Bodybuilding is a sport that unfortunately doesn’t always have the most camaraderie amongst its athletes. Some people describe it as a sport of one while others describe it as a sport that consists of an important team in your corner. I don’t necessarily subscribe to the idea that a bodybuilder does everything on their own. There’s always the coach, the trainer, the sponsors, etc. I believe that there is a collective camp behind every competitor. But at the end of the day I can also understand the notion that bodybuilders by their very nature spend a lot of time alone. They are alone when they train, they are alone when they are backstage pumping up, and ultimately they are alone on stage. They are accompanied by other athletes but everybody is trying to get the highest placing.
As a result of that a lot of times pettiness can pollute the water. People may think that they are really up against the man next to them or the woman next to them and not really understand that it really comes down to what the judges are looking for. Athletes are not actually competing against each other; they are simply posing in front of a judging panel and letting the judges choose. Unfortunately you have a lot of shit talkers that try to stir it up because they really don’t have the physique or the ability to come dial-in so they then rely on their mouth. That’s where divisions set in. The most gifted guys generally are not the biggest talkers. There’s no need for that, right? They are the best by virtue of bringing the best physique to the stage. That being said, the lack of camaraderie that has made a seasoned veteran like William Bonac fall out of love with bodybuilding isn’t just reserved for the shit talkers.
There’s a lot of factors that go into the mix. It’s not necessarily an issue of extremes. There doesn’t have to be a whole world of bad blood in order to make a competitor lose that passion for the sport. Now this is not to say that William is not coming in better and better each show. Just one look at his contest record and you can see that he is taking every show very seriously. With over 50 Pro shows under his belt and some of the most impressive placings of any other competitor, it’s very clear that his competitive fire burns hotter than just about anyone’s. But that’s not what this article is about. This article is about an interview that he did on the Unracked Podcast that has gone viral. A lot of people are honing in on the fact that he expressed that he was struggling with the love he has for the sport. And when that comes from a competitor on this level it is most definitely a reason to stop and really think about what is happening with physique-based sports. It’s one thing to feel depressed because your placings stink, but it’s quite another to feel depressed when you’re on top of the world.
2025 was a tremendous year for The Conqueror. He was able to win in Detroit, take top placings in Pittsburgh and Columbus, and place top 10 at yet another Olympia. By all standards, Bonac is back and better than ever. Some argue that he should have placed even better at some of these shows. For example, I had him easily beating Nick Walker at the New York Pro. That’s a pretty big statement because a lot of people were fawning over The Mutant, when in reality Wiliam was kicking his ass in several poses. And even if you want to put the mandatories aside, you can look at the overall condition and posing. I mean William is one of the best at it. He may not have the size that Nick has but he certainly has the deep cuts, the muscle density, and the ability to showcase his strengths in front of the judges, the cameras, and the fans. No matter what placing he gets you will never see William at the fool on stage. He is a consummate professional from beginning to end. But the problem isn’t so much what happens on the stage or even what happens in the gym or in the kitchen as much as it is what happens backstage and overall as a sport. I think that is where William is coming from.
Back in the day he had tremendous camaraderie with guys like Flexatron, Brandon, even Phil and Kai. I mean we need to understand that William has been at this for quite some time. Back in 2019 he placed second to Brandon , but it could just have been him that won the Sandow. What separated Brandon Curry from William Bonac at the 2019 Olympia was the skin of their teeth. Both of these guys were pounding on the door and both of these guys could have been Mr Olympia. I mean we can’t forget the fact that William is a two-time Arnold Classic champion. I mean that’s just mind-boggling. The Arnold Classic is the second most prestigious title in physique-based sports and William has won it twice.
The bottom line is that this is a very, very impressive and very dangerous competitor and if he’s all of a sudden not feeling the love that’s about as big of news as you can get. The question is can he fall back in love with the sport? Or has the sport devolved into something that he just no longer identifies with?
Now some people might suggest that he’s burnt out, but I would totally disagree with that. I think that if anything the year off that he took rejuvenated his physique. I am of the firm opinion that if he wanted to compete another 5 years he could totally do so at the highest echelons of competition. I feel that William could win another Olympia. Actually what am I saying? William has never won an Olympia, but that’s my very point. When you think of a guy like William you just feel like you’re talking about a Mr Olympia. It’s like when you talk about Kevin Levrone, or Sugar Shawn Ray. They may not have actually won an Olympia but they were so fucking good, that they might as well have won one. Because that’s on the level that they’re at. So to me when a guy like William openly states that he’s falling out of love with bodybuilding or that he doesn’t feel it anymore, that is definitely cause for concern. Because this guy eats, sleeps, and breathes bodybuilding. It makes me wonder what the hell is wrong with the sport to make The Conqueror feel this way.
And to be honest there isn’t anything that can really change. I don’t think this deals with prize money, I don’t think it deals with quality of shows, either. I think it’s just a general overall vibe that’s just not there. And this kind of article also tears me up inside a little bit because I like to think that I can try to influence the future with my writing and maybe suggest some things that could be done. If only I could show you the amount of hits our articles get, between myself and Matt, we reach more people than you can imagine. I mean we are really truly writing articles that people read.
That said, I can’t point to a single thing that could turn things around for William. I wouldn’t even know where to begin. And then you have the issue Nick’s Strength And Power pointed out. Not only did William talk about this, but Samson echoed it. I mean Samson is a former Mr Olympia and Arnold Classic champion. If he’s feeling the same kind of vibe that William is, then maybe we need to take a step back and look at the sport as a whole. Because something is definitely up if two legends are saying that the sport has lost its way. Like I said, I don’t know what can be done to improve it or if at this point it can even be improved, but it’s just very sad to hear living legends talk about a sport that they helped build being so disillusioned. I definitely hope William keeps competing and keeps bringing it show after show. The sport just wouldn’t be the same without him.
At the end of the day do you think bodybuilding has lost its way? As always, I hope you enjoyed reading my article here at IronMag. This is not really a feel-good article but it’s a little dose of reality that I think we all need to have. As always, I look forward to reading your feedback in the comments. Please be sure to copy and paste a link to this article on all your social media feeds. I guarantee you it’s going to generate lively conversation.
Author Bio:
Christian I. Duque is the owner http://StrengthAddicts.com , a physique and strength website founded in 2008. He has worked for a number of bodybuilding websites, including RX Muscle and Muscular Development. Christian has written nearly 1,000 published articles for Iron Magazine, as well as articles for StrengthAddicts, RX Muscle, and others. By day, he is also a licensed attorney practicing in the areas of family law, immigration, and criminal defense.
