posted Wed, 12/20/2023 - 16:28
1940
2023 Mr Olympia .
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuzbxMbP8ic
I'm calling bullshit. Look don't get me wrong Derek Lunsford looked Great for sure toe to toe with Hadi .......... But Hadi Had him in every pose plus he had the conditioning . Yes Lunsford has the better V-Taper and he can hit a Vacuum but that alone does not win an Olympia .
Hadi was the Defending Champion and his Conditioning was dialed to 100% and he looked just as good if not better than 2022.
Hadi and Lunsford were basically even for size and muscularity pose for pose but Hadi had him in the Conditioning .
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Can't agree more
I think there both lucky that nick walker pulled out.
No he would of lost.
You think so?
I do especially next to the short guys
Always conditioned & huge
Glad Derek has the title..
I quit following bodybuilding after Kai and Phil stopped competing. I feel like they were the last of the greats. I'm just now paying attention to the guys now and it's a toss up. Nothing like 90's 2000s bodybuilding though. 70's wasn't bad also.
And I do agree that Hadi looked in better condition than Lunsford.
It was a great matchup. I’m just glad to see current title holders being unseated. For many years it seemed that the current champ held on to the title regardless of their conditioning. Definitely not knocking Yates, he was great and great for the sport, but winning the symmetry decision when his torso was round and he had half of a bicep? The other guys got robbed. Especially Levrone. I met Levrone once at a show, that guy is friendly and a true pro.
Kevin Levrone in my opinion is one of the most gifted bodybuilders of all time point blank. I mean the guy would get on gear a few months before competition and catch everyone with his gains. Unbelievable. Also like you said, you won't find a more humble, down to earth guy than Kevin and that's facts lol. He should of had at least one Mr. Olympia title but he always says that it wasn't meant to be because of Ronnie. Maybe he's right but damn he deserved a title. Like you said, the guy was a true pro.
At first I thought Hadi got robbed but reviewing the tapes, I felt like it could have gone either way. In the end, I guess it helps to smile on stage.
While I totally agree with you solely based on physiques and conditioning. Derek is a better ambassador for the sport. Hadi stormed off stage after not being crowned the winner. Saw it with my own eyes at the show and everyone was kind of shocked at the bad level of sportsmanship.
Bodybuilding is a universal sport for all countries to participate in but based on exposure for the IFBB, it's easier to market Derek versus Hadi who isn't very active on socials and doesn't speak English.
Hit the nail on the head. It is all politics and marketing and not just on the Olympia stage. Very prevalent all the way down to the amateur level with coaches and promoters marketing themselves.
At first thought you would think that shouldn’t matter but looking at the sport as a struggling industry then you can definitely see how that could effect and almost can’t blame “them” if it did play a role in the decision. Should it go to a guy who’s basically hidden away all year, doesn’t speak English, makes no effort to help publicize the sport, and is a “poor sport” in the Publics eye? Look at Chris bum stead vs Hadi, is Hadi really worth 400k and Chris 50k. I’d be willing to bet Hadi hasn’t brought a penny to the sport other then what he’s personally spent on supplements, where as bumstead has probably brought more to the sport then anyone else has since Ronnie and jay, maybe even more since he’s kinda more mainstream. So I’m not saying these kind of politics should effect placing BUT I definitely can understand why they would, If they did.
You raised some good points there.
And the ifbb really should pay classic way more than 50k. It's a disgrace. Cbum has wealth but the guys below him probably don't and even though you can do a lot with 50k.
100k more like a first place prize.
All top pros should be able to quit working and live off the prize and sponsorship contracts.
A football player gets more for wearing Nike football boots than most pros earn in a year.
I completely agree with you on this. The fact that classic is even a division shows respect in my opinion to those that started it all back in the day. Had it not been for those guys, bodybuilding wouldn't be what it is today. The overall pay is silly and I think classic division should have better pay also. If there is no sponsorship then pretty much bodybuilders are out of luck nowadays.
Truthfully, I don't think there should even be a classic division. That was only added to make the NPC/IBFF more money by getting more entrance fees with a new division. Just a money grab for them. That prize money should be going to the bodybuilders. It just waters everything down.
Ya but if there getting more money from the entry fees then they should be able to pay out more. I get what you mean that it takes away from bodybuilders but that’s only because the promoters or whoever are greedy. It doesn’t have to take away from the other guys
Yes you said it...THE PROMOTERS are GREEDY. Like other sports, bodybuilding is no exception. Hell look at boxing.
they are not spreading the wealth around. it goes into their pockets not the competitors.
Men's physique, bikini were all added for the cash as well. Lol, forgot wellness. The amount of amateurs that come do the qualifiers is crazy. Shit loads of entrance fees. Plus all the friends and family who come to watch is more money for the ifbb.
I love following bodybuilding, I've built an encyclopedia type knowledge over the last ten years, but even though I'll never be one, the freak factor isnt something I can ignore.
Wish they did the O around the world, might get a chance to watch it one day.
Can't wait to see what the next money grab division will be. Dad-bods or probably something like that
Fucking day is already long enough with all these divisions now 
I know, imagine being the greatest in the world in your division and making minimum wage for winning the world championships. I just wish there was a way to bring more money to the sport. It’s embarrassing to see guys winning shows and holding up a 4 foot check that says 200$, it insulting really. That’s like one purchase from a supplement company, it would be nothing for one of the sponsors to kick in another 1000$ per show or even 5 sponsors to kick in 1000$ Idk man but it should change for sure. It’s crazy, guys are killing themselves for a 1,000$ pay day
That's what I never understood. All that sacrifice and possibly damaging your body for possibly nothing. It's beyond me man. And the sport of powerlifting is 10x worse as far as money prizes.
I take first place and it still doesn't even cover the cost of my cycle. Now I also have to cover travel and hotel etc. I'm out $2k even if I place.