Muscle Talk! Do IFBB judges overlook the older bodybuilders?

John is joined by Lee Priest and Sid Sidell as they give takes on the latest in pro bodybuilding competitions, what goes into judging and much more in this all new episode.

#ifbb #bodybuilding

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:01

All right, here we go. We got Muscle Talk on Sirius and Silliness Body Belling. Lee Priest is back, and Sid Sidel is with us. Yes. Did I pronounce the last name right, Sid?

SPEAKER_02 0:14

Close enough, Sideo. That's why they call me Screw because everybody fucks it up.

SPEAKER_01 0:19

So big Sid. Did you guys see what I did uh Monday night with Akeem?

SPEAKER_04 0:26

No, we didn't.

SPEAKER_01 0:27

We were in I tagged you. I didn't. Did I tag you? Sid.

SPEAKER_02 0:32

We were uh in a plane, I think, weren't we? Coming back from Mexico. So I haven't seen it.

SPEAKER_01 0:37

So uh, you know what? I'll just I'll just uh I'll just play it because it is it was pathetic. It really was. I put it on Instagram, it was so bad. Uh let's see if I could.

SPEAKER_04 0:48

Was I came on the show? Was he?

SPEAKER_01 0:50

Yeah, he was on the show, and um what happened? Uh I'll show you. Okay, I will show you. There we go. All right. Okay, so now what we're gonna do is I gotta swipe back to see it, don't I? Alright. Well, basically you gotta hear it because it's just uh it's pathetic. Alright. Alright. Alright, you guys could see all that.

SPEAKER_04 1:36

Okay, I can't see the page.

SPEAKER_01 1:38

Okay, just just I I put the the caption is open mouth insert foot. John embarrasses himself. You ready for this? Okay. Patrick or Raphael Brandau, Chris in third place. I mean, we're guessing right now. I get it.

SPEAKER_03 1:55

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, 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_01 2:07

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

SPEAKER_03 2:09

I think I think he could he can eat.

SPEAKER_01 2:11

I'm gonna I think Raphael is gonna come in third. 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 didn't come prepared at all. That's a bad example, sorry. Man, this is the second jab he threw at me, Chris.

SPEAKER_05 2:47

I did sorry, man. The first was the Arnold UK, he said everybody has a patch more was like pass, and I'm like, damn. But I I wasn't that lineup. Oh shit. You're lucky you're looking at my thing. Yeah, you're looking out of my thin skin, man. I'm sorry, dude.

SPEAKER_01 3:07

I'm gonna get on your show, and you just got thank you for that show.

SPEAKER_05 3:20

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

SPEAKER_01 3:25

Fuck.

SPEAKER_05 3:26

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

SPEAKER_01 3:30

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

SPEAKER_05 3:34

Yeah, you don't you don't you don't have to do all that.

SPEAKER_03 3:38

Yeah, I don't get offended, man. Trust me. Fuck. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 3:46

Uh so that was just just just for laughs, you should do like a beautiful montage video of a game and put up on your page.

SPEAKER_01 3:56

Did could you imagine I mean, really, here I am trying to like push my everyone else after everyone after Patrick was dog shit. Oh my god. But you know what's funny is I don't know why they don't give him a better look. He should, he should definitely, but he really should get a better look, especially with his. I mean, I I get you know, but it's not like he comes back. He never, he's never out of shape.

SPEAKER_04 4:19

Well, you know, I can understand why you forget forget because it's like after Patrick, you don't expect Patrick to beat a Kim, so you don't think Akeem would be behind Patrick.

SPEAKER_01 4:29

Yeah. I mean, I really, I really just completely forgot.

SPEAKER_04 4:32

So it's really as a compliment because the keem's that good, you didn't think you'd ever be behind Patrick. That's why.

SPEAKER_01 4:38

Look, here's the truth. And and Sid, Sid, what do you think? I mean, our Kim is basically at this point a Hall of Fame bodybuilder. The guy has won seven open shows. He's been to the Olympia, I don't know how many years. He's his best placing at the Olympia was sixth. I mean, that's a fucking stellar fucking bodybuilding career right there. And he competes a lot too. He's not staying at the compete. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. You know, the guy is just you know, if he, you know, he could retire too much. Apart from all that too, he's a great guy, good person. He's a fantastic guy. I felt like shit. I felt like the biggest douchebag in the world. It was unbelievable. I literally after I got out, I went, Oh my god, oh, what the fuck did I do? Did you wake up in the morning and see if you were blocked? Yeah, I woke up in the morning and just make sure he wasn't outside my house because he lives like five minutes from me. Did I see him in the gym? We go to the same gym. I swear to god, I'm not fucking hard.

SPEAKER_04 5:36

You better take him some food next time, make him a nice meal.

SPEAKER_01 5:45

Yeah, it's just unpleasant.

SPEAKER_04 5:46

As soon as the weights crushing you, he'll be like, Where'd you say you know?

SPEAKER_01 5:52

Because I I pride myself on being really straightforward and no bullshit. That's what I pride myself on.

SPEAKER_04 5:58

And uh, but at the same time, you know, fuck completely but it's like I said, you don't expect Patrick Moore to place ahead of him, so you weren't really thinking that Akeem would be behind Patrick.

SPEAKER_01 6:09

Yeah, I don't I don't know. I I I honestly do it have to go back and look at what uh Akeem looked like at the UK. I don't remember what he looked like at the UK.

SPEAKER_04 6:16

I think he did get overlooked, he did look good as he normally does. He doesn't overlook a lot.

