The 2022 Mr. Olympia is in the books and to say it exceeded expectations would be an understatement, with the heavily-favoredMamdouh "Big Ramy" Elssbiay...
Mr. Olympia 2022 Results: Final Info for Hadi Choopan, Big Ramy and Top Stars
Dec 18, 2022
COLUMBUS, OH - MARCH 07: Mamdouh "Big Ramy" Elssbiay (9) competes in the Arnold Classic as part of the Arnold Sports Festival on March 7, 2020, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Hadi Choopan dethroned Mamdouh "Big Ramy" Elssbiay as the Mr. Olympia champion Saturday night in Las Vegas.
In an unexpected turn, Big Ramy had to settle for fifth place after winning the event in 2020 and 2021. Choopan instead collected the title and the accompanying $400,000 prize.
Choopan is the first Iranian to win Mr. Olympia, and he used the occasion to draw attention to the continued plight of women in his home country amid ongoing protests of the government regime.
Much was made about the Iranian men’s soccer team’s show of support for Iranian women. The man just named the new Mr. Olympia moments ago — Hadi Choopan — is from Iran and just dedicated his victory to the women of Iran.
In previous years, the 35-year-old was consistently among the strongest contenders but couldn't get over the final hurdle. He was third in 2019 and 2021 and fourth in 2020. His breakthrough finally arrived Saturday.
This year's event could represent a changing of the guard in men's bodybuilding. This was Elssbiay's worst showing since 2018, and Brandon Curry's fourth-place finish comes after he was the 2019 champion and 2020 and 2021 runner-up.
Choopan successfully fended off Derek Lunsford in Sin City, but it might only be a matter of time before the 29-year-old American is the overall Mr. Olympia champion. Nick Walker, 28, appears to be on the ascension as well.
Mr. Olympia 2022 Results: Winner, Highlights, Prize Money and Twitter Reaction
Dec 18, 2022
Egyptian bodybuilder Mamdouh Elssbiay, aka Big Ramy, poses on stage during a competition at the Arnold Classic Brazil 2015 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on May 30, 2015. The 3rd annual multi-disciplinary sports competition is named after Austrian-American actor, politician and former bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger. AFP PHOTO / YASUYOSHI CHIBA (Photo credit should read YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP via Getty Images)
Hadi Choopan is the 2022 Mr. Olympia after winning the bodybuilding title Saturday night in Las Vegas.
Choopan earned $400,000 for his win, becoming the first Iranian competitor ever to take the top prize at this event.
Here are the final results and payouts in the men's open division, via Barbend.
Hadi Choopan - $400,000
Derek Lunsford - $150,000
Nick Walker - $100,000
Brandon Curry - $40,000
Mamdouh "Big Ramy" Elssbiay - $30,000
Elssbiay was one of the names to watch heading into the event as the two-time defending champion. "Big Ramy" was looking to become the eighth person ever to win three Mr. Olympia titles, with six others winning at least three in a row.
Instead, it was Coopan who impressed the judges on Saturday:
Iranian bodybuilder Hadi Choopan has taken the prestigious crown of Mr. Olympia 2022 in a fierce competition held in Las Vegas, entering the small but elite list of Olympia champions. The defending champion, Big Ramy from Egypt, fell to fifth place. pic.twitter.com/W4u2WZFKbV
Much was made about the Iranian men’s soccer team’s show of support for Iranian women. The man just named the new Mr. Olympia moments ago — Hadi Choopan — is from Iran and just dedicated his victory to the women of Iran.
The performance was enough to climb the standings and finish in first place.
Choopan had qualified for Mr. Olympia in each of the last three years, earning two third-place finishes and one-fourth place, but his showing this week helped him finally take home the crown.
Derek Lunsford also performed well for a surprise second-place finish, especially doing well in the pre-judging on Friday.
Lunsford won the 212 Olympia a year ago before moving into the open competition this year, and he proved he was up to the task.
Choopan was still the competition's biggest star and should be a top contender to win more titles in the future.
