Tag: Olympia 2021
Mohamed El Emam: Big Ramy Will Be Even Better At Olympia 2021
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Mohamed El Emam answers: Can Big Ramy win again at Olympia 2021?
With less than a week to go before the Olympia 2021, we will soon see if returning champion Big Ramy can retain his title. Ramy has been known for inconsistency in his conditioning from year to year (at least in his past showings over the past decade). Will he be able to remain consistent and show an even more improved physique on stage this weekend? Rising competitor Mohamed El Emam seems to think so. In our latest GI Exclusive, Mohamed El Emam explains why he thinks Big Ramy will appear even better at Olympia 2021.
Mohamed El Emam has been a rising athlete on the pro bodybuilding stage this past year. He battled it out in a number of competitions to earn Olympia qualification. Unfortunately, he fell short – but not for a lack of impressive physique. The competition was fierce and despite some top 5 placings, it wasn’t enough to earn a spot in this weekend’s Olympia.
That’s why during our recent conversation with Mohamed, we asked him as an observer, if he thought Big Ramy can win again. Mohamed El Emam does believe that Big Ramy can pull off a repeat win. The reason he thinks this – is that he believes Big Ramy will have an even better physique than the previous year.
It’s common knowledge among pro bodybuilding fans that judges have a laser focus on the returning champion for Mr. Olympia. It’s not enough for the champion to bring the same winning physique. The judges expect to see an improved physique. This is the challenge an Olympia champion must face. What if they’ve hit a plateau – no matter how perfect? An equal quality physique might get slightly overlooked compared to a hungry competitor that made some incredible progress.
Mohamed El Emam believes that Big Ramy has made that kind of progress. He’s strictly judging based off of physique update photos and video that Ramy has been posting in recent months. From what he can tell – Ramy has not only widened his back and increased his arm size – he’s also tapered in his waist. Of course, physique update photos can be misleading. What’s most important is that Ramy times his peak perfectly with the Olympia weekend.
This is where the excitement comes in. Even the most perfect athlete can run into problems if their timing is even slightly off. When fans watch the pre-judging on Friday night, they’re also aware the competitors have a full 24 hours to try and make adjustments before finals. That 24 hour period is crucial and makes the finals a truly electric event. Some have improved, some have faded. For example, Phil Heath was often known as “Mr. Saturday Night” due to surprising improvements he would make between pre-judging and finals.
Mohamed El Emam has a point though. It’s clear that Big Ramy was the superior physique in 2020. If no other competitor can close that gap and Ramy improves himself – the odds of him coming in off peak this weekend seems unlikely. Ramy’s sheer size gives him an incredible advantage.
You can watch Mohamed El Emam break down his Big Ramy predictions in more detail by watching our GI Exclusive interview segment above!
2021 Olympia: Classic Physique Preview & Predictions
Here is a breakdown and predictions in the Classic Physique division at the 2021 Olympia.
The 2021 Olympia will take place this weekend in Orlando. This is the biggest competition of the year and many of the top bodybuilders in the world will be on stage competing. This includes the Classic Physique division.
Chris Bumstead highlights the group as the winner of the previous two Olympia competitions. He has taken over the division from Breon Ansley, who will also be on stage this weekend. Terrence Ruffin is coming off a victory at the Arnold Classic and could be one of the top contenders to take down Bumstead.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has said that he believes Classic Physique is the future of bodybuilding. There is certainly enough star power and talent for it to take over. This will be a must-watch competition this weekend. Below, you can find a full list of competitors along with predictions for the top six.
2021 Classic Physique List of Competitors
Zeek Andrews (USA)
Breon Ansley (USA)
Jose Maria Mete Bueriberi (Spain)
Chris Bumstead (Canada)
Alex Cambronero (Costa Rica)
Tommy Clark (USA)
German Pastor Cueto (Spain)
Neil Currey (UK)
Sabur Favors (USA)
Bryan Jones (USA)
Urs Kalecinski (Germany)
George Kawalawu (USA)
Seonghwan Kim (South Korea)
Brady King (USA)
Laszlo Kiraly (Hungary)
Gabriel Zancanelli Machado (Brazil)
Fabian Mayr (Austria)
Peter Molnar (Hungary)
Courage Opara (USA)
Ramon Rocha Querioz (Brazil)
Terrence Ruffin (USA)
Abtin Shekarabi (IRAN)
Mike Sommerfeld (Germany)
Tony Taveras (USA)
Robert Timms (USA)
Darwin Andres Uribe (Colombia)
Wesley Vissers (Netherlands)
Divine Wilson (USA)
In Seong You (South Korea)
Dani Younan (USA)
Classic Physique Top 6
6. Bryan Jones
It was a fifth place finish at the Arnold Classic for Bryan Jones this year. This was the same place he finished at last year’s Olympia. Jones has an intriguing physique because of his size and height. He has a strong presence on stage and is one of the up-and-coming stars in the sport. He has a chance to be a first callout competitor and it would build some consistency in Classic Physique until he is able to take that next step toward victory.