SPEAKER_01 6:20

Yeah, I mean, look, I mean I I I think Hakeem is on the downside of his career, if that makes sense. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_04 6:30

Yeah, but I don't think physically he looks like it though. I think in the judges' minds they've got him on the downside because yeah, his newer guys are coming up and that.

SPEAKER_01 6:38

So I think the judges put him on what I'm saying is he could still hang with the big boys. Oh, yeah, yeah. But I think he's in his early 40s.

SPEAKER_02 6:47

Yeah, but you gotta remember he's been doing this, dude. Clareto. I mean, he's still hanging in there. Who? Sean Clareto. Yeah, he's still hanging in there.

SPEAKER_01 6:56

Yeah, well, there are guys, yeah, Brandon Curry is in his early 40s. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. There were guys out there. Um Derek, he's hanging in there. Uh Derek who Lunsford? Isn't he like 32? But he's hanging in there. He is hanging in there.

SPEAKER_00 7:12

He's on the downside.

SPEAKER_01 7:14

But you know, he's still um because it it never, it never like when you're an athlete, it never just one day you wake up and go, I can't do this anymore. It's a it's it's like a slow no it's a car crash that fucks your neck up.

SPEAKER_00 7:30

Yeah, all that too.

SPEAKER_01 7:31

But it's always like, man, if I I could do better, I could, you know, I'd be I'll be better at the next show, if there's so on, so I'm just saying that um the guy is a hall of fame bodybuilder, he's got nothing to prove. I look like a fucking idiot, and uh but uh at the same time, you know, uh I think you're right. I think he's getting overlooked because of these new guys coming, they're up and coming, and there's a bunch of great new talent, and it's just it don't know.

SPEAKER_04 7:55

The judges just get lazy. Judges are like, oh, that's Akeem. Well, look at such and such, he's improved. Hakeem probably can't add any more mass, but as long as he comes in dry and conditioned, he can still do damage. But even then, the judges I think overlook because they'll be like, Okay, well, Keem's improved conditioning, this guy's improved in size and stuff. So I think it's the judge's fault, not Akeem's fault.

SPEAKER_01 8:16

Yeah, I kind of I I think you're right. I think it's uh probably yeah, combination, but I think you're right. I think the judges overlook him, dude. I I'm not kidding. If I'm at the gym and he's standing in front of me, I'm not kidding. Like I'm not exaggerating, but I can't see anything in front of me. He's massive, he's a massive human being, you know. I and he's just this just it looks like a building walking in front of me. I'm like, Jesus Christ, you know. Uh but uh what it is. I fucked up. What are you gonna do? It's what it is. He did say something, actually, uh Lee, that I wanted to bring up to you guys. And Sid, I want your opinion on it too. He did bring up a different opinion on uh why the guys pick and choose uh the shows that they do. Because my question, we talked about why Raphael Brandau or or Good Vito didn't do the Arnold UK, mostly Raphael Brandau, because he's already getting in shape for the New York Pro. So he Akeem said that um he's already won the Arnold UK, and Raphael's trying to bring himself into the better tier of bodybuilders. But he also said on top of that, the judges remember you at shows like New York, Pittsburgh, Arnold, Ohio, so on and so forth. And they they they're they'll give you an even better look when you are at the Olympia. He said if you win, they're definitely gonna give you a better look. But even if you come in second or third, they remember you better at the bigger shows than than you know, winning, you know, uh Chicago or FIBO or you know, Japan.

SPEAKER_00 9:56

Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_01 9:57

Or yeah, right, exactly. What do you think? Because he I never thought about it that way. And when he said that, I was like, that's a really good point. You know, I'm coming from a critic and in a and a fan's perspective. Uh he's coming from how do I fucking make the best splash this year perspective as an athlete. Sid, what do you think?

SPEAKER_02 10:18

I mean, he's saying that if he chooses uh a more uh what well-known show, right, then he'll get a better look, basically. That brings up a pretty good point. I mean, honestly, I never really thought about it either.

SPEAKER_01 10:31

He even said that if I if you come in second or third at Pittsburgh, New York, Arnold, um and then you go on to win a smaller show and qualify for the Olympia, you will get a better look because they remember you from the bigger shows, not winning, you know, the smaller show. And I never thought of because I said, Well, what does Raphael do if he doesn't fucking you know win uh you know New York or Pittsburgh? And uh he goes, Well, he's got two choices. He could pack up and wait, wait for next year, or go on and do get his qualification and uh and uh do a smaller show. And then him and Chris uh were actually saying that I never never even thought about it. It's a different world though, right?

SPEAKER_04 11:17

Lee now with the well it's true because you probably get a better looking because those shows like the Pittsburgh, New York or The Arnold or whatever, get the most talked about leading up to the show prediction-wise, after even when the shows are over, people still talking about it. The smaller shows, like you know, whether one's overseas or something like that, once it's over and done with, no one talks about them again. They only talk about the major ones because the major ones, like I said, people are making predictions about New York and Pittsburgh a month ago, even in Audiano Classic or Olympia, they're always continually being talked about. So whoever's in them, whoever's in them is always going to be continually talked about. So, you know, compared to the smaller shows, people go, Yeah, there's only such and such in that one good guy or that guy. So they're never really talked about. Then someone goes, Yeah, he won, but it was a shit show. There was no one good after fourth place, they all sucked. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:12

Well, it makes it makes all the sense of the world because um Sas Haradi, who um after last year I've become a huge fan of, is doing Pittsburgh, even though he qualified for the Olympia and did and won FIBA.