Mr. Olympia 2022: Latest Event Schedule and Info on Past Winners
Kristopher Knox
Dec 17, 2022
COLUMBUS, OH - MARCH 07: Mamdouh "Big Ramy" Elssbiay (9) competes in the Arnold Classic as part of the Arnold Sports Festival on March 7, 2020, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The biggest event in professional bodybuilding is back, as the 2022 Mr. Olympia is already underway in Las Vegas.
Reigning (and back-to-back) champion Mamdouh "Big Ramy" Elssbiay is looking to repeat after defeating 2019 champion and 2022 Arnold Classic champ Brandon Curry in each of the last two finals. The task won't be easy, though, as Curry is back to challenge Elssbiay once again—along with a group of determined competitors.
This year's list of top challengers includes 2021 fourth-place finisher Hunter Labrada, 2022 Arnold Classic runner-up William Bonac and 2021 Olympia third-place finisher Hadi Choopan.
However, it's Curry—who won this year's Arnold—who poses the biggest threat to Elssbiay's bid for the record books. His status as a former Mr. Olympia can't be dismissed, though it's worth noting that Bonac gave him a run in Columbus back in the spring.
From Muscle & Fitness: "Curry and Bonac had to go through two complete comparisons before a winner could be determined."
However, four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler believes that Elssbiay should be considered the favorite.
"I think Ramy is going to repeat," Cutler said on YouTube (h/t Phil Blechman of BarBend).
Pre-judging for the Mr. Olympia began on Friday evening, with Elssbiay, Curry, Choopan, Samson Dauda, Derek Lunsford and Nick Walker earning spots in the final callout.
"Their on-stage orientation shifted, but it was clear that these six athletes were the ones competing for the O going into Saturday finals. Notably, Elssbiay posed on the fringes of the final callout," Roger Lockridge of BarBend wrote.
How will the rest of the event unfold? We'll find out when the finals take place at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casin on Saturday evening.
Remaining Event Schedule for Saturday, December 17
We've already noted that Elssbiay is coming off of back-to-back wins and is looking to three-peat. This is notable, as another win would see him tie with bodybuilding legends Frank Zane and Sergio Oliva with three titles.
Zane and Oliva are tied for seventh on the all-time wins list, one spot behind Cutler—who won four titles in five years between 2006 and 2010. Dorian Yates holds six Mr. Olympia crowns, while Arnold Schwarzenegger is tied with Heath with seven.
Heath's last win came in 2017, a year before Shawn Rhoden's lone win and two years before Curry's.
Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman top the all-time winner's list with eight Mr. Olympia titles apiece.
At 38 years old, Big Ramy probably doesn't have a chance of catching Haney and Coleman, but he has time to put himself in revered bodybuilding company.
Naturally, Curry is intent on spoiling Elssbiay's plans. He believes that he's put in the work necessary to dethrone the champ and reclaim his place as Mr. Olympia.
"I was able to put more time in this year, and I think it's going to pay off," Curry said during the Olympia press conference.
Big Ramy, though, (unsurprisingly) predicts that he'll reign supreme once again. In an Instagram post (h/t Vishnu Mohan of Sportskeeda), he predicted himself to take first, with Choopan, Curry and Bonac finishing second through fourth, respectively.
"I'm sharpening my weapons to defend my title in Las Vegas!" Elssbiay wrote in the post.
It would be unwise to count out the likes of Walker and Choopan, with the latter finishing third in two of the last three competitions. Yet this largely feels like it's going to be a posedown between Elssbiay and Curry for the right to hoist the Sandow Trophy.
The burning question when it's time to the crown Mr. Olympia at Joe Weider's Olympia Fitness & Performance Weekend isn't if a top competitor can...
Bodybuilder Ian Baunach Arraigned on Murder Charges for Ex-Wife Katie's Death
Oct 12, 2022
A person disinfects dumbbells inside a temporary social distancing pod at Inspire South Bay Fitness in Redondo Beach, California, U.S., on Friday, June 19, 2020. In addition to cutting class sizes, the gym has created individual plastic workout pods for people to take classes while still maintaining social distance, CNN reported. Photographer: Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Ian Christopher Baunach, a bodybuilder and former Marine, has been charged with the murder of ex-wife Katie Baunach, per TMZ Sports.
