by Christian Duque
We all know how this works, we know that once you win the Olympia you have to keep it; otherwise, you will never get it back. But we also know that over the last few years we have seen several champions walk through and win the top title of the sport of bodybuilding. It has been a long time since we have had a multi-year winner that has secured the level of dominance of a Phil Heath, a Jay Cutler, or a Ronnie Coleman. Even Jay had his reign interrupted halfway so in reality we have not had a guy like Phil or Ronnie, Dorian or Lee in quite some time. That has created a vacuum at the top level of the sport.
Although Samson won the O last year, I don’t believe that he was as tight (or as good) as he could have been. Hadi is definitely coming back with a vengeance to win it back. Derek may win it back as well, especially now that he’s teamed up with Chris “The Technician” Aceto, but I don’t see it. I also don’t see Samson holding on to the title for a second year.
And with the big announcement that Big Ramy is coming back, I can see that – as well as the possible comeback of Nick Walker – as recipes for a ticket-selling bonanza. The Olympia needs to be profitable. There’s always talk around the watercooler that the Superbowl of Bodybuilding has its own struggles. With the Arnold offering $500,000 and other shows loosening the purse strings, the biggest show on Earth needs to always stay one step ahead of the competition.
There’s so many guys from yesteryear that are once again catching headline news. Look at Brandon Curry. Last year he placed 9th and many thought he was all done. We can’t forget that it was the same place Dexter “The Blade” Jackson took when he retired. When you’ve won the Olympia and the Arnold Classic, you shouldn’t be placing 9th. Although it’s still Top 10, that’s usually a message to call it quits and head for the hills. It means that if you don’t and you keep coming back, you might place outside of the Top 10 and at that point you’re starting to hurt your legacy. Who can forget when The Lion of Lebanon Samir Bannout took 14th at the Olympia. That’s a really bad look. But now things have turned around for The Prodigy. He’s caught the bodybuilding press’s eye once again. People are once again talking about Curry and what he’ll be able to accomplish in 2025.
Another name that’s getting a lot of love from the press is William Bonac. When’s the last time you heard me say that? For years, I was one of the only writers that gave The Conqueror love. He was always ignored, but we always gave him the respect he so deserved, here, at Iron Magazine. Between Curry and Bonac back in the mix, that’s going to create a tremendous amount of buzz around the 2025 Olympia. Add that to Choopan, Samson, and Lunsford, and you have a pretty substantial event.
With Nick Walker also potentially coming back, that’s going to create an interesting spot for mass monsters. On the one hand you’ll have Samson battling Jacked. On another you’ll have Ramy battling Walker. Then you’ll have the aesthetic guys doing their work. There will be physiques all around.
One name that I suspect you’ll be seeing a lot of is Martin Fitzwater. The Martian should have taken Top 3 last year, but due to the fact that Lunsford lost the title and because he’s so well liked, I think they gave him 3rd to somewhat soften the blow. Beyond that, he won’t be getting any more freebies like that. The same way Martin got robbed at the 2024 NY Pro, I think he also got robbed at the 2024 Olympia. Despite taking 4th, letting Derek edge him out was a mistake. I don’t like it when the judges do that. Nonetheless, Derek will come back better with Aceto and may break into the Top 3 yet again. Only this time he will have actually earned it.
What’s interesting about Ramy’s and Walker’s comebacks is that I don’t think either will make it to the stage. I think this is nothing more than a strategy. That or these top guys could be running low on funds. I mean, have we ever delved into how The Egyptian Phenom makes his money? His contest earnings can only go so far. Perhaps Ramy did like Jay and bought real estate in Egypt. Maybe he invested in Bitcoin. Or maybe he’s broke. I see him pushing a protein line with a dinosaur on it. The label looks cool, but it’s not a brand I’ve ever seen on sale at Walmart or Target. And it’s probably not for sale at GNC, Vitamin World, or Vitamin Shoppe. Maybe they sell big in the Arab world or maybe it’s just a nominal income stream for the big man.
At the end of the day, these guys have an expensive lifestyle and they’re carrying a tremendous amount of size. They still have to pay for gear, food, and they still have to train. Maybe the prospect of a comeback will represent substantial earnings across the boards for guys like Ramy, Curry, and Bonac. Do I think any of them could win the Sandow in 2025? Sure, I mean they all have the potential to do so, but only one man in 61 years has ever won the Sandow back. Every year I make this point and every year people hate that I do. I don’t get any particular joy being the quintessential skeptic, but I’d rather be a skeptic than live in lala land.
If Ramy is able to get first callouts and secure a spot in the Top 6 that will be a win in and of itself. He will do right by his Arab fans and whatever companies he’s working with. He will also draw considerable lines at the Olympia expo which has grown each year since the lifting of pandemic-related restrictions. By 2025 it will once again draw commanding numbers. The 2024 Olympia sold out, but I’m not sure what the Pay Per View numbers were. I know that many people complained about lag times and buffering. One can only hope that these issues will be corrected for the 2025 event. Especially since the Arnold Classic’s webcast is FREE and goes off without a hitch. Assuming the 2025 event has a who’s who of old guard and new guard champions, I’d imagine the virtual side will be vastly improved. After all, if these guys really focused on the virtual option, they could make money hand over fist.
If the press truly gets behind Ramy’s comeback and they can get him to post consistently on all social media platforms, then I think it will be a fantastic way to drum up interest in the Olympia. It will surely give rise to unprecedented ticket sales and PPV package downloads. The bigger question is, will Ramy make it to the stage, or will he pull out at the last minute?
Whatever the case may be, the fans want to see this, and I suspect that interest in the 2025 Super Bowl of Bodybuilding will be through the roof. I also think that Ramy’s body has had a significant time to heal and recover not having competed these last few years. It may have given him the reset he needed to regroup and come back with renewed vigor. Only time will tell what the best Big Ramy in 2025 will look like.
Do you think Big Ramy can win the 2025 Mr Olympia? I look forward to reading your feedback in the comments. As always, thanks for reading my article, here, at Iron Magazine. Be sure to copy and paste a link to this article on all your social media feeds. It’s sure to drum up some lively conversation!