Shooting the Breeze with John Livia. Special guests: Akim Williams and Chris Massaro

Follow us live while we break down the 2026 NY Pro. with special guests Akim Williams and Chris Massso.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:31

All right, what's up, fellas? I keep William special guest, Chris Masarrow special guest, helping me out tonight. What's up, fellas? What's going on? Uh if you I never say this, but if you guys are watching this, hit the goddamn subscribe button. I never say that, but really hit this hit the subscribe button, hit the like button. Um, so we're gonna be talking about the New York Pro. But before we talk about the New York Pro, before we got on air, we were talking about Asito because Akeem works uh with Asito, and we were talking about how great he is. And even that 30 seconds when we were thinking, I was thinking to myself, even more things that were uh even great about Asito. So I am of the opinion that Asido has established himself as uh the GOAT, the greatest trainer of all time. Okay, I'm of that. I'm of that. I might be wrong, and I you know, I might be wrong. I might, I might actually, there might be somebody I'm not thinking of. I mean, that there's this Milos, but there's a there's a couple of things, and it's not it's not always about oh, he you know makes a champion. So, for example, Samson Dowder lost last year's Olympia because he listened to the whole world say, You just gotta come and shred it, you gotta come and shred it, you gotta come and shred it, you gotta come and shred it. And his wife trains him, and they're like, Well, I guess we gotta come and shred it. Where Asito goes, No, we we're not listening to them. And the perfect example is is uh Derek. Right? He knew Derek couldn't come in shredded because his legs would he would lose the size on his legs. So he knew that he's gotta come in good enough shredded and balance will happen. And he just he's able to shut off all the noise, and he's able to make his athletes shut up all the shut off all the noise as well, you know. And the same thing with Andrew Jack. I am of the opinion that people were always saying Andrew Jack's gotta just put another 10 pounds on. I was one of them. I was one of them. He's got to take time off, he's got to put another 10 pounds on, and he'll be the next Mr. Olympia. Well, Asido's doing that with him without having him to take any time off.

SPEAKER_05 3:02

I think he just needed more time, straight up. I just think he just needed more time, more shows, and he's just gonna develop into who he's developed into, you know.

SPEAKER_00 3:10

So uh there's no other person to ask uh better than Arkeem Williams because Arke how long have you been working with Asido now? Uh uh since uh I think like 2021, going into 2022, I think. That long. And and that that's a testament because you worked with a lot of different guys. No, no, I haven't really, because I remember you worked with Dave.

SPEAKER_02 3:30

Then I uh then I worked with Justin Miller for a little bit, uh and then I worked with uh Oscar or done.

SPEAKER_00 3:37

I was gonna say you worked with Oscar, and then Chris Assino. That's it. Oh, okay, okay. Yeah, yeah. So am I accurate as far as my assessment, or there's other parts to it?

SPEAKER_02 3:49

With Chris? It's just uh yeah, I mean, I I've always thought that that's why, you know, and and the fact that Chris, I have nothing but great things to say about Chris, you know, just who he is as a person in terms of the way he approached coaching, you know, is is just such a simple process, you know. Right, that's what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_05 4:09

He's so easy to work with. I think that he's really relaxed, you know, really relaxed person from whatever. Exactly. Never panics.

SPEAKER_00 4:17

That's another good thing, yeah. Never panics, always in control. Um, I mean, I'm assuming here's another thing about Chris. He's not threatened by any other coach. So here's what I mean: like, if you want to train in the gym with Milos, he's fine with that as long as you're listening to him to him as far as his diet goes. Yes, as far as dining. If you want to train with uh um the guy out in gold, uh Jesus Christ. Charles Glass? Call Charles Glass, go right ahead. It's not a threat to him. That's that's how confident he is in his, you know, a lot of channels should be like, no, no, no, no, you do what I tell you in the gym, you do what I tell you, you know what I mean. And he welcomes that. He welcomes that. He it's like if that if that style training works for you and what it works for us, fine. As long as you do what I tell you, uh what you put in your mouth and in your body, then then you know uh plus how many Mr. Olympias has he's as he had. Oh tons, man.

SPEAKER_02 5:26

A lot.

SPEAKER_00 5:26

I mean, obviously there was Cutler, it's Derek. Um, who else am I am I missing here? Um uh Roden. Yeah, Sean Roden. Sean Roden. Um who else?

SPEAKER_05 5:42

Well either way, that's three right there.

SPEAKER_00 5:44

Yeah, right, right, right, right. Plus 212. I know he uh he has a 212 Olympia. What was the guy from the Middle East? I forgot his name. What was his name? Um it's right on top of my tongue right now.

SPEAKER_02 5:56

He's trained he's trained, he's training um Andrew right now.

SPEAKER_00 6:00

Umgarni. Come on, come on, come on. Come on, right, come on, yes.

SPEAKER_05 6:08

Um classic wins, a million autoclassic wins. But it's like he's getting better too, because he got like more wins last year than like he had so many last year alone.

SPEAKER_00 6:20

Yeah, and and nothing he like not panicking is uh key because even when his best guy loses, he doesn't freak out. Oh shit, what are we gonna do? No, no, no, no, no. You know, we're gonna we'll get back to the drawing board, we'll figure it out, you know. And um Samson, like we were saying before the break, lost that Olympia because he listened to all the noise saying that he's just gotta get shredded. If you come in shredded, and he sampson, some guys can't come in Ronnie Coleman shredded. Actually, most guys can't come in. 98% of guys can't come in Ronnie Coleman shredded. So when when you hear the noise and you hear the judges, the best person that's gonna know is your you and your trainer. He's the closest person to you. So I mean, uh so that's as far as I'm concerned. And I don't know the guy, I'm not blowing smoke up his ass. I I never I never had him on the show.

SPEAKER_02 7:23

I never I mean you touch you touch on one thing, like even if you you were blowing smoke up his ass. I think Chris don't really care about other people's opinion.

SPEAKER_00 7:31

He doesn't, he can't, and and and do you know how difficult that is in this day and age?

SPEAKER_02 7:38

Do you really mean for for the older guys? It's not that difficult. It's for the today's generation of bodybuilders that you know grow up on social media and stuff like that, they really give a crap about everything.

SPEAKER_00 7:49

Oh, yeah, but even people say, you know, like if I put a video up of me like doing like I put up a video last week of me doing uh dumbbell uh bench. And anytime I get a I'm doing my heaviest set, I always ask for a spot, uh, and I always feel comfortable with the guy's hands on my elbows. Not that he's helping, but his hands on my elbows, and the comments that I got, and I'm like, I go back and watch, I was like, was it really that bad? Jesus Christ.

