2013 Mr. Olympia preview
Who will be the last man standing?
By Vic V. Goyaram
Sadly this will be the first Mr. Olympia without both Joe and Ben Weider, the fathers of this contest. Joe Weider passed away this year at the age of 93 after decades promoting the sport of bodybuilding worldwide.
The 2013 Mr. Olympia year's lineup is more impressive than ever as both the quality and number of top-level competitors. Most of us also didn't realise that there will be three Mr. Olympias battling it out in the lineup, namely Jay Cutler, Dexter Jackson and defending champion Phil Heath. It is difficult to make predictions about the winner and that's the reason why I am picking my top 10. Whether you agree or disagree with my selection, feel free to join other members in discussing your favourite picks on our facebook page Bodybuilding Mauritius.
The 2013 Mr. Olympia year's lineup is more impressive than ever as both the quality and number of top-level competitors. Most of us also didn't realise that there will be three Mr. Olympias battling it out in the lineup, namely Jay Cutler, Dexter Jackson and defending champion Phil Heath. It is difficult to make predictions about the winner and that's the reason why I am picking my top 10. Whether you agree or disagree with my selection, feel free to join other members in discussing your favourite picks on our facebook page Bodybuilding Mauritius.
My top 6 (In no particular order)
Jay Cutler
Cutler has space on his mantel for a 5th Sandow trophy |
Eyes
will be on Jay Cutler for his comeback. He last competed at the 2011 Mr.
Olympia with a torn left biceps. Jay is able to do the unimaginable: claim back
his title after having lost it twice. He has the experience and the physique to
do so and he knows how to peak at the Mr. Olympia. He looked "sick"
in his recent pictures. Go Cutler!
Stakes
to win: Rs. 100 pou Rs. 400
Dexter "The Blade" Jackson
Dexter, this year's Arnold victor still has a lot left in him. Top 6 all the way! |
At
the age of 42 Dexter Jackson still has a lot left in him. Dexter has an
impressive track record at the Mr. Olympia and he equaled Flex Wheeler's record
of 4 wins at the Arnold Classic this year. He also placed an impressive 4th at
the 2012 Mr. Olympia when most of us thought that he was done.The Blade has
also been working with trainer extraordinaire Charles Glass, by the way. Go
Dexter!
Stakes
to win: Rs. 100 pou Rs. 600
Kai "The Predator" Greene
The hero of "Generation" may well be the hero on the Mr. Olympia stage |
Last
year Kai Greene had a very lean offseason and he surprised us by his awesome
conditioning and his new streamlined physique. However, he was not as full as
Phil Heath and he suffered in the most muscular shots because he didn't have
the overwhelming delts that Heath brought to the stage. Greene also somewhat
battled with energy onstage (my observation) although he ruled the same stage.
This year, under the guidance of George Farah, Greene had a lean offseason but
he is a lot bigger than last year. It will be interesting to see how he does.
Go Kai Greene!
Stakes
to win: Rs. 100 pou Rs. 300
Mamdouh "Big Ramy" Ellsbiay
Will BIG Ramy bring the title to Kuwait? |
Big
Ramy makes this whole thing interesting because for a long time the sport needed
a new face to challenge the top runners.
Ramy is not all talk, he has the physique to challenge everyone. He has
competed in only one pro contest so far, with an easy win over Victor Martinez
who was far from his best. For sure, Big Ramy remains untested in the big shows
but untested or not this guy has the potential to be an Olympia winner, with a
thin waist for such a big guy. Never before has a guy who has done only one pro
show going into the Mr. Olympia has got so many competitors so worried. In my
opinion, it is also time for Big Ramy to get rid of that gyno through surgery.
I wonder why Dennis James hasn't done anything about this so far. Go Big Ramy.
Stakes
to win: Rs. 100 pou Rs. 400
Phil "The Gift" Heath
The defending champ thinks that "hard work does not beat talent" |
No
matter how strong his challengers are, I think Phil Heath has this one. He will
win it for one reason: Never in the history of bodybuilding has a pro
bodybuilder earned the moniker "The Gift". I do not mean that the
judges will steal the title from other and gift it to him; I mean that Phil
Heath is simply too good. And please pardon my English, from recent sightings
in a facebook video, Heath looked sick as fuck. Go Heath!