SPEAKER_04 12:23

Um, and I was like, another guy who's not scared to compete and comes in shape proven you can compete a couple of times throughout the year.

SPEAKER_01 12:31

That that guy has, you know, I was trying to give Akeem a compliment and I screwed up again. And I said, the guys that continue to come in and compete and go back to the drawing board and and are consistent. And I said, like a Sas Harati, like a um blessing, and I said like an Akeem Williams. And I went, oh that's a bad because he has seven pro wins. And then that's that's when he said that's the second jab at me. And I and I was like, Well, who was the first one? But no, it does. It makes me a fan. I have become a blessing fan because that guy doesn't quit. This year he's not quitting, even though you know he's had poor, even though he's had poor placings, right, Sid, he continuously decides, okay, I'm just gonna go right back to the fucking drawing board and do another show and see and try to fix the mistakes I made and go back. Uh do you Sid, do you think that that is a a well it makes the fan and it makes the fan like you? Do you think it's a smart move for the bodybuilder? Or do you think the bot or do you think it should be like, all right, um, I really have to fix this big problem, let me take some time off.

SPEAKER_02 13:41

Uh my opinion, I mean, uh honestly, it's I think it's good for the fans. I I don't know. I mean, there's guys out there, it's always continuously uh competing in different shows. Uh but you know, when you got a guy that only wants to what go to one show or two shows a year, uh it kind of makes you question things. I mean, do they do you need you know that much time to to fix a problem? Um or do you think it's better to start you know trying to tweak it and go to you know more shows to see see where you stand against everybody? I don't, you know, Lee probably has you know a lot more advice on that part.

SPEAKER_04 14:20

But I mean remember we were talking we were talking to Ronnie about that. We even mentioned the seminar when Kevin and I and Ronnie were together. We're talking about how we did more shows and you always learn your body, whatever you've messed up. So you got a show a week or two later, whatever you messed up, you can try and fix and test it out. Rather than if you do one show and you go, oh, fucked up, or you do okay, I'm gonna take a year off. Now you've only got one chance to get it right again, and you might fuck up again. If you're doing several shows, you got more arsenal in your book or whatever you're gonna write down, you got more different plays. You could say it was like a footy game, you know, you tried out this play, it didn't work, let's try this. So the more you do, the more you're gonna learn what works and what doesn't. And you're only gonna get that from experience by competing more often rather than okay, we did one show, we fucked up, okay. Let's take a year off. Okay, here comes that show again. You only got one chance to get it right again. So now you're gonna be like, we fucked up last time at doing this. What are we gonna change to make coming better? And what they do change, it could be worse. If you've done a few more shows, you've already worked that shit out.

SPEAKER_01 15:23

Yeah, right. And if you if you continuously uh compete, um the judges do remember you if and when you win a show when you go to the election.

SPEAKER_04 15:31

And the fans and the fans and the fans love it, and the fans really in this day and age with social media, Instagram, and this and that, or if you're with companies, the fans are what really you're gonna make your living from. Look at me, I haven't competed since 2013. I my last IVB show was 06, and I'm probably more popular now with fans than I was back then.

SPEAKER_01 15:52

Yeah, with social media, yeah, absolutely. But yeah, I've become a blessing fan because um that guy uh is not quitting this year. You know, the only time I really think well, see what blessing is it's the only time I really think you should take a time uh time off is if it's like, okay, I have a body part that has to come up and I have to work on it. And um, you know, your legs, your back, whatever the case is, uh, your shoulder. But most of the time it's your legs and back that these guys have to, you know, work on. But with with blessing, the I think the I think what it is is like he's taken that time off and tried really fucking hard to get his legs to come up. And he's and I think it's just like, you know what? I'm just gonna fucking go out guns blazing and see how well I do and try to tweak uh what I can in between shows with me and my coach. And uh if you know the attitude what that I see in him is if you throw enough shit against the wall, something's gonna stick.

SPEAKER_04 16:42

Or you take it off too when I did a lot of shows, and there's sometimes then towards the end, it's like your body just becomes tied, and no matter how much cardio you do, if you want to cut your calves back, that happens, your body just will not will not respond anymore. That's when you know your body's telling you, that's when you need the break.

SPEAKER_01 16:59

Yeah. Yeah, no, absolutely. I fully uh agree with you. No, but I mean I meant like an intentional, an intentional one.

SPEAKER_04 17:05

Intentional one, yeah. But a lot of them who take intentional ones don't need it because some of them are in their prime when you should be learning, you're still young.

SPEAKER_01 17:12

A lot of them it it does.

SPEAKER_04 17:13

You're still gonna grow, you're still gonna grow if you're under gear and eating healthy food and doing cardio and stuff. So, you know, you're still gonna be okay. And then if you've got a month between shows, you can have that big fill out, the rebound for a week or so to get back on it, you're gonna you'd be fine. So, you know, I think some people just get the coaches, I think, control the athletes a lot more today than I think the athletes, because I think coaches in their minds, sadly, too. If you're a coach, you don't want losers. So you're gonna pick and choose shows of when they should compete, knowing you know, if my guys are winning shows, I'm a winning coach and all this sort of stuff type thing. So I think coaches have too much input into what shows they do as well.

SPEAKER_01 17:52

Yeah, that definitely. Yeah, you uh you you know, you a a good coach is is compliments you, if that makes sense. You know what I mean? If you're the type of guy that needs direction, all right, then you need a coach that gives you direction. But if you're the type of guy that doesn't need direction, it's like, listen, here's the shows I want to do. I need your help. You're gonna help me. Here's how much you know, whatever. We'll work out the the the the dollars and cents, you know. Um, and that's usually how uh it works. But and also when you don't compete, people have a short memory, people forget about you. And I'm gonna bring somebody up that I just remembered.