SPEAKER_05 8:18

Well, I mean, you gotta look back. Like, um like you look back at Ronnie's training, he was doing you know, partials and quarter reps and everything. They were like, Oh, he didn't even do full reps. And nowadays they're like, Oh, well, that's the best way to train, and then yeah, yeah, you know, Jay kind of trained wild too, but like obviously it worked, you know.

SPEAKER_00 8:33

So Branch Barren, uh, you look at Branch and you look at Johnny Jackson, but what you can't argue is the results. You can't argue with the results. Like uh let Chris last time uh Akeem was on. I asked him uh because he Akeem used to train train crazy, crazy heavy.

SPEAKER_05 8:52

He was I've heard I've heard stories, and also knowing that you're with Oscar, I know that he was probably training me like crazy.

SPEAKER_00 8:59

And I and and I asked you, right? Akeem, I said, do you think that that led to you putting on most of your muscle? And you're like, you were like, absolutely, right? Uh so you know, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:10

Dude, I got I I remember one time uh I posted a video of me inclining 200 pound dumbbells, yeah. Right? I thought it was like a very impressive lift and everything like that. I had people go so far as basically saying the weights are fake, uh-huh. You know, they counted the plates, and it's like, ain't no way that could be 200 pounds.

SPEAKER_04 9:32

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:33

Not knowing that each one of those plates were like 15 or almost 20 pounds. Yeah, I mean, it's just like so. You can't, you know, you can't just you know, you can't, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 9:44

You know, they got nothing else better to do. Say that again, Chris. Say they got nothing else better to do.

SPEAKER_00 9:48

Yeah, all right. So before we jump into uh the New York Pro, Chris, what do you got planned this year? Are you competing at all this year? Not this year. Uh I know you're having like all life events happening, right?

SPEAKER_05 10:02

Getting out of the army. That's all I'm done there, moving out of Alaska, got a wedding coming up, so just growing right now. Plus, I got time to grow.

SPEAKER_02 10:10

You're in Alaska right now?

SPEAKER_01 10:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 10:12

Tell us about this.

SPEAKER_00 10:14

Tell me how long you've been in Alaska.

SPEAKER_01 10:15

Come on, you're leaving a lot of good stuff, Chris. Come on, man.

SPEAKER_05 10:18

I've been up here three years, and uh love, I love my people, but man, I'm over I'm over the cold, man. 45, raining today. I'm over it, man. Yeah, and I'm from New York. I see the New York hat and everything. I know what cold is like, but it's just never ending here, man.

SPEAKER_02 10:32

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And you know, I I saw this this one thing about a part of Alaska where uh like everybody lives in this one hotel. Yeah, it's true. I was there, I've been there. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:44

And then once like let's say it shuts down, you can't get out or you can't get in.

SPEAKER_05 10:48

Yeah, yeah, it's just a tunnel that goes in and out. Man, this is a different world up here. This is like a different country.

SPEAKER_00 10:54

But there's like they try to give you as much incentives to move there, right? Like taxes or that.

SPEAKER_05 10:58

So you get you get like you know, people get paid once a year. It's like a a stipend or a dividend from the oil to be up here. It's like I don't know, a couple thousand bucks maybe per person for being a resident. Uh, but I mean we got like that's pretty cool. Yeah, really. So you get like double. Oh, nice. That's a pretty good incentive.

SPEAKER_00 11:19

Do you get double uh tax return?

SPEAKER_05 11:22

Yeah, yeah, you do, and then I mean we have no uh sales tax on anything, so if it says ten dollars is ten dollars. Okay, the one that's weird is you know, you would think gas would be cheaper because we make it here, you know, but it's actually like it's gotta be refined and then brought back, so you still pay a little bit more. It's like I don't know, it's like middle of the road, so that's not too bad, but everything else is pretty expensive up here. So let me ask you a question. What is that?

SPEAKER_02 11:45

What's the gamma gas like out there right now?

SPEAKER_05 11:49

Uh off base, I think like five dollars and fifty-seven cents. I saw something like that. Oh no, yeah, that's um on base, I think it's like 450. Yeah, that's a little bit cheaper.

SPEAKER_00 12:00

And how long have you been in the service? Because uh Akeem, he's he's been you're an army ranger, right? You were Chris. No, not me.

SPEAKER_05 12:09

No, I was I was just a paratrooper. Uh no, six paratrooper, sorry.

SPEAKER_00 12:13

Not that cool. Yeah, no, pretty goddamn cool. Anybody who serves is uh is a hero of my book. Uh, quick question from uh Rich. He wants to talk about when Akeem was with Blackstone Labs at the Toronto Pro, he looked unreal. Do you uh so do you remember that show? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Did you did you win that show? Because you you've had you have uh what six or seven wins?

SPEAKER_02 12:36

I w I did the Toronto Pro twice. I'm not sure which one he's talking about. Okay. Was it the one I played second place or the one I did uh came in first place? Oh I should clarify the year, because I'm not sure.

SPEAKER_00 12:47

Okay. Rich, just uh let him know what year it was. Um Rich is a friend, he's been on the show before. He's uh he's a pro bodybuilders classic.

SPEAKER_02 12:56

Uh I think I think he's probably talking about the first time I did the the Toronto show.

SPEAKER_00 13:02

Ah, okay, okay.

SPEAKER_02 13:03

Yeah, who beat you? Who came in? Uh that was a very controversial show. Yeah, uh they gave it to they gave it to Juan Juan Morel. I remember that.

SPEAKER_00 13:15

Okay, yeah. During that, that was all right, that was the peak. That was well, no, that was early onset. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:26

I remember after the show, uh me and uh, I think I was working with Oscar at the time, and we went to talk to the judges, and they said it was uh apples and oranges. And I I I I couldn't wrap my rap my head around that one at all. I'm like, that's all you gotta tell me about like the results for the show, apples and oranges.

SPEAKER_00 13:44

Yeah, really, really.

SPEAKER_04 13:45

Thanks, thanks, yeah, thanks.

SPEAKER_00 13:47

Oh uh before we move on, uh yeah. Last week I had to cancel uh all my shows on both channels because I actually had a bad case of the flu. And so uh I'm back. I apologize. Uh, but it was really like I had the I had the flu for like four days. I had like it was ridiculous. And then um Lee is not here tonight because he's traveling back to Australia from Mexico City. So uh Akeem and Chris are nice enough to fill in and help me out.

SPEAKER_02 14:17

You know, you're gonna ask Lee if he brought back some good GH from uh Mexico.