5. Courage Opara
Courage Opara is one of the dark-horse athletes in this competition. He put on a strong showing at the Arnold Classic with a fourth-place finish and is looking to keep up the momentum heading into the biggest event of the year. He is not one of the tallest competitors but the judges seem to like his physique. This has made him a name to watch from this point on.
4. Breon Ansley
Breon Ansley was the name to beat for years in Classic Physique. He won back-to-back Olympia titles in 2017 and 2018. Since then, he has fallen one spot over the last two years. Ansley finished third in last year’s Olympia and might continue this trend in 2021. Ansley is 41 years old. He still shows an incredible physique but might be getting passed by some of the younger competitors. With that being said, Ansley can still put on a show and has a chance to potentially finish in the top three or four.
3. Alex Cambronero
Over the last five years, Alex Cambronero has been a model of consistency in this division. Cambronero finished second in this year’s Arnold Classic after winning it in 2020. He also finished fourth at the Olympia last year. Now, he could climb into the top three and continue to impress. Cambronero has been competing consistently since 2016 and has failed to make the top six just twice.
2. Terrence Ruffin
Terrence Ruffin had a year full of second-place finishes in 2020. He finished as the runner-up in both the Arnold Classic and Olympia. This time around, he is looking to change his fortune. Ruffin bested Cambronero in this year’s Arnold Classic and now has his eyes on the prize on the biggest stage. Ruffin showed up in incredible shape at the Arnold Classic and his posing routine was top notch. He is a true contender for the title at this year’s event.
1. Chris Bumstead
Chris Bumstead is the reigning two-time champion at the Olympia and is the favorite to make it three in a row. There is not much. to dislike about the Canadian bodybuilder — and he has been showing it in his physique updates. Bumstead is massive with great conditioning. He has been the name to beat over the last two years and that might not change in this year’s competition.
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2021 Olympia: Men’s Open Preview & Predictions
Here is a breakdown and predictions in the Men’s Open division at the 2021 Olympia.
The 2021 Olympia will take place this weekend in Orlando. This is the biggest competition of the year and many of the top bodybuilders in the world will be on stage competing.
The list is impressive despite some big names being unable to compete in the event. Nathan De Asha is coming off a victory at the Arnold Classic UK but will be forced to miss the Olympia because of legal issues impacting his visa. Vlad Suhokuchro will also be absent because of travel issues. Other competitors such as Phil Heath and Dexter Jackson have also announced that they will not be competing.
This does not mean that the competition will be a bust — quite the opposite. The lineup is elite and you can find the entire list below, along with a breakdown and predictions for Men’s Open.
2021 Olympia List of Competitors
William Bonac (Netherlands)
Hadi Choopan (Iran)
Brandon Curry (USA)
Mamdouh Elssbiay (Egypt)
Regan Grimes (Canada)
James Hollingshead (UK)
Hunter Labrada (USA)
Patrick Moore (USA)
Hassan Mostafa (Egypt)
Andrea Presti (Italy)
Justin Rodriguez (USA)
Mohamed Shaaban (Egypt)
Iain Valliere (Canada)
Nicholas Walker (USA)
Akim Williams (USA)
Roelly Winklaar (Curacao)
Honorable Mentions
Justin Rodriguez
Justin Rodriguez has been improving each time he steps on stage and this includes a fourth-place finish at the Arnold Classic. Now, he will have a chance to see how he matches up with some other elite competitors. Rodriguez is a dark-horse heading into this competition and could crack the top six if all goes right.
Hunter Labrada
According to his father and legendary bodybuilding Lee Labrada, Hunter Labrada is destined to win an Olympia in his career. That will not be this year but he has a victory in the Chicago Pro this year. Labrada is just scratching the surface of his potential and this could be a stepping stone moving forward.
Men’s Open Top 6
6. Iain Valliere
Iain Valliere appeared at the 2020 Olympia and finished seventh. He has a chance to move up a spot and be a first callout competitor at this year’s event. It has been a strong year for Valliere. He took home titles in the Tampa Pro and Texas Pro on back-to-back weekends. He put on a show at the Arnold Classic and took home second place. Judges like Valliere and he could continue to strengthen his resume with a good performance this weekend.
5. Brandon Curry
It was a controversial victory for Brandon Curry at the 2019 Olympia. After being defeated last year, Curry knows the improvements that need to be made and he highlighted them during training. Curry can prove that his victory was not a fluke and that he still an elite competitor in the sport. He is continuing to improve and that can be shown on stage this year.
4. William Bonac
It is official. William Bonac will be present at the Olympia after missing the Arnold Classic. He was the reigning champion of the event and was unable to defend his title. Now, Bonac has been able to put all of his energy into the most-important competition of the year. Just being back on stage should be enough motivation for Bonac and he certainly looks the part. He is one of the best competitors in the world and will show it this weekend.