SPEAKER_04 18:26

Um you are you are sick when we're in go places. People are maze, like, damn Lee, you're big in person. Because you forgot about me, didn't you? But also do with the coaching, too. If I if you're my coach and I say, Listen, I want to do this show, you shouldn't try to talk me out of it. Because some coaches will be like, Well, you know, such and such is in it, you know it isn't. Well, so what? Get me in the best shape so I can compete against them. If they're a bigger name than me, get me in the best shape I can so I can stick it to them. Don't try and fucking talk me out of it by saying, Well, such and such is there and he's there, you know, it's gonna be tough. That's what I want. I want something tough. I want to fucking work hard. I don't want to go into shows that are just easy that they're gonna please you. Make me fucking work for it where I'm up against these big names so I can actually prove myself.

SPEAKER_01 19:12

And and yeah, and prove it to everybody. No, and uh, that's exactly what Akeem said, you know, and that's why Rafael Brandau wants to do the New York Pro in Pittsburgh as opposed to you know but Sid, you're friends with Hunter, uh Labrada, and and that is a perfect guy. Why did he take the year off? Because once you stop competing or you take a break from competing, people forget about you. And Hunter is an excellent bodybuilder. Why did he why did he uh take the year off?

SPEAKER_02 19:38

Shoulder surgery.

SPEAKER_01 19:40

Oh, really?

SPEAKER_02 19:41

Yeah, what was wrong with his shoulder surgery? Uh I don't even remember what the hell it was, but yeah, he's uh had issues with it and he did have surgery. I talked to him when I was in Dallas before Lee and I went over to FIBO, and uh he's just now getting full mobility back. So he's you know, he says he's feeling you know a lot better, starting to push some more weight, just taking it slow, and uh he's hoping to get back in there pretty quick. But yeah, I don't even know if he made like formal announcement or maybe just I don't think so. Inner circle kind of knew what was going on. So see that yeah, he's a great dude, and it'll be nice to see him back.

SPEAKER_01 20:22

So absolutely, he's an excellent bodybuilder. That sucks. That sucks because I had him on the show when I first actually started the bodybuilding show, whenever like it was like two and a half years ago, three years ago, when I first started this channel, he came on. Um, that sucks because he when you're at your like when you're rocking and rolling, when you're at your peak, when you're going to the Arnold, when you're going to the Olympia, and then boom, a fucking injury like that happens where you need corrective surgery. Oh, that's gotta suck.

SPEAKER_02 20:49

Yeah, he's a good dude, man. So I really I'm anxious to see him. He's still big as fuck. And he is all that's good. He's uh I think he'll make a buy, you know. I think he's gonna come back, so we'll see.

SPEAKER_01 21:03

Yeah, I oh, he's definitely he's too young not to. He's you know, yeah, you know, unless he decides that he just wants to be a family man and just make money and whatnot. But as far as a fan of the sport, I he's definitely want to see Hunter.

SPEAKER_02 21:14

He's actually wanting to get out and see the fans and uh still push it. So I got him a few uh gigs lined up for later this year. So yeah, that that's good. Yeah, yeah, he wants to get out and uh see things, so meet his fans and uh yeah, he's he's he's coming back.

SPEAKER_01 21:31

So we'll probably see him in 2027 if that's the case in some time of 2027. If he's still big and he's still progressing like that, yeah, it's things like that you can't do anything about injuries happen, and if it's a if it's a severe injury where you have to have surgery, it is what it is.

SPEAKER_04 21:45

What's that uh what's that hat and shirt you're wearing there, Sid?

SPEAKER_02 21:48

You like that?

SPEAKER_04 21:49

You you like that color, don't you? You know, so they make um they make um good. There we go. Have you got have you got the gummies to show?

SPEAKER_01 21:58

Uh what is it? Tell us what it is, Sid.

SPEAKER_02 22:00

Uh next Jen. Let me grab the gummies.

SPEAKER_04 22:03

One of my sponsors.

SPEAKER_02 22:05

Oh, all right. Hope you guys can see that. What what is it?

SPEAKER_04 22:09

Tendaphil. Tendaphil scummies. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:13

Yeah, you got the uh pre words. Basically, Talafield. Same, you know, of course, Lee's gonna say Cialis, but yeah, so uh blood flow, a little bit. That's what's in it. That's what's in it. It's a gummy. I totally I said I totally uh pop a couple of these before we go in the bedroom. So yeah. So uh I got it.

SPEAKER_04 22:35

You take one you take one a day before you train, and you know, just like yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:40

I got it, yeah. Before you train.

SPEAKER_04 22:41

I have to I'll I'll get you some blood.

SPEAKER_02 22:44

They're pretty damn they're pretty damn good. I like that.

SPEAKER_04 22:48

Bring you some to Nashville.

SPEAKER_02 22:49

Yeah, yeah. They just sent me uh well, I'm not supposed to tell the yeah, they just sent me like six more bags of these.

SPEAKER_01 22:55

So Nashville because I what am I gonna do?

SPEAKER_04 22:58

Walk around with a raging heart on while I'm in Nashville and it's like the five milligram one, it's like you know, good for your blood pressure training and everything.

SPEAKER_02 23:06

Training, we're gonna train, John. We ain't gonna be chasing.

SPEAKER_04 23:09

We're not gonna sit in the locker room and have a jerk circle.

