by Christian Duque
Photos and videos of 2019 Mr Olympia Brandon Curry have circulated throughout social media from the man of the hour, himself. Brandon continues to be one of the most popular bodybuilders in the world, commanding a legion of faithful fans who want to see him battle for the top titles in the sport. His rise to fame started in 2018 when he placed Top 5 at the Olympia and from there he had a super impressive year in 2019, winning both the Arnold Classic and the Olympia. That year, Curry had two battles with William “The Conqueror” Bonac. First, they battled in Columbus, and then they rematched in Las Vegas. Both times, these warriors battled to the end, creating one of the most exciting rivalries in bodybuilding history. But this rivalry was based on good sportsmanship. They didn’t trash-talk or resort to childish tactics on stage. As a result, the media didn’t really capitalize on the competitiveness at play, but the fans loved every second of it.
Unfortunately, Curry was unable to defend his Olympia title against Big Ramy in 2020. I didn’t really feel that The Egyptian Phenom bested The Prodigy. That said, the writing was on the wall and Curry would lose the title narrowly. Unlike many other guys who have lost the title, Curry was emboldened. Afterall, Curry has always been a true blue collar type. Instead of whining and/or taking anything away from the new champ, he went back to drawing boards. In 2021, Brandon brought 20lbs of added muscle, better wheels, and even more detailed back. Ramy, on the other hand, was holding water, made no gains, and looked like trash. Nonetheless, Elssbiay held onto the title and Curry kept trying to win it back for years to come.
The beauty of being a Mr O is that whether you win one or eight – you’re part of an elite club. Brandon has always taken this distinction very seriously and has always been a consummate professional. He always represents the sport in the most positive light. He is somebody that is known for traveling around the world and making new fans wherever he goes. He is also somebody that has been part of many successful business ventures. While he could have an army of sponsorships, he is very selective of who he works with. Whether it’s being a part-owner of a gym, a supplement company, or working with some of the most elite clothing accessories and gym-related businesses, it’s very important that someone of this stature works with people of similar reputation and core values.
At the end of the day Brandon is all about his legacy. Legacy is very important to a living legend like Brandon and so is credibility. Anytime Brandon is involved in a project, the fans know that it has to be on the up and up. This is not an individual looking to make a quick profit. Brandon has always been 100% about the long-term. And this is why he has always been a top draw. That being said he is no longer a spring chicken and may be looking at retirement. The key word there being may because honestly he continues to do very well. Last year at the Olympia he was Top 10 and this year at the Arnold Classic he took a commanding fourth. Nonetheless many people, including the most popular YouTuber, are always thinking that he’s going to retire.
Brandon’s decision to do the Master’s Olympia, in my opinion, makes all the sense in the world. It’s a title that he has never earned before and that would look very promising on his resume. It is the top title for Masters competitors and I think that it would breathe considerable life into the division. In years past the Masters Olympia has been all on its own stage in Romania and has not really drawn any notable competitors. This is not to say that the athletes that have competed are not top-tier and cutting edge but they lack the name value that could transform the title into a major draw. Having Brandon involved can only mean that other top guys will also want to participate. Maybe we can see Dexter Jackson in the mix, Jay Cutler, or others.
In fact last year a lot of people thought Jay was going to do the Masters Olympia because he was doing his Fit For 50, but as it would turn out he did not do the show. Having a guy on Brandon’s level can bring about more top talent this year or in years to come. It may also increase the prize money since the caliber of competitors will be that much higher. I highly applaud Brandon for taking the initiative to do this show and for making it as marketable as it possibly can be.
The Masters Olympia itself has always been sort of a hit or miss title. Back in the 90s when Vince Taylor was dominating the division it was a top draw. Then Don Youngblood won it and it sort of went the way of the dinosaur. When it was resurrected, Dexter Jackson held the title and created a tremendous amount of buzz around it. As I said, in the last couple of years the title has been somewhat of a miss because the prize money collectively is impressive – but at $10,000 per division – nobody is going to really drop everything to compete. Collectively it’s a large amount of prize money but individually it’s not.
Having someone like Brandon win this title and potentially defend it next year, might see the Masters Olympia included in the Open Olympia. That would be the winning ticket. Now that’s not to say that it will be a cakewalk for Brandon, but come on let’s be honest, who is going to stand in his way at 100%? The reality of the matter is that Brandon is a Mr Olympia and a multi-year Arnold Classic champion. If he comes in at 100% – absolutely no one but he can beat him.
Still, I really appreciate the fact that Curry is posting on social media and is taking the prep very seriously. From posting photos and posing videos, it shows a tremendous amount of interest in the contest. This also creates buzz amongst the fans and will hopefully translate into media attention. The more articles, like this one, that are written about the Master’s Olympia, the higher profile the event will become. This will also create more interest from supplement companies to buy booths and from fans to buy tickets. I would also hope that the contest will offer a free webcast. If they charge for it, I think that’s a little bit weak, but I can also potentially see it with the inclusion of a competitor on Brandon’s level. That being said, the Arnold Classic does not charge for their webcast and it’s second to none. The Olympia charges for it and has had some years where honestly it’s been somewhat of a ripoff. Again I don’t want to piss off the powers-that-be nor do I want to piss off the promoter of the Olympia, but I’m not a shill. I’m going to speak my peace and tell the truth with every article that I write, here, at IronMag.
I will tell you I’m extremely excited for the 2025 Mr Olympia and for the 2025 Masters Olympia. Not only would it be something if Brandon won the Masters Olympia, but even more so if he then did the open Olympia. I don’t agree with Nick’s Strength And Power in that this could be Brandon’s retirement. I don’t think Brandon needs to compete at the Master’s Olympia in order to exit the sport. Brandon will exit the sport when it’s his time to do so and he’s not going to play juvenile games in order to find a way to say farewell. Plus a guy like Brandon is never going to leave for gone. He has been involved in bodybuilding his entire life and if anything has been proven by past Mr Olympias and past legends that have gone on to media, motivational speaking, and/or owning their own supplement companies, it’s that competitors don’t have to leave the sport for good once they stop competing.
So whether the Masters Olympia is his last show or just another show to add to his already impressive resume, I can almost promise you that it will be one for the records. The same way with business, the same way with contests. If Brandon is going to do a show, expect him to bring his best.
Do you think The Prodigy will win the 2025 Masters Olympia? Do you plan on attending or watching online? 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 of your social media feeds. It will surely generate lively conversation.