SPEAKER_03 14:22

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:23

Okay, yeah. Um uh okay, so we're gonna go jump into this this weekend is the New York Pro. And the list came out today. Um, so I sent you guys. Well, you guys already have Instagram, but I sent you guys anyway. Um, so it looks like the top guys in my the top guys are gonna be Tonyo and Chris O. You got uh okay, let's see. You got blessing. I match apples and oranges. Yeah, you ain't kidding. You got blessing. Uh I'm gonna go. You got Raphael Brandau, Nathan Epler, uh, Devon Barnes, uh, Iron Gawley, Daniel Ghost, God don't know who it is. Uh we'll look these guys up. Amir Hudi, Dorian Haywood, who's a friend of mine and and was a regular on the show for a long time, and he still comes off from time to time. Uh, a name I can't pronounce. Uh Christopher Knox, Mike Chrzo, Walter Martin.

SPEAKER_05 15:26

He went in the USA's against me last year.

SPEAKER_00 15:28

What happened?

SPEAKER_05 15:29

Chris Knox.

SPEAKER_00 15:30

What did he have?

SPEAKER_05 15:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:34

Is this his first show?

SPEAKER_05 15:35

Yeah, this is pro debut.

SPEAKER_00 15:37

Oh, okay. So we'll look him up. Vincenzo Mason, which is Vin Vin Vince uh and Patrick Moore. Vincenzo Mason is like a New York kind of like uh how can I how can you say this? WAP? Is that the word you're looking for? Well, yeah, no, yeah. Yeah, no, it's uh he he's like this New York bodybuilder that everybody in the five boroughs and Long Island and Jersey knows him. He's like uh he's like a bodybuilding legend in those three states, and then you leave and everybody's like, Who the fuck is Vincenzo Mason? Uh and and he you he seems to only do the New York Pro. He's a huge human being.

SPEAKER_02 16:18

Uh but that was that that was like uh Juan Juan Morrell used to always do that. New York Pro was like his Olympia back in the days.

SPEAKER_00 16:26

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:27

He was always one of the favorites to do the New York Pro.

SPEAKER_00 16:29

When you were you know when you and Juan first broke into the game, I was competing in in the NPC, and I used to hate Juan Morel because I used to see what his diet was like, and I was like, this motherfucker with the five guys' burgers, he used to have to eat everything and anything because his metabolism was so fast.

SPEAKER_05 16:50

I I know a couple guys like that. It's crazy. I don't get it.

SPEAKER_00 16:53

And here was here was I trying to diet down for like the Brooklyn Grand Prix with like dirt on my tongue drinking water and with salt. It was ridiculous.

SPEAKER_02 17:01

I mean, I know firsthand all about that because me and him used to train me and him are pretty good friends, and we used to train together for a lot of years. Me, him, uh sometimes John Delarosa used to be with us, also. Oh, John was a good guy. So but the majority of the time it was always me and Juan training together, and I know firsthand you know what he was capable of uh eating and still you know looking like crazy on stage and stuff like that. Yeah, he's always he's always been like that. Do you eat a lot yourself? No, I'm I'm pretty horrible when it comes to eating. I I don't know. I'm not a big eater at all. Yeah, I'm not a big eater at all.

SPEAKER_00 17:37

Chris, you you're saying you're not you're not much of an eater?

SPEAKER_05 17:40

No, I mean like I there's like there's times of the year where like I can I can eat more, but it's like it's very rare. Like, I'm not gonna be able to do that.

SPEAKER_00 17:51

How much do you weigh now? You've got to be close to 300 pounds at this point.

SPEAKER_05 17:54

Yeah, I was I was 292 yesterday. And well, like I I really I got guys who weigh like 170 pounds who eat more than me, like clients of mine. Like, I don't I don't eat that much. I just I think you're I mean I'm benching like 500 pounds. Like if you're training heavy and you're eating, I mean, I don't cheat, I just I eat my diet every day.

SPEAKER_00 18:14

I just do the right thing and look at certain guys in this world that are just the genetically destined to be bodybuilders, and you two guys are those guys. That that's it. If you can get to 300 pounds and be like, I don't feel like eating today.

SPEAKER_05 18:27

Like we lowered my food, I gained weight. I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 18:29

Like, yeah, unbelievable.

SPEAKER_05 18:32

All right, I'm sweating my ass off right now, and it's 40 degrees outside.

SPEAKER_00 18:38

Yeah, I know. Tell me about it. You're probably I tell you when you move to wherever you move to, you're gonna miss that no tax and the and fucking yeah, you know. Anyway, off the bat, let's just uh in the open, who you picking? Akeem, who you picking to win the whole thing? Because I I already know who I have in my head, and I and I'll break I'll break it down for you, but who you picking?

SPEAKER_02 18:59

It's a tough one between uh Cruzo and um Antonio. Uh if I had to go, I would say Antonio for the win, but I wouldn't be surprised if Crusoe also win it.

SPEAKER_00 19:15

Chris, what do you think?

SPEAKER_05 19:17

I I think I'm on the same boat. Um I personally as a fan, I like Tonio's shape. Uh I think he looks he he's a person who looks like a cartoon. Like his his delts are crazy, you know, his conditioning's incredible right now, and he poses well. So like for me, I think he's bringing in the full package. While Chris, Chrizzo's huge and he's always in shape. You know, I remember he was just having trouble posing. He was kind of being a little bit awkward when he was posing. Yeah. So, you know, uh, I think that could go against him, you know, but he's huge. So if they're gonna give size, it's gonna be it'll be him.

SPEAKER_00 19:53

I'm gonna I'm gonna say Tony. I'm and I'm confidently saying Tonyo, and here's why I'm confidently saying Tonyo. He obviously his shape is conditioning, he has enough Chris O does not put one fucking back shot on in social media, not one. Every shot is either the front or the side.

SPEAKER_05 20:12

Pretty freaky though, what he puts on.

SPEAKER_00 20:14

It is, but I've never seen I've never seen a bodybuilder getting ready for a uh uh uh anytime you see a bodybuilder and they're not showing a body part on social media, that's an immediate red flag.

SPEAKER_05 20:29

Like if somebody's like not dropping their pants to show their legs, you're like uh well if you remember when you hit his back double, he was squeezing his shoulder blades together and he was like not showing his back, yeah. So I think I mean I don't know, I don't really know even what his potential could be because he wasn't posing it correctly and he wasn't spreading in his last spread.

SPEAKER_00 20:49

So and he's like no, yeah, and you're right about the posing 100 right on about the posing. But this guy has putting progress picks up for the last two months, and not one fucking back shot that you know. I don't want to be a conspiracy theorist, but he's he's saving it for the stage, man. Uh you know, I he's posting. Antonio, every angle, every angle, every shot, uh he looks improved.

SPEAKER_05 21:19

I can't believe how big he looks at like uh what was he like 225, 230 last year?