SPEAKER_01 23:14

All right, I'll then if that's the case, then I'll then I'll give it a shot. But I definitely after a few changes if you say they will be down at Nashville, too.

SPEAKER_02 23:24

So they're gonna be right next to us.

SPEAKER_01 23:26

So what else do they make besides the the dick hard cummies? Uh peptides, everything. Uh okay.

SPEAKER_04 23:33

I just did everybody tested, but these are American night peptides tested in America, top quality, none of that shit where you know.

SPEAKER_01 23:43

All right, good. I just did a show on actually. I compared the um the uh natural growth hormone releasing peptides to actual uh you know synthetic somotropin, and you know, which one would be better? Obviously, I was of the opinion just take gh. But they are uh they are are crazy right now. Everybody's jumping on peptides, it's insane.

SPEAKER_04 24:06

So everyone can say I'm natural still, I'm natural.

SPEAKER_01 24:08

Yeah, oh yeah, yeah. Um, so all right, so the New York Pro is coming up. And Lee, actually, Sid, have you seen Mike Crizzo?

SPEAKER_02 24:21

No, not recently.

SPEAKER_01 24:23

I'll pull up, I'll pull up uh some picks of Mike Crizzo. Everybody's going crazy about Mike Crizzo, which he looks amazing. Don't get me wrong, but here's the one question that I I have about uh Crizzo, okay? Um uh here's the thing. Here's Mike Crizzo, okay? All right, he looks insane. This was four days ago, right? Here's my question. This brings up a red flag. Every progress pick, and he's been putting up progress picks for months. He's been putting up progress picks for like at least the last eight weeks, man. Every shot is either from the front or the side. There's not one back shot of Mike Criso.

SPEAKER_04 25:12

They're not his strong, they're not his strong shots.

SPEAKER_01 25:15

I mean to what are you saying?

SPEAKER_04 25:20

I think he's hiding a weakness. His back is a bit of a weaker part, but the thing is too, in the gym, he reminds me of like Jim Quinn back in the day, or you know, there's guys in the gym where Dennis James would swear you'd swear they could win the Mr. Olympia and stuff. But then sadly, not sadly, but you know, as freaky as he is, and I love the freakiness of him. Yeah, once he stands near a Tonio or someone who has wonderful muscle bellies and conditioning and the shape, that that's what pulls out because right now you see Criso by himself, you're like, no one could beat him. Yeah, once you get someone like Tonio and someone with shape beside him, then you're like, fuck, Criso's lost it a bit there and lost it a bit here, because then you start seeing his weaknesses. Yeah, but by himself, he looks like he's got no weaknesses at all or nothing, you know, until yeah, you get him in a lineup, and then you start, you know, I said, and the weaknesses too aren't all major, just like just little things, like even like Tonio's shape compared to his is gonna be he just made a liar out of me.

SPEAKER_01 26:20

I never saw this.

SPEAKER_02 26:21

I was gonna tell you, I was gonna say, I don't know what you see, John, but his back looks pretty damn good from what I'm looking at.

SPEAKER_01 26:26

Yeah, he just made a liar out of me. Let's see. Okay, yeah. Well, you know what? I mean, compared to the rest of him, right? And the rest of him is freaky free. But when you the thing is though, and I really I think that's why you don't see a lot of uh picks of he doesn't do a lot of back picks, he does no back picks, you know, side chest or the front most muscular. Yeah, but when you see Tonyo, Tonyo is like just picture perfect, man.

SPEAKER_04 26:57

And he showed all his poses in that one shot, that one blended.

SPEAKER_01 27:00

This kid is just this kid is just spectacular. I mean, there is no weakness. He's you know, the kid is just un unbelievable.

SPEAKER_04 27:10

And Chris o Chriso probably outweighs him by what 30-40 pounds. But once on stage, you're not gonna notice that with Tonio's shape and conditioning at all.

SPEAKER_01 27:20

So I'm gonna, I mean, I I'm gonna call Chris O for the win. I'm sorry, I'm gonna call Tonio for the win with Chris O in second. I'd like to see um Brandon come in and take it, but uh Brandon's not doing the New York Pro though.

SPEAKER_04 27:34

Oh, that's the which one's he doing? He's doing Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 27:38

Pittsburgh, I will be cheering for Brandon, you know. Yeah, there's no question about that. Pittsburgh's a deep lineup, though.

SPEAKER_04 27:44

New York, New York, New York's a Sunday or is Sundays up.

SPEAKER_01 27:48

Yeah, New York is uh Friday and Saturday. Have an amateur New York too, so now it's two days. So um, but uh you got the big names are Chris O. Uh, you got um Tonyo, you got Brandau, you got Patrick Moore, um Nate Nathan Epler. I think those are in good shape.

SPEAKER_04 28:09

Yeah, those seems I'll go Tony over the win.

SPEAKER_01 28:12

Yeah, I'm gonna go Tonyo for the win because man, he's just and if he put even more muscle on, which you said you've heard he put more muscle on. I can 12 to 13 pounds you put on on a frame like that.

SPEAKER_04 28:22

That's a that's improv, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:24

And yeah, I think he's one of those guys that you he's he's the reverse of Instagram, he looks even better on stage. Exactly.

SPEAKER_04 28:30

I was gonna say the same thing. Him there, you can go, yeah, but when you get on stage near those freaks, you're like, fuck, he's just as good.

SPEAKER_01 28:37

Yeah, he's he's he's so he's so impressed. He's just a really impressive bodybuilder. This quad sweep. See that that's his quad sweep is just phenomenal. The kid is the kid's just gifted, he's just genetically gifted, right? That's it.

