds from that, 10 pounds from that, it hurts my look.”
Ultimately, this strange spot doesn’t concern Zane Watson much. He’s looking ahead at the possibility of competing in Men’s Open. He’s applied for the Arnold Classic this year. This competition doesn’t hold the Men’s 212 event, so he would have to go Open regardless. For him, this can be a test to see how he holds up.
He knows at first he won’t place first. Again, he’s bluntly honest about this with himself. But he will still train like he can be a champion. Somehow he’s able to keep those two thoughts in his head at once. Not only that – but he’s also not too worried about being on the light side for Men’s Open.
Zane Watson thinks that if Men’s Open was only a weight contest, bodybuilders would simply step on a scale and the highest number wins. He looks to athletes like Dexter Jackson as examples of what can be accomplished regardless of trending size in the division.
Vlad Yudin counters by mentioning Shaun Clarida, a bodybuilder who for years struggled to find champion status in the Men’s 212 division. Finally, after never giving up, Clarida won the Men’s 212 Olympia in 2020. Perhaps there is still a future in Men’s 212 for Zane Watson as well.
Watson agrees that persistence can pay off. But he knows his body well. He’s convinced that his ideal weight hovers around 225 pounds rather than 212. Genetically, he simply can’t bring his best package below 212 pounds. He would rather bring a perfect physique at 225 pounds, despite being lighter on stage than most competitors, than go onto stage knowing his physique could be better.
You can watch Zane Watson go into full detail about Men’s 212 vs Men’s Open in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
After Taking Fifth at the Chicago Pro, Roelly Winklaar Vows to Compete at Tampa Pro
Roelly Winklaar vows to return to competition in two weeks.
What a wild turn of events. Roelly Winklaar took fifth place at the Chicago Pro. The veteran bodybuilder was unable to qualify for the 2021 Olympia. Instead it was Hunter Labrada who was able to take the top spot at the Chicago Pro and punch his ticket to the big show.
To say that it was a shock to see Roelly Winklaar not only miss his opportunity to win the Chicago Pro, but end up in fifth is an understatement. It was truly one of the bigger upsets in recent memory.
With the placing it certainly seems as if a changing of the guard is occurring in bodybuilding. Think about; no longer do we see names like Victor Martinez, Kai Greene, Dexter Jackson (for obvious reasons) and now Roelly Winklaar win shows. It’s now names like Hunter Labrada and Nick Walker who are taking top honors.
Next Stop: Tampa Pro
With that said one show alone isn’t enough to declare Roelly Winklaar finished. The veteran bodybuilder took to social media to inform fans of his next move.
First of all, I would like to send a huge thank you to the @ifbb_pro_league, @wingsofstrength, and @timgardnerproduction for putting on such an amazing and incredible show!
I would also like to congratulate @hunterlabrada on his WIN… It was a fun and great battle amongst us bro!
Even though I came up short this time, the fight doesn’t stop here… Tampa Pro here I come!!!??
It looks like Roelly Winklaar has his sights set on Tampa Pro.
While it’s great to see Roelly Winklaar continue to fight the good fight, he’ll have a tough line up to contend with at the Tampa Pro. Namely, Roelly will have to face off against opposition like Iain Valliere who is absolutely no slouch. Perhaps Roelly can turn things around and show the bodybuilding world that his recent loss was a fluke rather than a trend.
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.
Iron Biby Sets New Axle Press World Record With 217kg Lift
Cheick Al-Hassan Sanou, known as “Iron Biby”, set a new world record at the 2021 Strongman Classic.
Cheick Al-Hassan Sanou has made a name for himself in the strongman community as “Iron Biby.” On Saturday, Sanou lived up to that nickname by setting a new world record in the Axle Press. Sanou stepped up to the platform and accomplished a 217kg (478.4lb) lift during the 2021 Strongman Classic at Royal Albert Hall in London.
Sanou completed the lift with an overhand/underhand grip and locked out his arms at the top. The judge gave the down command and by the time the weight hit the floor, Iron Biby broke a record that has been in place for four years.
Eddie Hall previously held the record of 216kg that was set during the 2017 Europe’s Strongman contest. Hall topped the 215kg lift accomplished by Zydrunas Savickas in 2011. This marked the second straight instance where this world record has been broken by one kilogram.