SPEAKER_00 21:24

And I I heard he put on an additional weight, like it, yeah. You know, uh from last year, like significant, like something like 10 pounds, something like that. But let me let me show you what I'm talking about. I'll actually pull up uh Chris O. Uh actually let's just I'm on because uh the guy doesn't fucking put up any fucking bag shots and it blows me away. It's like Jesus Christ, turn around. You know? All right, let's see here. Okay, so here is All right, you guys could see this? Okay, he obviously he's a freak from the front. There's no question about it, right? But the every all right, so here's another progress pick, right? Okay, here we go. Again, you know, uh not the great his conditioning looks fantastic. He's a freak of shape. No, absolutely. See, he'll go to the side where he he shows his thickness, right?

SPEAKER_05 22:28

He did improve on his glutes and his hamstrings for sure. So I know that was a weakness for him a little bit. Yeah, he definitely puts eyes on his glutes and hamstrings. That's really good.

SPEAKER_00 22:35

There's no and they're separated, and it I'm not saying that Tony's gonna blow him out. All I'm saying is that every time this guy does progress picks, he doesn't show his back. And to me, that tells you something. Now I might be dead wrong, but that's the whole point of doing this show. And it's every every fucking time, even when he's with uh even when he's with Andrew Jacked, you know, it's like, come on, dude, where is it? Nothing, you know, and that's why um that's why I'm picking Tonyo. Because when you look at Tonyo, uh, I mean, it is just so impressive. Uh uh Tonyo.

SPEAKER_05 23:22

I mean, like, impressive as a human being, though. Like, Grizzle looks pretty crazy though.

SPEAKER_00 23:26

No, absolutely, but you know, his his first, you know, and Tonyo's first, you know, yeah. It just looks it just to me, uh it seems like he's hiding something. Again, I might be fucking wrong. I might, you know, have a tinfoil hat on right now, but Tonyo hides nothing, and he and everything is improved, every goddamn very balanced. Yeah, I mean, it's just so impressive. Shredd. Yeah, I don't know. What do you think? Uh Akeem, might am I doing am I a conspiracy theorist, or what do you think?

SPEAKER_02 24:10

I mean, you you got a point there, but I mean every time you you know you post, you're always gonna try to try to show you, like you said, your stronger body parts and stuff like that, right? Especially on social media.

SPEAKER_00 24:22

Like, do you remember when uh when Kevin Lavron made his comeback? I forgot what year it was.

SPEAKER_02 24:27

Uh 20 2016, I think it was. Yeah, it's 2016, because I did that Olympia.

SPEAKER_00 24:34

Okay, okay. And um all his progress picks, he would not show his legs. And people are like, oh, you know, he's got legs and blah blah blah. And then he gets on stage.

SPEAKER_02 24:44

I got I got I have a funny story about that.

SPEAKER_00 24:47

All right, let's uh all right, go ahead.

SPEAKER_02 24:50

So I I think I I I I knew his legs wasn't up to par before anybody else.

SPEAKER_00 24:55

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 24:56

Because I I remember uh I had scheduled a tanning appointment and I got to the hotel room to do the tanning appointment, and he was also there doing the tanning appointment. And pretty much when I got there at the same time when he was getting the tanning appointment, so I was able to see the legs before anybody else saw his legs. I mean I thought yeah. So I I don't even I'm not trying to the guy is a legend, but I'm I remember I remember leaving that that post that hotel room. I'm like, okay, I guess I'm not placing lasses this show. Um I think it was my first Olympia too.

SPEAKER_00 25:34

So what place did you come in at uh in 16? I think first Olympia came in 15th place. I think that 14th or 15th place. Because the what year did you come in sixth? Was it 19 or 20? Uh I think that was 2020. That was 2020. Yeah, you came in sixth, yeah. Yeah, that was uh that was your best placing at the Olympia, right? Yeah, and did who won that one? Was that Rami that won that or Brandon? Uh god. I think it was I think it might have been Rami. I think it was Remy, you know. Yeah, because he won in 19. Yeah, it was Ramy. Right, Sean Roden wasn't there because he was under that those allegations. He won 18. And then uh Brandon took it 19, and then um, yeah, and then it was Rami for two years in a row. Yeah, that's that's that's what happened. Okay. All right. Um, now coming in third, it looks like okay, so we got Raphael Brandau, Patrick Moore. All right, I gotta I gotta say this before. All right, let's let all right. What do you think? You think uh Patrick or Rafael Brandau, Chris in third place? I mean, we're guessing right now, I get it.

SPEAKER_05 26:52

I personally think Patrick, I think he's improved so much. Um I mean he looked really good at that. Was it the Arnold UK? He looked really good at yeah, um, yeah. I mean, I think he I think he improved a lot, but yeah, I'm I'll leave him there. I think so.

SPEAKER_00 27:09

Yeah, you think he's able gonna be able to beat Raphael?

SPEAKER_05 27:11

I think I think he could eat he can eke out third place.

SPEAKER_00 27:14

All right, let's let's actually uh look him up. Uh let's see.

SPEAKER_05 27:20

I haven't seen Rafael recently.

SPEAKER_00 27:22

What happened?

SPEAKER_05 27:23

I haven't seen Raphael recently. I gotta well we'll look him up too.

SPEAKER_00 27:26

I know it's uh I know it's um Instagram, but that's what he got.

SPEAKER_05 27:32

I mean it's better than in the 90s, right?

SPEAKER_00 27:35

It is what it is, you know. I alright. I I'm gonna I'm gonna give it to I'm gonna I think Rafael is gonna come in third. Oh because yeah, you're right. He looked good at the Arnold UK, but uh to be uh to be really honest, that was a very once you got past Patrick, it was a very weak lineup. Andrew looked amazing, Brandon, who didn't does not get enough credit. No, he doesn't. He can't come in coming in second, you know. Um, and then Patrick was good, and then after that, I mean it was a shit show. You know, you had Martin that just didn't come prepared at all. He just decided to shut his mouth that day. Um and then after that, it was really, you know, let's see. I'm not saying Patrick's not a good bodybuilder. I'm Patrick is a is a great bodybuilder. You guys could see this, right?

SPEAKER_05 28:30

Patrick Patrick is a great bodybuilder, but I think he's at his potential though. Like, I really don't say that again. I I think I don't even think he's close to his potential. He's been he's been bodybuilding a long time, but I think yeah, I don't think he ever fulfilled. I like to see where he's at, you know, in the future.