SPEAKER_04 28:53

Like I said, it still comes down to the shape because like I said, I've seen guys in gyms who can have a beautiful tricep, bicep, and their arm might be 17 inches, but because it's ripped and they flex it, you'd swear it was 20. So, you know, it's just all about illusion and shapes and conditioning.

SPEAKER_01 29:09

I'm pretty sure he's doing the New York Pro Nathan Epler. This is two days ago.

SPEAKER_04 29:16

He probably comes in in good shape from all I recall at his shows.

SPEAKER_01 29:19

I'm pretty sure he is doing the New York Pro. Uh let me see. Uh Rx Muscle posted the posted the list. Let's see.

SPEAKER_04 29:31

Last thing I saw on Rx Muscle, they posted that guy dancing on stage.

SPEAKER_01 29:36

What guy is that?

SPEAKER_04 29:38

Some guy was dancing and saying, What do you think of this? I said, Well, whatever takes the attention off your body.

SPEAKER_01 29:43

Nathan Epler, here it is. Yeah, let's see. Did I did I have the right guy there? Uh Epler. Yeah, that's him. Yeah, yeah, he's doing it. Yeah, it's yeah, Nathan's a uh uh a good bodybuilder. Um so it's gonna be it's a deep lineup. It's definitely a deep lineup. It's gonna be it's gonna be a good show. I'm gonna try to make it uh myself on Dave Columbo's gonna be there. I think it's literally 20 minutes from me. So if I'm not working or anything like that, and I have a friend from the gym that I go that's doing the uh amateur, but he's going on Friday. You know, the amateur is on Friday, but I think yeah, so I don't know. I'm not gonna I'm definitely not gonna be able to make it Friday. But uh Saturday, if I'm not working, I think I'm gonna go and uh check it out.

SPEAKER_04 30:32

Did you like did you like my back training video with Ronnie from Mexico?

SPEAKER_01 30:36

Yeah, you the three of you. That was pretty cool.

SPEAKER_04 30:40

Talking talking about seven times, Ronnie, not five, but I don't want to break it to you.

SPEAKER_01 30:44

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sid, what's uh what's Ronnie like when you when you train with him?

SPEAKER_02 30:50

Honestly, uh that's the first time that we've actually went and trained together. I've known him and helped him for the last probably four or five years, but uh we just never had the opportunity. Everybody, it's usually too busy. So uh he does what he can. I mean, he still hangs in there. I I've known him, he's the happiest, jolliest guy that I've probably ever met, you know, in in his situation.

SPEAKER_01 31:15

It's true what they it's true what they say about him. The the nicest, sweetest guy, never never a bad thing to say about it.

SPEAKER_02 31:22

Always laughing, you know, just joking around and uh we and we weren't even gonna go.

SPEAKER_04 31:28

We weren't even gonna go to the gym. What time did I get to the hotel? I was getting late. I just flew in.

SPEAKER_02 31:38

I don't know what time was that? Maybe uh 6:30, 7. I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 31:44

But we're going to the gym at 8 or something, and I just got there and Kevin's like, see you guys, I'm going to bed. I said, see, Sid, Kev's not going. We don't have to go to the gym. And then as we're coming down to Before, Ronnie comes in and Ronnie's like, I said, Ronnie, going to the gym. He goes, Yeah, because you're going. I said, Oh, I'm not going. He goes, 5'4, we'll go on. So I said, Okay, let's go with Ronnie. Let's go to the gym. So I was so tired, but ended up having fun. And then we went and had dinner, Sid and I and Ronnie at this French restaurant in the hotel, and ended up being we didn't go to bed till like probably one o'clock.

SPEAKER_01 32:15

You can't you can't say no to working out with Ronnie Coleman.

SPEAKER_02 32:18

That's in that's uh see Lee didn't know that I texted Ronnie and told him we were going, so I I set that up pretty good. So he gave he laid the guilt trip on Lee. I wanted to go, but yeah, Ronnie's like, I thought you're going, Lee.

SPEAKER_04 32:29

I was coming to go with you. I said, Oh, okay, okay, I guess I'm going.

SPEAKER_02 32:34

Let's see. Uh but it was a good, it was definitely a good time.

SPEAKER_04 32:39

Actually, and then I saw um daddy daddy aioli put up a post on his thing, like a photo dump, and he had the video of me pushing him on the seated row, and then yeah, us running up the stairs, and people like, Daddy Aoli, why are you friends with him? He tried to destroy you and all this sort of stuff. If you remember a couple of years ago, Daddy Aioli, he's from Mexico influencer, he put up a video abusing a cat, like punching it and throwing it. So when I posted it, and that young LA sort of dumped him, and they're like, Lee, why are you trying to ruin this guy's career? I said, He posted a video abusing an animal. I said, I'm not trying to ruin his career. So we're at it, we just have whatever went on with that. But then I said to Sid, or when I heard he was going to be there, I said to Sid, I hope he doesn't come up being an influencer and try and start shit with the cameras and that, you know, for a grab gotcha moment. But actually, it's nice because Sid comes up and goes, I spoke to Fing. He actually wants to come and apologize to you. I'm like, Really? So at the gym, he came up and apologized, no cameras, anything like that. So I give him respect for coming up and apologizing for it. And then we got on good after that.

SPEAKER_01 33:42

So yeah, that's actually once, like once um, especially a man apologizes to me. I mean, it's water under the bridge, man. Exactly. Yeah, and he posted on his thing, too.