The 43-year-old is accused of incinerating her body in a backyard after detectives found human remains in a burn pile, including a jaw bone, near a 50-gallon barrel.
He also faces 12 charges of possession of controlled substances without a prescription after a search of his home found a large number of steroids, which he admitted belonged to him, per Paul Dolan of WINK News.
Additionally, the police found an AR-15 upper receiver and 13 silencers, a Glock Model 27 .40 caliber pistol during the four-day search.
Katie went missing on Sept. 29, when a friend said she was going to Ian's house to pick up her belongings and never returned. She had previously filed for a restraining order accusing him of abusing one of their children.
Police also saw her car parked in the driveway when visiting Ian's home on Sept. 30.
Ian Baunach pled not guilty to the murder charge, only admitting the two got in an argument about another woman, per TMZ. He is being held in Hendry County Jail with no bond.
Arnold Classic Europe 2022 Results: Winner, Highlights, Prize Money, Twitter Reaction
Sep 17, 2022
A bodybuilder flexes his muscles for the judges during the Arnold Classic Europe 2019 bodybuilding competition in Barcelona on September 21, 2019. (Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP) (Photo credit should read LLUIS GENE/AFP via Getty Images)
The two-day bodybuilding extravaganza that was the Arnold Classic Europe drew to a close Saturday in Seville, Spain.
Finland's Mika Sihvonen took home the top prize as he was the winner in the men's open bodybuilding competition, claiming his share of the $90,000 prize pool.
Arnold Classic Europe Winners
Bodybuilding (up to 95 kg): Soepe Koese (Suriname)
Bodybuilding: Mika Sihvonen (Finland)
Men's Physique: Dmytro Horobets (Ukraine)
Classic Physique: Sergey Sherechsev (Kazakhstan)
Women's Physique: Yasmina Gouaich (France)
Bodyfitness: Alina Yaman (Ukraine)
Women's Fitness: Eszter Balogh (Hungary)
Wellness: Fernanda Pignation (Brazil)
The absence of reigning bodybuilding champion Michal Krizanek opened up this year's field a bit. Sihvonen, who was runner-up to the Slovakian last year and in 2020, headed to Spain as the clear favorite and more than lived up to the hype.
Sihvonen might have preferred to best Krizanek en route to the title, but that's unlikely to take any enjoyment away from his achievement.
In men's physique, Dmytro Horobets once again reigned supreme and continued his dominance in the category. Thierry Bayala had to settle for second place after finishing second to Horobets in 2020 and 2021.
It was the same story in classic physique, with Sergey Sherechsev successfully defending his 2021 title and the Jakub Kolinek settling for second.
Yasmina Gouaich carried on the trend in women's physique. The 2021 winner narrowly edged out Aline Beck to stand tall in the four-woman field.
Soepe Koese provided perhaps the biggest surprise with his win in the 95 kg and under bodybuilding competition.
The Suriname native finished ahead of Venancio Bento Epolua and Pedro Esteves. Jirí Cermak, the 2021 winner, was all the way down in 11th when all was said and done.
Former Yankees RP Kyle Farnsworth Shows Stunning Physique Ahead of Bodybuilding Event
Jun 22, 2022
JUNE 4 2014: Houston Astros relief pitcher Kyle Farnsworth (44) delivers the pitch during the baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Houston, TX. (Photo by Juan DeLeon/Icon SMI/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
It's rare to see someone get more jacked up after they retire from a sport, but most athletes aren't Kyle Farnsworth.
The fiery relief pitcher showed off his physique ahead of his first bodybuilding competition.
Farnsworth's baseball career is an incredible success story. He went from being a 47th-round draft pick by the Chicago Cubs in 1994 to playing 16 seasons in the league from 1999 to 2014.
The right-hander played for nine different teams, including the Cubs, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers, New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros.
Farnsworth often had the personality of a pro wrestler when he was on the mound. In fact, his most famous moment on a baseball field was spearing Cincinnati Reds catcher Paul Wilson during a benches-clearing brawl in 2003.
Even though there's no indication Farnsworth wants to try his hand at professional wrestling, he certainly has the physique to stand in the same ring with someone like Brock Lesnar or Roman Reigns.