SPEAKER_00 28:51

Yeah, no, I agree. I don't think he he fulfilled his uh his potential because he because again, there was one Olympia where he showed up and he was fucking like like holy shit, and then it kind of he never kind of got better than that. What what Olympia was that? Uh Akeem. Because that was during around that time in the early to 2020. I around he came in 10th. Maybe that was 2019, maybe. I don't know. I don't know. He came in 10th, right? And um, Chad, help me out if you guys remember uh what year that Patrick Moore did the Olympia and came in 10th, and everybody was like, Well, and I think Asito was even working with him, right? Yeah, Asito, yeah, Acido was working with him. I don't know if he still works with him or not, but um Acido was working with him, and uh it was uh it was fucking amazing. He looked incredible, and then ever since then, he's kind of always been a little off and kind of getting himself in trouble a little bit, you know, in the street fight and all that crap. Um and this year he's he's done well. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he's he's done well, but sometimes when you shine in a weak lineup, uh you look better than it than you really are. And and if these guys come, if you got Tonyo, Crizzo, Randau, it's gonna be pretty fucking difficult. Um let's look up Randau. Uh let's see, because he's he looks good too. Uh there we go. Okay. There we go. You guys could see this, right? This was six days ago. So he looks like he just has to pull a little bit of water. What do you think, Akeem? Like you said, it's social media, so I know it's all we got. It's unfortunate. Looks like signature, right? Looks like he's in the locker room at signature, right? Akeem.

SPEAKER_02 30:54

Yeah. Uh I mean it. He definitely solid pretty good here. Yeah, it looks really looked from the photos going off on social media. That's uh he's definitely got a bit of preparation, too. Well, I I hate I hate making prediction based on social media.

SPEAKER_00 31:11

I I know, I know. Believe me, I get it, I get it. Because they get on stage and you're like, what the fuck? It completely changes. You know, there are there are guys like oh the the the um the worst is uh uh what's his name? Um who won the 212 Olympia? Keon Keon Keon on fucking social media. Now I know I'm gonna sound like an idiot because he did win the the on he did win the Olympia 212 Olympia on social media. When he puts up progress picks, he looks like he could win the open Olympia. It's unreal, and then he kind of gets on stage and you go, Hey, wait, wait, he kind of loses it a little bit. Maybe because he's standing next to Clarita Clarita, who's fucking amazing, he's not alone. Do you know what I mean? The lighting is different, you know.

SPEAKER_05 32:02

Um Keon's pretty looks ridiculous in person, like he looks not real, like he though the how big he looks for his height and everything. Like I think when I met him, he was like 217. I'm like, what?

SPEAKER_00 32:16

Yeah, he's a he's a freak of nature. I'm just I'm just using him as an example of oh yeah, the social media pictures translating on stage. Uh but that's all but this is what we gotta go on. Um, the one guy I gotta give props to, and I'm I'm I'm gonna give him all the all the fucking props in the world, right? Is uh is um blessing. Um he just continues to compete, which means a lot today, because um, for some reason the last couple of shows uh uh Germany and then in Arnold Brazil, like nobody decided to show up. I don't get it. Like, I don't know why Brandau didn't do Brazil, I don't know why um uh who's the other guy that's Brazilian?

SPEAKER_02 33:09

He was he's from Russia, but I think he's thinking you're talking about um he lives in Brazil now.

SPEAKER_00 33:16

Yeah, I know what you're talking about. Uh fuck is his name. Big veto, good veto, whatever the hell it's good veto, yeah. Yeah, I don't know why he didn't do it. Like I think he yeah, like he has some kind of injury or something like that. I'm not sure. Um but blessing. But blessing, even though and blessing, it was a it was a bad showing, but he still fucking he still gets off stage, acts like a professional, goes back to the drawing board and gets back on that fucking stage. And and but you think that's a good thing though, or you think I me personally, only because I don't only as a fan. I I I I'll let you uh let me let me explain.

SPEAKER_02 33:57

But you also gotta remember though, especially in this sport, you're only as good as your last show before they literally like throw you to the side. Yeah, I know. And that's why a lot of guys don't compete. Like the especially the guys, the top guys that qualify for the Olympia, they don't do any shows other than the Olympia. Because the minute you many you minute you don't bring your best to the stage, they kind of kick you to the curve.

SPEAKER_00 34:18

No, I I fully fully agree. 100% agree. But the guys that aren't uh the guys that aren't um competing and had and locked in the Olympia. Like last year, it took us it took Sasan Harati, I don't know how many shows to finally win to get to the Olympia, and then he goes and he does uh Germany, and I don't even like they literally had to pull guys out of the state, out of the seat to get on. I had no clue who these guys were, and because nobody competed, he got his you know, he got his ticket to the Olympia in one time.

SPEAKER_02 34:54

It wasn't a tough win for him, though. That kid, that kid, that kidnapping second pushed him.

SPEAKER_00 34:59

No, agreed. But what I'm what I'm trying to say is um all I'm trying to say is his miss opportunities. And guys like guys like Sasan, guys like Blessing are not top-tier bodybuilders, but they don't quit. There's just something there's something admirable to the guys that don't quit. That's that's all I'm saying. That's it. You know, that that's it. Like to me, Rafael Brandau, you you were two weeks out of the New York Pro. You could have, it's in your backyard. You don't want to give me the Brazil? Uh yeah, Brazil, right. Uh, I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_02 35:34

Yeah, but you gotta also remember, he did Brazil last year. He already won that show. Yeah. And if you keep doing the same show and keep winning the same show, it doesn't really add any value to your your stock. Agreed. You want to give yourself a challenge. He's never won New York.

SPEAKER_00 35:52

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 35:52

So I think it was a great move for him to skip Brazil. Yes. Great move for him to skip Brazil and go to New York. Winning New York is gonna give his stock more value than going to Brazil and picking up another wheel, especially when he already won that show.

SPEAKER_00 36:06

So now let's say he goes to New York, he loses, he goes to Pittsburgh, he loses because they're gonna be deep lineups. Then where does he go from there?

SPEAKER_02 36:17

Then he he did what he did last year, take another year off and come back next year.

SPEAKER_00 36:20

You know, um I like the perspective. I like the perspective because I'm cut it. I'm coming, it's coming from a competitor's perspective instead of a fan's perspective. So I I understand the I I I admire the perspective. I respect the perspective that it's coming from somebody like yourself. But as a fan, you look at it and you go, wait a minute, it's only two weeks before the New York Pro. You could have locked your win in for the Olympia and then go on and do see what you could do at New York and Pittsburgh. But now, at a as an athlete's perspective, you're saying that it's a challenge. He's already won that show and he's trying to move into the the top tier. Yes. Okay, okay. Chris, what's your what's your opinion on it?