Stakes
to win: Rs. 100 pou Rs. 150
Shawn "Flexatron" Rhoden
The battle for the top 10
Branch "The Texas Shredder" Warren
Dennis "The Big Bad" Wolf
Evan "The Ox" Centopani
Toney "The X-Man" Freeman
Who can also make the top 10?
Victor "The Dominican Dominator" Martinez
Lionel Beyeke
Did Uncle Ronnie Coleman work magic on the Flexatron? |
We
haven't seen much of Shawn Rhoden so it will be difficult to predict whether he
has added the needed size to challenge the top runners. Nevertheless, Rhoden
comes from an excellent 3rd place at the 2012 Olympia and a string of pro wins.
Rhoden has very good aesthetics and some really solid bodyparts but his back
needed some more improvement as well as his overall size. By himself and in any
pro lineup Rhoden is a major threat but to win the Olympia won't be an easy
task but then he has Uncle Ronnie Coleman in his corner. Rhoden is one of my
favourite athletes. Go Rhoden!
Stakes
to win: Rs. 100 pou Rs. 500
The battle for the top 10
Branch "The Texas Shredder" Warren
Branch Warren IS BACK |
Branch,
or more appropriately, "Tree Trunk" warren had an impressive 5th
place showing at last year's Olympia after his knee injury. His legs were
clearly down in size but he did manage to bring his trademark solid
conditioning. It is important to note that Warren has had an impressive last 4
years in the pro ranks with a 2nd place at the 2009 Mr. Olympia, a 3rd place at
the 2010 Olympia and wins at the 2011 and 2012 Arnold Classic. Branch Warren is
a blue collar bodybuilder who isn't gifted in terms of aesthetics but he does
his best with what he has against the Gods of aesthetics and that's what
bodybuilding is all about.
Dennis "The Big Bad" Wolf
Will The Big Bad Wolf finally huff and puff and bring the whole house down? |
The
Big Bad Wolf amazed everyone at the 2007 Olympia and should have been as high
as 3rd or second. In subsequent Olympias he placed 4th, 5th, 5th and 6th with a
no-placing in 2009. He also had a decent year in 2012 with a win over Rhoden at
the Prague Pro, cutting short the latter's winning streak. It is high time Wolf
does something in order to not sink in the placings. I would like to see Wolf
do well and get his dues. Go Wolf!
Evan "The Ox" Centopani
Evan the Ox is all set to do better than his 8th place finish last year |
It
is hard to believe that Evan has competed in only 5 shows since turning pro at
the 2007 NPC Nationals. He won 2 of these 5 shows. Evan is as big as a house
and is a wise bodybuilder. He has a great future. And yes, he placed 8th last
year in his Olympia debut. That's very decent! Go the OX.
Toney "The X-Man" Freeman
As the oldest competitor in this show The X-Man can still make the top 10 |
Mad
props to the X-Man Toney Freeman for still bringing an awesome physique in the
pro ranks at the age of 47. He can crack the top 10. He placed in the top 10 in
his last 10 showings anyway and was 7th last year. Go X-Man!
Who can also make the top 10?
Victor "The Dominican Dominator" Martinez
Will Victor be able to regain quickly enough to be better than his former self at the Olympia? |
I
can't help it, whenever I think of the Mr. Olympia and Victor Martinez I have
to think of 2007 when he was the deserving winner but still lost to Cutler.
After his incarceration, he placed second to Big Ramy at the 2013 NY Pro,
clearly down a lot in size. People were quick in writing Victor off but had
Victor been in his 2007 Olympia shape and size then Ramy would have had a very
tough time. I am not sure whether Victor can regain his size in such short time
to be competitive at the Olympia. But he still has a lot left in him. Go
Victor!
Lionel Beyeke
Beyeke will make France and Cameroun proud on Olympia night Allez la France et Cameroun! |
Lionel
Beyeke has round and generous muscle bellies reminiscent of his look-alike, Kai
Greene. However his problem has been conditioning and his recent switch from
Hany Rambod to Dennis James has paid off in terms of his placings in 2013. I am
sure Dennis James is working hard on Beyeke as his recent facebook picture
updates can attest. Beyeke has great potential to be a frontrunner in
bodybuilding. If only the passionate French sports commentators could comment
on the Mr. Olympia, we'd have interesting commentaries. Vas-y Lionel, Vas y la
France!
Join us for discussions on our facebook group
©,2013, Veeraj Goyaram, Bodybuilding Mauritius. Any reprinting in any type of media is prohibited.
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