One frustrated Cubs fan who has had to watch their bullpen cough away multiple games already this season tried to gauge Farnsworth's interest in pitching again.
After I blew my shoulder out completely playing semi pro football, I am only hitting 87-88 right now.
It shouldn't be a surprise to see Farnsworth trying new things. He played three seasons of semipro football with the Orlando Phantoms of the Florida Football Alliance. The Kansas native led the team with 41 tackles and 11 sacks in 2015.
Now, at 46 years old, Farnsworth is looking to conquer the world of bodybuilding.
Former Mr. Olympia Competitor Cedric McMillan Dies at Age 44
Apr 13, 2022
COLUMBUS, OH - MARCH 04: Arnold Schwarzenegger interviews Cedric McMillan (9) after McMillan won the Arnold Classic as part of the Arnold Sports Festival on March 4, 2017, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, OH.(Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Cedric McMillan, a bodybuilder who
counted the 2017 Arnold Classic among his victories, died Tuesday at
the age of 44.
Black Skull USA, McMillan's sponsor, announced the news with a statement on Instagram.
"We regret to inform you that our
friend and brother Cedric McMillan passed away today," the
statement read. "Cedric will be greatly missed as an athlete,
comrade, friend and father. Our prayers are with all his family and
friends. He 'fought the good fight' and now he rests."
Jacob Ladon of Generation Iron reported
McMillan, who hadn't competed since 2020 because of injuries and
health problems, suffered a heart attack while running on a
treadmill.
In November, the New Jersey
native told Generation Iron's Jonathan Salmon he was starting to work
back toward full strength after a serious case of COVID-19.
"Back in July, I was almost dead," McMillan said. "... My wife was with me but I was outta here.
Seriously. But I didn't see no white light. I don't know if I was
that close, but looking at me from the outside, I was that close."
McMillan, who also worked as a U.S.
Army instructor, competed in the Mr. Olympia competition five times.
His best result was seventh place, which he achieved in both 2016 and
2019.
His last victory came at the IFBB
Romania Muscle Fest Pro competition in 2019.
Arnold Sports Festival Results 2022: Saturday Results, Highlights and Reaction
Mar 6, 2022
COLUMBUS, OHIO - MARCH 05: Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks to fans during the Slap Fighting Championships at the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus Convention Center on March 05, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Gaelen Morse/Getty Images)
The penultimate day of competition at the 2022 Arnold Sports Festival was also one of the busiest.
Saturday's schedule of events was highlighted by the finals of the Arnold Classic, men's physique and wellness international.
The Arnold Classic is one of the premier bodybuilding competitions in the world. Defending champion Nicholas Walker announced in January he wouldn't be competing this year to give himself more time to prepare for Mr. Olympia.
Brandon Curry won the top prize in the men's open for the second time in his career. He previously won in 2019, the same year he took home the Mr. Olympia title.
Here are the results from each of Saturday's events from the Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio.
The field for the men's open portion of the Arnold Classic took a hit leading up to the event. In addition to Walker not participating, Nathan De Asha, Mohamed Shaaban, Rafael Brandao, Akim Williams and Cedric McMillan pulled out.
De Asha and Shaaban had to miss the competition due to injuries.
The 2021 Arnold Classic took place in September after being delayed to the COVID-19 pandemic. A quick six-month turnaround may not have given some of the athletes the necessary time to be in peak physical condition.
Prejudging for the men's open took place on Friday. Curry, Bonac and Kuclo were among the group in the first callout. They were also brought back onto the stage for the third callout, along with Justin Rodriguez.
That foursome comprised the top four after the fifth callout. Kuclo wound up coming in third for the second straight year. Bonac got the most muscular aware for his performance in the competition, but Curry took the top spot thanks to winning the best posing routine.
Isabelle Nunes was part of history on Saturday night. She won the first-ever wellness international event at the Arnold Classic by beating out Angela Borges and Sunny Andrews.
The men's physique competition made a return to the event after not being contested last year. It was open for a new winner because Andre Ferguson, who won this event for three straight years from 2018-20, didn't return in 2022.
Erin Banks took advantage of the opening to win thanks to outstanding conditioning that stood out in the field.