3. Nick Walker
Nick Walker has the New York Pro checked off his list and added the Arnold Classic this year. He has won the two biggest competitions outside of the Olympia and could make it three-for-three in Orlando. While Walker might not win the show, he is a first callout competitor that will put on a show. Walker has great size and has top notch conditioning. Walker is a relatively new name to bodybuilding and has already made a huge impact as a pro.
2. Hadi Choopan
It is all lined up for Hadi Choopan to finish near the top of the Olympia once again. He was able to arrive early this year and that means there was plenty of time to prepare. Choopan has been working with Hany Rambod and seems to be in incredible shape. Choopan has not competed since last year’s Olympia and qualified this year with a fourth place finish. In 2019, Choopan finished third so he has experience near the top. This year, he has a chance to set a new best placing and challenge for a title.
1. Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay
Olympia champions have went on streaks dating back to the days of Arnold Schwarzenegger. There has not been a repeat winner since 2017 when Phil Heath won his seventh-straight title. This is what Big Ramy can achieve this year and he has to be considered the favorite. If he comes in looking as shredded as last year, Big Ramy will be difficult to beat. There are some who believe that it is already in the bag. He has showed off his incredible physique leading up to the event and it looks like he is going to be in his best shape trying to win his second-straight Olympia.
Generation Iron will have full updates and coverage of the 2021 Olympia. For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Iain Valliere: There Are Only Two Ways To Beat Big Ramy At Mr. Olympia 2021
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Iain Valliere breaks down the two approaches to beating Big Ramy ahead of the Mr. Olympia 2021.
We are less than one week away from the biggest bodybuilding event of the year – Mr. Olympia 2021. This will be Big Ramy’s first chance to defend his champion status. Will he prove his win to be more than just a fluke? Or will he be another athlete to join the one and done list of single Olympia champions? Only time will tell – but in the meantime we spoke with qualified Olympia competition Iain Valliere on whether or not Ramy can be defeated. He thinks it’s a tough mountain to climb – but there is a slim margin to beat Ramy. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Iain Valliere details the only two ways that Big Ramy can be defeated at the Mr. Olympia 2021.
In 2020, Big Ramy showcased the greatest physique of his career. For the first time ever, his conditioning matched his enormous size. This made him a powerhouse and nearly unstoppable. Returning champion Brandon Curry could not hold up – nor could seven time former Olympia champion Phil Heath. Ramy was fully realized. It earned him a spot on the short list of Olympia champions.
It’s been a near year since that epic victory. We are just under a week before the Mr. Olympia 2021. This is our first time to see Big Ramy on stage competing again. Traditionally, Big Ramy’s biggest weakness has been the consistency of his conditioning. One year he will be close to on point. The next he would be completely off point. Just because Ramy won a Mr. Olympia title doesn’t mean the consistency problem will be fixed.
That being said, Big Ramy’s impressive physique in 2020 might also signal he has learned what is needed to keep his conditioning consistent. We’ll soon find out this weekend. During our conversation with fellow Olympia competitor Iain Valliere – we asked his take on Big Ramy’s physique and how he could be potentially toppled from his throne. The way Valliere sees it, there are only two viable tactics for defeating Big Ramy.
The first is to beat him in size. If a competitor can show up with insane size and conditioning to at the very least match Big Ramy – then he can lose the title. The second tactic is to look at Ramy’s weakness and exploit them. This means that a bodybuilder would focus less on size and more on absolute superior conditioning and aesthetics. Iain Valliere thinks that no competitor is currently poised to succeed with the first tactic. This leaves only conditioning and aesthetics as the superior route to defeat Ramy.
“I think there’s two ways to beat Ramy,” Iain Valliere stated in our interview. He continued:
“It’s going to come down to either a guy with really really crazy shape like a Brandon or a Nathan but compiled with really good conditioning. Or it’s going to come down to someone bigger with better conditioning. I don’t see anyone being bigger than Ramy so I think the way to beat Ramy is with detail and shape. I think trying to be bigger than the biggest guy is insanity.”
Looking back at the 2020 Mr. Olympia, Iain Valliere saw Brandon Curry as the closest competitor to take down Big Ramy.
“I think someone like Brandon last year could have closed that gap if his conditioning was a little better. Because he has the shape, he has the symmetry, he has that silhouette of, like, a very very dominant bodybuilder with the bubbliness and flow and tiny waist. Where he was just a little subpar was his conditioning in comparison [to Big Ramy]”
Iain Valliere goes on to state that Brandon Curry is still a superb athlete and is only critiquing his physique in comparison to Big Ramy. In fact, Iain Vailliere even takes himself out of the equation – stating that he is not in the right place to beat someone like Ramy at this year’s competition.
So it seems, according to Iain Valliere, the Mr. Olympia 2021 title will teeter on two factors. How on point Big Ramy is with his conditioning and how on point a rival competitor can raise the bar to exploit Ramy’s weaknesses. It all hangs on the delicate blade of a knife.
You can watch Iain Valliere’s full breakdown on tackling Big Ramy at Mr. Olympia 2021 by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!