Hall took to Instagram to congratulate Sanou and by his words, it is no surprise that Iron Biby was able to break the record.
“Well done to @ironbiby for breaking my world record axle press last night at 217kg ?Iv seen him do 230kg in training at his home gym, but this is where it counts ? ?#Competition #Strongman #Beast#WorldRecord #GiantsLiveBig LoveTeam Beast”
Sanou has completed an unofficial overhead lift of 240kg (529lb) so it is no surprise that he was able to set the new world record. Iron Biby has been making some noise in the powerlifting game for years now. He claimed first place at the World Log Lift Championship 2018 and log lift at the Europe Strongest Man 2019.
Over the weekend, Sanou took home the third place prize overall. Oleksii Novikov, who won the 2020 World’s Strongest Man competition, finished first overall while Evan Singleton was second.
It was a special moment for Sanou and one that he will never forget. This is something he took the time to cherish on social media.
Sanou began his long post by describing the moment and taking time to acknowledge Hall.
“WHAT A SPECIAL NIGHT ✨Was an honor to compete at ROYAL ALBERT HALL . It’s is an iconic arena and the right place for me to Break axle the world record owned by the beast @eddiehallwsm . He is a great man and he inspired to do it . God bless him??Will never forget this day .”
Sanou could have his eye on some more records moving forward. For now, the Axle Press record is his and it will be a tough one to top.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Eddie Hall Tears Bicep, Fight With Hafthor Bjornsson Postponed
Eddie Hall injures his bicep and the Hafthor Bjornsson bout has been postponed.
Well that’s disappointing. Eddie Hall has apparently tore his bicep and is out of his fight with Hafthor Bjornsson. That is definitely not the news anyone wanted to hear. Unfortunately the news is all too true.
It appears that Eddie Hall injured his bicep during his training for his bout with Hafthor Bjornsson. Apparently Eddie Hall threw a lead hook during his training and the muscle tore off the bone. Luckily the strongman was able to get the muscle reattached. The not so sunny news is that the bout with Bjornsson will have to wait.
This is a real bummer, especially since the fight was right around the corner. Both Eddie Hall and Hafthor Bjornsson seemed more than ready to get the show on the road. Unfortunately no one can predict an injury and the injury bug decided to rear it’s ugly, disruptive head just a month out from the big fight.
Eddie Hall went on to explain how the injury occurred. Suffice it to say the strongman was none too happy about the occurrence.
“I’ve had it [the biceps] reattached, which is the good news,” Hall said in a recent video. “All I did was throw a lazy hook — nothing too crazy, just a lazy hook to set up a backhand — and it just snapped off. It’s probably an underlying issue from strongman, probably half detached it and then the hook was enough to take the rest of it off and it rolled up my arm.”
You can see the full video of Eddie Hall here.
To be honest, Eddie Hall may have used some bad technique which is the real culprit. Bad technique can get you severely injured in this game. It’s why many brawlers have a short career in boxing an MMA versus the technically sound competitors.
Moving On
It appears that Hafthor Bjornsson isn’t planning on waiting for his foe to heal up. Instead Bjornsson has chosen to find another opponent for the September date. Bjornsson has already had a number of exhibition bouts over the past year, what’s another?
The only issue is all those tickets sold for a bout that won’t happen. It’s certainly a bitter pill to swallow. Likely refunds will be issued, but the whole situation is just unfortunate. The bout will eventually go down but until that day we’ll simply have to wait for Eddie Hall to heal and Hafthor Bjornsson to take another exhibition bout.
What do think of the Eddie Hall versus Hafthor Bjornsson fight being postponed?
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.
Guy Cisternino: Why You Shouldn’t Worry About Heavy Weight vs Light Weight Training
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Guy Cisternino shares some wisdom as to why people should stop worrying about free weights vs machines or heavy weight vs light weight.
A common question that comes up when people are looking for bodybuilding advice is what generation training style they should focus on. Is it better to do more free weights or more machine exercises? Is it best to do heavy weight and low volume or light weight and high volume? Guy Cisternino is someone who has been notoriously known for his hardcore heavyweight training. But surprisingly, he gives a different kind of advice when it comes to these general questions. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Guy Cisternino explains why you shouldn’t worry about free weights vs machine or heavy weight vs light weight training.
