Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay‘s next stage of prep has begun. After bulking to a staggering 337.7 pounds, Big Ramy issued one of the most impressive physique updates of his career 12 weeks from the 2022 Mr. Olympia contest.
Ramy’s sheer size and muscularity guided him to a pair of Sandow trophies. He received a special invitation to compete at 2020 Mr. Olympia and made the most of the opportunity when he earned first place, defeating Brandon Curry and seven-time winner Phil Heath. The following year, Elssbiay won his second-straight title at 2021 Mr. Olympia.
Despite a tumultuous 2022 season that saw him miss a guest posing obligation in Pittsburgh, it appears Ramy is on track for another title defense. There was speculation brewing about his commitment to the sport, but that was put on the back burner following a series of physique updates — something Ramy is not usually known for.
To measure Ramy’s passion for bodybuilding this year, Mr. Olympia President Dan Solomon gave the two-time champion a phone call. By the end of their conversation, Solomon was taken aback by Ramy’s tone and excitement for his next Olympia contest. Coach Dennis James flew to Dubai and has helped train Ramy, and from the looks of it, those efforts are paying off.
Big Ramy Shows Off Posing Routine in Epic Physique Update
In a post made to Instagram on Friday, September 30, 2022, Big Ramy showed off a jaw-dropping video of him posing.
“Have a good Friday, God willing 🙏” he wrote.
Ramy’s chest looks fuller now, and he’s maintaining an incredible level of mass without sacrificing conditioning or a thin waist. His latest update left many veterans of the sport stunned in the comment section, which included Lee Priest, Mike O’Hearn, Milos Sarcev, and George Farah.
All signs point to another spectacular Olympia showing, but Ramy still has some loose ends to tie up before he makes it back on stage. According to coach James, Ramy has been struggling with getting his Trapezius muscle to fire properly. In spite of that, Dennis James believes Ramy will be at his ‘best ever’ for 2022 Olympia.
In a recent interview, Ramy revealed that the only thing holding him back from success was his conditioning, which he plans to correct in the coming weeks. In addition, he named three bodybuilders as his biggest rivals. The 38-year-old says William Bonac, Brandon Curry, or Hadi Choopan could all ‘fu** him up,’ if he enters 2022 Olympia ill-prepared.
While bodybuilding legend Phil Heath will commentate this year’s Olympia contest, he also gave his thoughts on the Men’s Open division. Heath said if Ramy leaves the door open as he did at last year’s 2021 Olympia, then contenders Choopan or Curry could end up winning. If you ask eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman, however, he says Ramy will retain his title for the next three or four years.
Given the crop of talent expected to compete this December, many believe the show could go down as one of the greatest. The reigning champion plans to bring the best look of his career in just 12 weeks judging by his latest update.
Find complete coverage of the 2022 Mr. Olympia, including pre-judging, event recaps, analysis, and final results at our Olympia coverage hub: FitnessVolt.com/olympia
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