Reigning two-time Mr. Olympia champion Mamdouh ‘Great Ramy’ Elssbiay has given the green light to the next stage of his preparations for this year’s bodybuilding season. In a recent Instagram post, Ramy showed off his latest physique update before starting his contest diet for Mr. Olympia 2022.
After missing a guest appearance on Jim Manion’s Pittsburgh Pro, many in the bodybuilding community began to write off the reigning champion. As a result, his commitment to the sport was questioned. Although it is not clear what his future plans are, Ramy told his children months ago that wanted to retire at 38 after one more Olympia contest next year (2023).
During the off-season, Olympia president Dan Solomon called Ramy to gauge his passion for bodybuilding. After the call, Solomon was impressed by Ramy’s tone as a champion. promised to win a third Sandow this winter.
Preparing for his title defense, Ramy’s trainer Dennis James flew to Dubai to help him train. Last month, Ramy shocked the open men’s division when he shared a huge 337 pound physique upgrade. It provoked such strong reactions from the community that even major threats like nick walker recognized that if the champion comes to pieces, I’ll probably win again in 2022 Mr. Olympia.
Big Ramy reaches 337.7 lbs. Before starting the contest diet in the last update
On September 22, 2022, the defending champion shared his final photos before embarking on his contest diet for this year’s Mr. Olympia.
“Last photos before the start of my contest diet. Weight 153.5kg/337.7lbs. Let the party begin.” big bouquet wrote Thursday.
After his update, the comments section lit up with many members of the community expressing their excitement for Ramy’s next stage of preparation.
Unlike previous updates this season, Ramy gave fans a peek at his back with a double bicep pose on his back. Earlier this month, fans accused him of using site-enhancing oils like Synthol on his delts/shoulders. Despite the accusations, Ramy shared another photo of himself a week later, where his delts/shoulders didn’t look as sharp/swollen.
While his trainer James is impressed with the progress he’s made so far, he expressed concern about Ramy’s back, specifically his trapezius muscle, which Dennis says is “not working” properly. Although, if you ask Ramy what his biggest weakness is, he thinks it’s his conditioning. Despite the ongoing issues, Dennis still predicts that 2022 Olympia will see Ramy in his “the best ever.”
There are several men’s Open competitors seeking Ramy’s title, but the champion sees three bodybuilders in particular as his biggest threats. The first is William Bonacwhose muscular density and strong conditioning nearly saw him win the Arnold Classic 2022. Bonac won the Boston Pro earlier this year, where he booked his ticket to this year’s Olympia contest.
In addition, Ramy named brandon curry as one of his biggest rivals. As the 2019 Mr. Olympia winner, Curry’s aesthetics, V-taper, and detailed parting have guided him to success. He plans to increase his size as Bonac to combat Ramy’s imposing stature later this year.
Lastly, Ramy believes the consistent Olympia finisher Hadi Choopan could pose problems on stage. “The Persian Wolf” has never placed lower than fourth at Olympia and his off-season strength would suggest that he has tried harder than ever. His trainer, Hany Rambod, has hinted that Choopan will bring a “next level” package to the stage this winter.
RELATED: Big Ramy smashes fierce leg workout with trainer Dennis James ahead of 2022 Olympia
Given the strong line-up of open male competitors this year, there is little to no room for error in Elssbiay’s later stages of preparation. With his pageant diet kicking off imminently, Ramy plans to bring his best looks to the Olympia stage in December.