SPEAKER_05 37:08

I mean, yeah, as a fan, we we want to see people on stage, but like in reality, like they're human beings too, you know, like and it takes a lot out of you, especially if you're peaking like way over here in the year. And if you do qualify, then you gotta like you know, go back to a normal life or go into like a rebound offseason and go diet again. So, like, you know, timing all that stuff out, and you know, if you got other stuff going on too, like whether it be business or work, there's a lot of bodybuilders who have regular, you know, full-time jobs and stuff too. So, I mean, that's the reality, but um there's not a there's not as many like full-time bodybuilders like there was in the 90s who could compete, you know, 10-15 times a year or whatever they used to do.

SPEAKER_04 37:48

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 37:49

So, but yeah, I would love to see people on stage more as a fan, you know, and I do think that's cool that like seeing Sauce like step on stage shredded year after like show after show is super impressive.

SPEAKER_00 38:01

That's that's insane to be able to oh I gained a an enormous amount of respect for him last year. Like I gained in an amazing amount of respect for him last year. Um, where I understand that blessing has you know, look, here's the thing. I don't think blessing is going to win any of these shows. Okay, he he uh he he oh he's but the what makes me admire him is his will, you know. That just makes me admire him. Same thing with you, Akeem. It's the same thing. You you do the work, you you you do the shows, and you always act like a professional, and you go back to the drawing board, and you just come back without bitching, without moaning, without blaming anybody. That to me commands respect. You know?

SPEAKER_02 38:53

But I think I think one thing you you're missing also is the whole analytical side of everything. In terms of one thing you're missing also is the whole analytical side of everything.

SPEAKER_00 39:02

Okay, good.

SPEAKER_02 39:03

In terms of uh the value of the show. I know I said like you know, uh New York would be more uh impressive of a win for his career versus going back in Brazil anymore. But if you also look from the judge's standpoint, like let's say uh you saw uh Sasan just won Germany, right? And then you have somebody like maybe uh Antonio who goes in and let's say win New York Pro. When he goes to the Olympic, who you think they're gonna look at more?

SPEAKER_00 39:30

Uh I see what you're saying, which is why Sasan is doing Pittsburgh. There you go. Uh see, um also he wants to be compared, you know.

SPEAKER_05 39:42

That is at the level now, like that that isn't the biggest.

SPEAKER_02 39:47

It makes a statement. That's an actual New York New York being yeah, New York being the 30th biggest show in the world, it makes a statement.

SPEAKER_00 39:54

You're a hundred percent right.

SPEAKER_02 39:57

Or even over Pittsburgh now is being that top tier show, right? It makes a statement when you win that show. Like, for example, after Nick and uh um Derek did the Pittsburgh Pro, what did everybody talk about? The whole social media was Pittsburgh Pro after that, right?

SPEAKER_00 40:14

Leading up to the Olympia, right, right, right, right, right, right. You're a you're a high see I I I'm glad that you brought a different perspective because I never thought about that because I've never been in that position, you've been in that position over and over and over again, and that gives you that gives me a whole different outlook on it. I'm looking at it as a fan's perspective. You're 100% right, you're a hundred percent right. That that makes all the sense in the world.

SPEAKER_05 40:40

Even not winning at a bigger show is is still good because people are seeing you next to like if you go in the Nebraska potato cup, like nobody's gonna remember that, you know, right? New York, Pittsburgh, you know, like Tampa, Dallas, or what's uh uh Texas, right? There's a lot of people there, and even if you're not winning, I mean they're like, whoa, like did not expect him to look that good. I didn't see him next to that person before, you know.

SPEAKER_00 41:03

Right, right, right, right, right. Yeah, no, you're you're a hundred percent right.

SPEAKER_02 41:08

Even like at the amateur level, when you have a guy go in and win the nationals, he would get more of a quote unquote like rep versus somebody like say winning like the North Americans of the USAs. You would always hear about the national level championship. I still think USAs is pretty cool.

SPEAKER_01 41:27

But I'm saying, okay, what do you look at the greats? Yeah, what show would be they win? Like Flex Wheeler, all those guys.

SPEAKER_00 41:34

Exactly. Derek Lunsford was the USA as though to be fair, so it was Nick Trigilli. No, but I'm really glad that you brought that perspective because I never thought of it that way. Um, but it that makes all the sense in the world. You can't it's it's a fucking chess match, man.

SPEAKER_02 41:55

It is, it is and and for for every like you know, young amateur coming up who just think they've just I just want to be pro and just jump into any show. Like right when you when you started this bodybuilding journey and started bodybuilding career, you have to play it as a chess match. You know, you can't just do shows because you want to do them.

SPEAKER_00 42:13

Right, right, right, right. No, you're right, you're you fucking nailed it. It really is. Um, okay. Uh, who is the guy that you said just won? You said Chris. Let me see if I can find him. What was it? Yeah. Yeah, Chris Knox. Uh Christopher Knox. Let's see. Okay, got it. All right, let's see.

unknown 42:46

All right.

SPEAKER_00 42:49

Okay. There we go. Okay, here we go. This is him, right?

SPEAKER_05 42:55

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 42:56

Oh, and he won what show was this they won last year?

SPEAKER_05 43:01

Uh I don't know if that's from the USAs, but he yeah, he won the USAs.

SPEAKER_00 43:05

Okay. Oh, here it is. Okay. Can I see the last word? Yeah, let's see. I don't I don't know too much about him. I just want to see. How long ago is this? Five days ago? All right. Come on. Okay. I know he's your boy, Chris, but he's gonna be he's gonna be swimming with the sharks. I I can't I don't pull I don't pull punches, uh Keem, I don't pull punches.

SPEAKER_02 43:29

No, I I get it. And and he he's he's doing uh the New York Pro is as a pro debut. It's a tough show. Let me tell you, New York Pro is my pro debut. Yeah, and sometimes I still scratch my head about like why the hell did I do that as a pro debut? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 43:45

I I was swimming.

SPEAKER_02 43:47

Yeah, exactly. You know, sometimes you know you you gotta get your feet wet here or there, but I I mean as a coming off of being like a first time pro, maybe pick a smaller show.

SPEAKER_00 43:58

Especially yeah, it's uh yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 44:02

Yeah, it's uh it's just uh he's not he's so to to be clear, so when I did Tampa, so that was like for the Mr. USA, they gave that us an opportunity to go and do the do the Tampa Pro a week later. That was supposed to be him, but he had to go back to Hawaii. And I was already, you know, thousands of miles away from home anyway. I'm like, screw it, let's just do another one.

SPEAKER_00 44:23

How old? How might as well, right? But Chris, you know, I mean, and I you're being humble. I was happy to do it though. You're being humble, you're a good bodybuilder, like you're going to be a great bodybuilder. You're being humble. How old is this kid? I'm hoping that he's in his 20s.