In one of our previous interviews, Guy Cisternino talked about how Branch Warren was his biggest inspiration. The reason for this was due to his hardcore passionate training style. It’s how Cisternino himself loves to train. He worries that not enough young people still have that hardcore passion in the gym anymore.
But that hardcore style of training has less to do with what is successful for bodybuilding and more to do with the culture. While Guy Cisternino loves to train hardcore – he also understands it is not necessary to be a massive shredded bodybuilder. Rather than it being a necessity for success – he simply sees it as a cultural passion that excites him. He likes that attitude and that atmosphere.
That’s why when we ask him whether or not heavy weight vs light weight matters. Or whether or not free weight vs machines matter – his answer is more open minded. Guy Cisternino has been through some injuries and is now a slightly older (but not old) bodybuilder. He hooked up with John Meadows as his trainer more recently – and Meadows changed up the kind of training he does in light of his age and injuries. What Cisternino learned through this process changed his perception on what is important in bodybuilding training.
To Guy Cisternino, it matters less whether or not you do machines vs free weights or heavy weight vs light weight. Instead, it matters more how you break up your body parts and how much focus you put into each workout. Yes, there are little differences – pros and cons to each approach – but ultimately they are not game changers. Whether you lift heavy weight or hight weight or free weight or machines – you can be a successful and massive bodybuilder with any of these approaches. What matters more is how you do these tactics and the way you break up each body part throughout your week of training.
What he means by this is that by changing up how you break up the body parts you work in a given workout – you can be saving your joints from too much pressure in one session. This can save you injury, wear, and tear in the long run. So someone like Guy Cisternino can train hardcore to his liking with less risk (though still there is always risk) of injury. This provides longevity. So you can be like Dexter Jackson or you can be like Branch Warren.
Both of these bodybuilders are legendary in their own right and they both used vastly different techniques – but if you break up the body parts right, you can extend your longevity as an athlete.
You can watch Guy Cisternino go into full detail in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Bodybuilder And Actor Mike Mitchell Has Died Of A Heart Attack
Mike Mitchell, known as a bodybuilder and for his part in ‘Braveheart’, passed away of a heart attack in Turkey.
Mike Mitchell, a bodybuilding champion turned actor, has passed away at the age of 65 of a heart attack. Mitchell died on a boat in Turkey of what was believed to be natural causes. Later, a rep of Mitchell’s told TMZ that a heart attack was the cause.
In a statement, the rep described Mitchell as a “true friend” and “honest person.”
“It was very hard to believe … The sudden death of an international actor we managed, an honest person, a real actor, a true friend, my dear friend, has saddened us deeply. I’ve always been honored to be your manager. I wish patience to you wife, dear Denise Mitchell, and your children. Getting to know you and gaining your friendship is invaluable. Sleep in the lights. RIP.”
Mike Mitchell made a name for himself as a bodybuilder. The Scottish star got started in fitness at an early age and showed off his tremendous size on the biggest stages. Mitchell totaled five Masters Mr. World titles and two Mr. Universe titles with the World Fitness Federation. He also competed in many strongman competitions including Britain’s Strongest Man contest.
During his prime in bodybuilding, Mike Mitchell gained attention due to his incredible size and this landed him some on-screen movie roles. Mitchell is known for his parts in Braveheart and Gladiator. Mitchell has worked with the likes of Mel Gibson, Russell Crowe, and Joaquin Phoenix. He also appeared in One Day Removals, City of Hell, and Skyfall, among others.
Mitchell suffered a setback when he had a heart attack that forced him to take a break after winning his fifth World Fitness Federation title in 2006. In 2010, Mitchell was inducted into the WFF Hall of Fame and given the “Living Legend Award,” which is an extremely prestigious honor.
Mike Mitchell’s love of sailing and the sea began at a young age. At 16 years old, he served in the British Armed Forces and eventually became a part of the Elite special Forces unit. When he left to work in the offshore oil industry, Mitchell started deep-sea diving. He was a fan of sailing and continued to do so in between his bodybuilding and acting careers.
Mike Mitchell is survived by his wife, Denis, and children. He was immensely talented in many areas and grew to be a legend in the sport of bodybuilding.
Generation Iron send out condolences to the friends and family of Mike Mitchell during this difficult time. For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.