SPEAKER_04 33:53

I said, I posted on his thing, I said there's no bad blood between us now. He he came up and we spoke and stuff, and it's all good. So Sid, what were you gonna say?

SPEAKER_02 34:02

He he did it respectfully. He actually came up to me and asked permission to you know if he could come up and apologize to to Lee. So he wanted to make sure he probably wanted to make sure he didn't get punched in the face or something too, you know. So uh yeah. What was you what was you playing there? Uh video, uh, what was that? Our back video.

SPEAKER_00 34:23

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 34:25

But it was it was fun to be honest with you. Yeah, we was uh not gonna go, and I don't think we got home and probably to the room till 1 30, 2 o'clock in the morning. But uh it was a good night.

SPEAKER_04 34:34

We had we had yeah, we had Dina to Give River running and it was fun. Yeah, so we got to this restaurant, this French restaurant, really classy French restaurant. Oh, I even I even picked up the bill. You did? Yeah, yeah, it was like how much was it three thousand things? Ah so get the fucking two hand. I wish you had claim it on claim it on claim it on tax, and then um but then it was like we got to sign the book on the way out, so you know, and Ronnie's putting in their Ronnie Coleman eight-time Mr. Olympia. I'm putting Lee Priest beat seven times arrow. That's great, that's great.

SPEAKER_01 35:10

So I should have did this earlier, but I didn't. For people who don't know Big Sid, Big Sid uh does uh he manages bodybuilding, also does security because that's been you've been in military and security your whole life, right, Sid?

SPEAKER_02 35:25

Pretty much military and kind of it just kind of unraveled, you know, once Jay and I got to know each other, and it kind of led to other events helping Ronnie. I took Samson to China, uh different things like that. And uh I'm too damn busy. Yeah, Lee keeps me too fucking busy.

SPEAKER_04 35:47

So I'm not sure he's retired from security at the moment to take care of me.

SPEAKER_02 35:53

Well, well, I still have to have my head on a swivel because uh you never know when Lee's gonna get hate mailed.

SPEAKER_01 35:59

No, in trouble.

SPEAKER_02 36:00

Depends on who he puts off. So at the Arnold, it was what Hattie or something, you know, that you had his comment there.

SPEAKER_04 36:09

Oh Hardy, Hardy's hate fans that didn't like me for supporting him. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 36:15

What was that? Remember when I was supporting Hardy. How fast did that go? That was gone. Jesus, that that didn't last long. Holy shit. That's un unbelievable. This is so stupid, ridiculous. But um uh Sid, well, tell me quickly tell us your military career because uh, you know, I like to I like to give respect and honor to the guys who serve.

SPEAKER_02 36:40

Uh I don't even really talk about it much, but yeah, this Air Force uh engineer went in uh what right before 9-11 and was gonna go in just for four years, and 9-11 happened, kind of pissed me off, so decided to stay in. So I kind of got fucked up when I was in Iraq. Uh so actually when I was in Guam, so yeah, just got medically retired and and then uh one thing led to another, and here we are.

SPEAKER_01 37:08

So all right.

SPEAKER_04 37:10

Well, uh definitely much love and respect for uh our what's what's what's what what's worse, Iraq are trying to take care of Lee Priest.

SPEAKER_02 37:20

I'm definitely um I definitely am busier now than I ever have been before. So Lee has no idea how busy I am, I don't think. So trust me. I am always doing something, talking to somebody.

SPEAKER_01 37:32

So is it am I gonna have fun or am I gonna have to help Sid fucking protect Lee Priest from crazy?

SPEAKER_02 37:39

That's real is fun. So we'll have fun down there. It's gonna be that's real will be fun. Yes, that's real be fun.

SPEAKER_01 37:44

And never been there, we gotta get uh I gotta tell Bo because Bo lives not far.

SPEAKER_04 37:50

Yeah, yeah, that's right. And like I said, I've signed Sid's got me signed with NG Syndicate there, Premier Gym Equipment and Nutrifit. And um, if you see on my page are holding up a thing coming soon, a couple of good products coming soon from the League Priest Resurrection line series.

SPEAKER_01 38:08

Oh, very cool. Let's see.

SPEAKER_04 38:10

And um, let's just say Sid gave me some samples. I don't with the pre-workout that's coming out. Can I mention it, Sid?

SPEAKER_02 38:18

Yeah, why don't we it's already been pretty kind of pretty much dropped now.

SPEAKER_04 38:23

The um the pre-workouts called Crucifix. And like I've never taken a full scoop. I took like I take half, and I find I get a great pump. And even today, you know, I only flew back last night. I had one of the best back workouts. I'm thinking I might even go do chess because not only to get the pump, you're just so focused and your mind's in there and stuff. I was almost going to do chess straight after, but I had a few things to go and do. That's not too bad after it. So we're coming out. The crucifix is gonna be the pre-workout, and we have an intro coming out called Holy Water. And then there's gonna be a cat coming out as well, a capsule, which I mean, we're not gonna go crazy. We're gonna start off with a few small things, but it's been taken from since words got out. Um Austin, who's you know, with new Traffit owns it and that, he's like he's like the uh been inundated with people wanting to carry it and orders and stuff. So it's um and like I said, I mean, you know, may have been with companies before I was out of product shit. If Sid had to give me a sample, I would have said, hey, I'm not putting my name to that crap. So but very, very, very good. I think every anyone who likes pre-workouts is gonna be impressed with the crucifix.

SPEAKER_01 39:33

Yeah, I I have become a big pre-workout guy because between uh working, uh working overtime, doing the podcast, doing both podcasts, I have become I need uh fuck, especially especially on the weekends.