SPEAKER_05 44:37

I don't know. I think he's like, I think he's my age. Which is early 30s.

SPEAKER_00 44:43

All right, he's got some time, but okay. I mean, kudos to him for doing the New York Pro. I mean, I hope you know he does well, but yeah, he he's I mean, I gotta keep it a I gotta keep it a buck. He's gonna get wrecked. But uh, so just just uh show Akeem. I mean, Chris is being very modest, all right.

SPEAKER_05 45:01

Uh yeah, my my wife just came home. She's she's laughing in the background.

SPEAKER_00 45:07

Yeah, Chris is being very modest. This was what? Can you see this, Akeem? Yeah, yeah, I'll see you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. This is a guy who is, you know. Come on. All right, this this I'm sure Knox is a nice guy. All right, but this is this is okay.

SPEAKER_02 45:30

I this is where I know you're from, Chris. I know I know you're from your back. It's funny.

SPEAKER_01 45:37

So I remember seeing all the photos.

SPEAKER_05 45:40

It's literally how people remember me. It's uh like when Anton, he goes, Oh, the guy with the back.

SPEAKER_02 45:45

Yes, yeah, that's that's where I remember you from.

SPEAKER_00 45:49

What show is this?

SPEAKER_05 45:50

Uh my uh qualifier.

SPEAKER_00 45:53

Oh, yeah, this is a while back. Yeah, this is yeah, no. Yeah, okay. Yeah, I remember that for Chris Masaro is going to be a name that you are going to remember next year. He's going to make a statement. It's nice that you're that you're modest, Chris, but you're going to you are going to be an elite barring any terrible thing, God forbid, you are going to be an elite bodybuilder. Thank you. I appreciate it, John. No problem. Sorry, I just got I gotta keep it a buck. I gotta keep it real, you know. Look, I'll I'll keep it real. Dorian Haywood is is one of my really good friends. As uh he has been he did me a huge favor a few uh uh last year, two years ago, when I needed somebody to come on. I didn't have anybody to come on, and he came on. And the guy Dorian is a student of the uh the game. He's a student of the uh of bodybuilding. He's also a chiropractor. Guy is extremely intelligent. He loves, eats, sleeps, and breathes bodybuilding. He's not gonna do well at this show.

SPEAKER_02 47:12

I mean, uh I mean he's older now too.

SPEAKER_00 47:15

So he might he might break the top six. I could I could give him you know, you know, that that might be one for some people though, you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 47:24

To be honest with you, I I I I I I I've competed a lot with Dorian. Great guy. The guy I remember uh at last year's Olympia, like he was so happy to be there, man.

SPEAKER_01 47:38

Oh yeah, that was yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 47:42

He won the Masters O, right? And then he did the Olympia. The guy was on seventh heaven, yeah. And and and he deserved it. He deserved it.

SPEAKER_02 47:53

I remember we were backstage and everything was already done. And I think we just had to go back and like, I don't know if it was a pose down or just go on stage just to like for the sake of going on stage, and he was down doing push-ups, and I'm looking at him like, why the f is he doing push-ups? I was like, everything is done. And I look at him like, I'm like, I'm like, bro, why are you doing push-ups? That's like Hakeem, you don't understand, man. This is like a lifelong dream to be on the stage. You've been here multiple times, so you're not gonna get it. And then I hit me and I'm like, oh shit. Like, he's absolutely right. Like, I remember my first Olympia, how I was, you know. Yeah, I thought I thought it was so cool that he was so happy to be there.

SPEAKER_00 48:28

And it was, it was and it was well deserved because uh he Dorian, like I said, when you know him, he eats, sleeps, and trains body everything he loves it. He is he is bodybuilding, is everything to him. He doesn't skip a meal. It's yeah, you gotta love that.

SPEAKER_05 48:47

Like that's that's just that's inspiring to everybody.

SPEAKER_00 48:50

It is it is very admirable, but and and he is a good friend, and he had he did me a big favor. But do I think he's gonna be able to break the top five, four, three, four in this lineup? No, I don't think he's gonna be able to, you know. Um, I think he's probably gonna put on a good show. Um, but I don't think he's gonna be able to uh to you got because you know, like you said, like you guys said, you know, now you gotta compare him to Chris, you gotta compare him to Tony, you gotta compare him to Raphael. The guy has an Olympia title. Absolutely, and you'll never have an Olympia title. Yeah, you will though when you when you when you get old and you do the fucking next year, you know.

SPEAKER_01 49:34

So credit to him, man. He has an Olympia title. How many people you know said they had an Olympia title?

SPEAKER_00 49:39

That's right. He's a master's uh master's Olympia. There's no question about that, and and and and it's it's nobody deserves it more than him because I can't stress enough how hard he works and how much he loves the game. I can't I can't stress it enough, you know. But uh as as a fucking critic, I gotta, you know, I gotta keep it a buck, I gotta, you know, keep it a buck. It is what it is, you know. Um and and that's another that that's another thing why I admire blessing too, uh, because he's another guy that acts as a professional, great personality, family man, puts the work in. It's just fuck, man. You just you you want to root for the guy, and you you you want to see him do well, and it's very difficult when you have uh a you know, like legs that just fucking won't grow, or you know they they do look better than last year. Yeah, he did every he made improvements from last year. Absolutely, it's fucking not good enough though. You know, uh it's just and that's why like you I admire him and I want to root for him and I want to see him do bless. There are um there are I'm a fan of guys, I'm a fan of guys that are that that do well. I'm a huge Samson fan, huge Nick Walker fan. And then I become a fan of these guys that I see that don't give up. You know, I I I got the good guys like Dorian Hayward, the guys like Blessing, the guys like Sasa, I they they they take your respect because they they demand it because they work so fucking hard and they keep coming back and keep coming back and keep coming back. And to me, that's like a fighter that keeps getting knocked down and he just keeps getting back up, and he's like, I'm yeah, you're gonna have to kill me. You know, and that and that and that creates me as a fan, and that's why I become a fan of the Dorian Haywards, the blessings, the Saserati's, the Joaquin Williams, and so on. So well, that's a bad, that's a bad example. You were destined to be a fucking bodybuilder. That's a bad example. Sorry.

SPEAKER_01 51:46

Man, this is this is the second jabby he threw at me, Chris. I did. Sorry, man. The first was the honor UK, he said everybody after Patch Moore was like ass. And I'm like that, but I I was in the lineup. Oh shit. I didn't really get in the show. I'm sorry, dude. I'm gonna get on your show. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_00 52:15

Um we are never gonna see that King Williams again.

SPEAKER_02 52:23

I'm sorry, dude. Nah, listen, I don't I don't get offended, man. I let people see goodbye, you know.

SPEAKER_04 52:29

Fuck.

SPEAKER_02 52:30

Yeah. I'm I'm all error, like stuff like that. Don't don't get under my skin, bro.

SPEAKER_00 52:35

Shit. You know I'm gonna be texting you. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_05 52:42

At least I don't get offended, man. Trust me. Fuck. Uh team worship uh video.

SPEAKER_00 52:50

Yeah, it sucks being a critic because you gotta be real and then but you gotta make friends at the same time.

SPEAKER_05 52:56

Shit. Yeah, so think about me. Uh I gotta go backstage and be like, hey, I remember you from that podcast, you said that shit. I'm like, oh, I'm just the new guy, you know.

SPEAKER_00 53:04

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Is that what happens? No, no, I'm just saying, I'm like, I'm sure if I when I go to the New York Pro this week, I'm sure somebody's gonna fucking say it. Fuck. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Tell me about it. I know. I know the bit I know the big wigs watch it, like the get the guys, like the the guy, the but the the like I gotta start trying to get I'm trying to get like main pe like the the the general the general audience to watch it. Like I know like like I know people like I know Cutler has checked out my show. I know uh you know um Chris Cormier has checked out my show. I I I know the big names have checked out my show. It's the fucking I gotta get the general public to check out my show. Jay Cutler is still just one person watching the show. Oh man. Oh god, I feel like a douchebag now. Akeem. Sorry. No, that's cool, but uh fuck. Anyway, all right. Well, I at least you know I keep it real. Jesus Christ. Anyway, who who else? Uh did you guys were able to take a look at the 212?

SPEAKER_02 54:23

No, I didn't I didn't really play attention.

unknown 54:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 54:26

I didn't look at the 212.

SPEAKER_00 54:28

I didn't look at the 212. I the only guy that I that I looks familiar is uh Noel Adami. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 54:37

He reached out, he actually reached out to me actually. Did he really? Yeah, yeah. I forgot he was in the nutshell. He should do well though. Yeah, I don't know. He's probably a favorite to win this if he brings in the commissioning.

SPEAKER_05 54:52

You feel like 212 was like I don't know, I don't know if the word popular is. It was just more spoken about when it was like, you know, flex was in it and fork husky and all those guys back in the day. Like I was just I was just excited for 212 as I was for open.

SPEAKER_02 55:08

Yeah, I I think it was I I think what it is now, you only know two names, either Shankaria or Keon. And everybody else is just like the casualty of war, basically. Yeah, I wish it wasn't now. I think uh I think that is everybody else, and I think that that's the way this Olympia is gonna be too. It's gonna be Samson, Andrew, Derek, and everybody, everybody just casualty of war after that.

SPEAKER_01 55:35

I think I'm serious. That's what it's gonna be.

SPEAKER_00 55:39

I think once classic physique came out, um it once classic physique came out, it completely killed men's physique and it overshadows 212. I think that's I think that's what happened personally.

SPEAKER_02 55:56

Um uh because I I guarantee you that's the way the open is gonna go. And I think I think the the you know the people that are in charge have to do something about that because I think too much of the spotlight is given on the quote unquote top three guys, yeah, and everybody else is just literally like in the backdrop, and that that is not good for the sport because I think 212 open a lot of these shows.

SPEAKER_00 56:23

Well, they put too much emphasis on the top guys, and everybody else is literally like in the shadows, you know what it's not it's not a three person showing right because you proved it to me right here. I totally forgot that you were even in uh the Arnold UK, right?

SPEAKER_05 56:39

And what's what's the guy's page that he does like the um he he was doing for a while like uh like a little profile of of like the guy and their coach before the shows? Muscle muscle something is that what it was muscle inside.

SPEAKER_00 56:54

I don't know what what happened to him because I I follow him and what's on take it over, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 57:00

Yeah, even we we definitely need we need we we need a page like that, yeah. Because because sometimes you don't even know like I don't even know somebody's competitive that's competing in New York Pro.

SPEAKER_05 57:10

Do you do you remember back in the day, guys? Like even just amateurs, like the top-level guys going to nationals USAs, you saw them in MD and Flex. Like they used to do you know, like little things on on the uh on the internet, or that they'd have them in the magazine. That was a big deal. Like, you couldn't wait for them to come to your gym if you're uh top-level amateur guy. You knew all the guys going in.

SPEAKER_00 57:30

Yeah, let's see. You're talking about this page right here. You're right. I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 57:35

Yeah, I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 57:36

He used to message me and he used to send me um oh who's doing what show and whatnot. I don't know what really has this is it, right? Muscle insider. Let me go down and see if there's an old one where I know what you're talking about. Uh where he used to, unless he just maybe that became too difficult. I don't know. I don't know what what happened. Uh, unless it's a different over.

SPEAKER_05 58:12

Yeah. I I leave it to you. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 58:16

I don't know. I mean, I don't have enough enemies.

SPEAKER_05 58:19

I I think I think I think that's a cool idea for a page. Listen, as a guy who was who was not in the in the top, you know, I was just making my debut. I was happy to just have the little picture of me and Dom up there. Yeah, right, right.

SPEAKER_02 58:32

Me and me were happy. Let somebody know who you are, at least. Yeah because you you look at somebody's list, you have no idea what he's what he's about to be looking.

SPEAKER_05 58:40

No, you're already sure like maybe a training video or something, you know, like a little slideshow, like, oh, this is who's competing.

SPEAKER_00 58:45

No, you're 100% right. Yeah, no, that's actually a really good uh Johnny Boy saying everything after Patrick got uh got the oh yeah, I forgot about that. I it's what I used to say, Akeem. I used to say if if I have uh I used to always say, Oh, uh, this guy's got to go get a CDL license because he's not gonna be good as a bodybuilder. I used to say that. But um, no, yeah, you're right, because they're up and coming guys that nobody's heard of, and they they they show up in the shows, like at FIBO, the guy who took second, like I never fucking heard of him, and um there's no coverage.

SPEAKER_05 59:17

And it used to be the reminding people of people like Brandon again, because these young guys don't even know about Brandon, right? Yes, that guy. I'm like, yeah, there's Mr. Olympia, actually.

SPEAKER_00 59:25

You're a hundred, yeah, a multiple honor classic champion, Mr. Olympia. But you're 100% right, all right, gentlemen. I'm gonna let you guys go. Akeem, apologies again. Nah, no need, man. No need. Thank you. Thank you for coming on, Chris. Always a pleasure. Thank you for coming on. Uh, and that's it. We'll be in touch. I'll talk to you guys soon. All right, see you guys later, fellas.