SPEAKER_04 39:50

You will enjoy well, we're gonna we're gonna have samples of it in um Nashville, I received for the pre-workout? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 39:58

No, we're gonna be selling it. It's gonna be locked there, so we'll have it. Whoa, oh, very cool.

SPEAKER_01 40:03

I gotta get myself some of that, definitely.

SPEAKER_04 40:08

I even know the guy might even sign the sign the thing for you, John. Oh, okay, good, good. I'll get that Lee Priest to sign it for be like limited edition. Yeah, okay, great.

SPEAKER_01 40:17

Hey, son of a bitch.

SPEAKER_04 40:18

Uh take it before you go out.

SPEAKER_02 40:22

No, it's uh Austin Austin said that the uh ingredients, he's he's that chemical nerd, so he he's got that thing packed full of everything, and uh he didn't cut it in corners, so it's definitely and there's no drop after it, even if some pre-workers where you get the down after you don't even you just go to the gym train, hey, get a good company, you just feel good, and it just slowly wears off.

SPEAKER_04 40:44

So there's no crash or anything.

SPEAKER_01 40:46

You know what it's funny that you said.

SPEAKER_04 40:47

Do you like rocket pop? Rocket pop's one of the flavors, and it tastes like the old rocket pop ice ice.

SPEAKER_01 40:53

Oh, really? It's funny that you said that because there are like I only stick I stick to one or two pre-workouts because I don't know which ones give me that crash or make me sweat too much or anything like that.

SPEAKER_04 41:07

So um after Nashville, you're only gonna stick to one, buddy.

SPEAKER_01 41:11

Yeah, well, I'll definitely, I'll definitely give it a shot. I'll definitely try it. That goes without saying that you know that that's that obviously. Speaking of which, I spoke to uh Jason Arnes and uh how's he doing?

SPEAKER_04 41:24

How's he doing?

SPEAKER_01 41:25

He's doing better. Uh he uh I I taught I didn't start the GoFundMe. I asked him first, and they said no, please don't do that. And I said, Okay, because I was gonna start a GoFundMe for him, but he does not, he's a very proud guy, does not want to do that. So I said, okay, no problem. But I've been talking to him. You know, he had his uh third Jason Owens had his third back procedure, but this procedure was a they they they put syringes in your back and they cement the spots that are that are fractured. Yeah. I guess so. Yeah, I guess so. Um I mean there's there's there's more to it there's that uh he doesn't want me to talk about on on air, but um he's had this is his third his third uh back procedure. Uh this is the only one that they didn't have to open up his back again. Um they just basically went in there and I didn't I didn't even know they could do this shit. They cemented sticking deep needles right in your back and I'm thinking of like my uncle that's a mason, and he's just like you know crazy. Yeah, unbelievable. But um all right, gentlemen. Uh we're gonna um call it quits. Sid, uh appreciate you coming on, man. And anytime. Yeah, definitely. We'll get you on more often now. Lee.

SPEAKER_02 42:51

We'll see you in uh a few weeks, right?

SPEAKER_01 42:54

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's all said. That's yeah, definitely.

SPEAKER_04 42:58

You get me Friday, don't you?

SPEAKER_01 43:00

Friday, I land at 8 30 in the morning. Yeah. And then um it's a long flight, Lee. You know, it's two and a half hours, bro. No, fuck off.

SPEAKER_04 43:08

Sound like Sid. Sid's probably Sid's driving now, I think. So Sid will tell me about his long drive.

SPEAKER_01 43:15

Yeah, four hour drive. Then he's stopping eight.

SPEAKER_04 43:18

Let me just give it to you right now. I know it off by heart. Two-hour drive to Sydney, 17-hour flight to Dallas, and a two and a half hour flight to Nashville. So, yeah, I'll see you when you get there. Holy shit.

SPEAKER_02 43:30

Hey John, every time we go somewhere, that's all I fucking hear.

SPEAKER_04 43:34

So here we are in Mexico, and I hear from him out of his words. I'm a little tired. I must be jet lagged. I just look at him and went, jet lagged.

SPEAKER_01 43:44

Yeah, yeah. That's what I said when I came back from the Bahamas.

SPEAKER_04 43:46

I was like, You never make a jet lagged just because you go to another country, you don't get jet lagged. It's not that far.

SPEAKER_01 43:53

But uh it definitely I'm looking forward to it. It'll be a it'll be a good time. And then I come home uh Sunday morning, early Sunday morning.

SPEAKER_04 44:00

So where do we go to Sunday? We drive to somewhere, don't we?

SPEAKER_02 44:04

Yeah, we're gonna on the way home about an hour north of Nashville. We gotta stop by a gym and do a photo shoot and uh small uh little meet and greet for an hour or two, and then head to my house after that.

SPEAKER_04 44:16

And then the tour of the tour starts in America for a week and a half.

SPEAKER_02 44:21

Seven, what is it, seven, six or seven states? Yeah. So holy shit. Hopefully we don't fuck that up.

SPEAKER_01 44:28

So and on the wrong state like Ozzy Osborne when he was on tour.

SPEAKER_02 44:32

Yeah, no, you know, it's gonna be fun.

SPEAKER_01 44:35

All right, guys. I'll see you soon. Okay, Jay.

SPEAKER_04 44:40

I'm sure I'll be talking to Sid very shortly. He'll be messaging me about something.

SPEAKER_01 44:46

Always later, fellas. We'll see you.

SPEAKER_04 44:50

Bye.