Serious and Silliness Bodybuilding
John Livia presents the most informative and fun bodybuilding podcast ever. Covering bodybuilding contests, drama, gossip, and bodybuilding training, nutrition and supplementation.
Serious and Silliness Bodybuilding
Shooting the Breeze. Did Hollingshead get "screwed" in China???
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Special Guests: Aaron Clark, Chris Massaro, and EPzeronine join me this week as we talk about the China pro. Tabani wins but did he deserve it? Should've James Hollingshead won?
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https://www.vintage-muscle.com/
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What are you what the fuck? What are you doing here? It's like why do these people want to watch me, Aaron? I don't know. What's what? You think I'm extraordinarily handsome? You think that's what it is?
SPEAKER_00It could be, you know.
SPEAKER_01Let me get the rest of this shit out of the way before we get started. Go to fucking Nutrafit. Uh for people that are listening, N-U-T-R-I-F-I-T-T, discount code priest. Go and buy stuff. Fucking discount code priest. You get 20% off anything. If you buy crucifix and another fucking product from NutraFit, you get 30% off. Fucking I know everybody is fucking cheap, but just go and spend some money. Makes the world go around. Do it for me and Aaron. Fucking pricks.
SPEAKER_00All right.
SPEAKER_01Fair enough. The other one is uh vintage muscle. For those of you that are scared of needles and don't want to use TRT because you because you're too scared and you need you need a pro hormone. Go to vintage muscle. You put a few drops of this under your tongue, it turns into testosterone, and you get big muscles. I don't have a discount code, but they offer like crazy discounts already. You go on the site, and as soon as you as soon as the site comes up, it says, Do you want 40% off? I would click fucking yeah if I was interested in buying it. So just there you go. Sold anyway. I'm just pissed off, man. I'm fucking mad. Why is that? I'll tell you why actually what happened. So we're waiting for uh Kensen from EP09. We're also waiting for Chris Masarrow. Lee is somewhere in like Shanghai, China, trying to get back to Australia after he did a tour of the UK. So he's not gonna be with us today. Yesterday I go to the gym, right? And this is like how I know I'm not this is how I know I have to work to be a nice person, right? Because my first thoughts aren't nice, they're always shitty.
SPEAKER_00We all have those thoughts, I think.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, mine's a little extreme. Let me explain. All right, so uh I'm doing biceps and I feel strong, so I'm like, oh, I'm gonna do easy boss standing up curls, like the old branch Warren that I'm that I would never that's not me. It's just what I'm thinking in my head, right?
SPEAKER_00The old videos would do like yeah, right, right, right, right.
SPEAKER_01So uh except that you know what what you think in your head and what in actuality is not the case. But anyway, so I'm I'm yo big bad Christmas arrow. Are you alive? Uh he's gone. All right, he'll be back. So anyway, um now I'm doing going heavy, and I usually don't go as heavy as I used to, but I'm going heavy, and uh, I'm like, all right, I gotta ask somebody for a spot, right? The closest guy near me, you know, I usually just ask the closest guy per person to me, has one arm. So I'm like, fuck. So I see my friend on the other side of the gym. I'm like, if I go ask my friend, is this guy gonna get insulted? I didn't ask him. Yeah, so so I I didn't ask him because he only has one arm. So I just went to my friend and I told my friend, can you please spot me? Because the guy near me only has one arm. And he's like, Yeah, don't put your hands in. I said hand, hand, actually. There's only one hand. So yo, Kenson, what's up, bro? This is it, man. How you doing? Doing good. Let me see. Uh okay, anyway, it doesn't matter. Um, so I was just telling him, but so now I go wait for a protein shake, right? At the gym, and there's a line. So this is yesterday, or you know, like early afternoon, like 11, 12 o'clock. It's a Sunday. So there's a line, right? Uh-huh. There's like I'm like this, maybe three or four people. So uh I'm second. There's one guy in front of me, and there's like a girl behind me. And this guy comes walking in, and he's just he's like limping really bad. He's limping, he's limping, he's limping, he's limping. And uh he cuts in front of the guy, and the girls behind the counter, they're high school girls, they're they don't they don't know, they're fucking retarded, you know, they their heads in the sky. So um he orders, the girl takes the order, then he looks at the guy behind him and says, Oh, I'm sorry, did I cut in line? And the guy, you know, like had some sympathy for him because he was limping, and he's like, No, no, it's all right, go ahead, go ahead, go ahead. Don't worry about it. And the guy's like, yo, I was paralyzed for uh two years, and uh uh I just learned to walk again. And he's and he must have told this guy like three times, I was paralyzed for two years. I was in a broke my neck, and all I'm thinking is, great, you're paralyzed. There's still a fucking line. Get to the pad of the line, you fucking paralyzed prick. That's all I think.
SPEAKER_00I mean, everybody would think it though. Everybody thinks it. I think someone cut me in line. What's up, big man Christmas arrow?
SPEAKER_01What's up, man? You hear me? Yeah, say that again, Aaron. I'm sorry, man.
SPEAKER_00I was just saying, I don't think anyone doesn't have a thought if you get cut in line. Yeah, no one, no one doesn't have the thought of like, what the fuck?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, but the guy almost like like like he was like, he must have said that like three times that he was and he just came in from the exit and then he went right outside. Anyway, I was just annoyed. I was like, I don't care what your past issues are. I don't you you wait in line like everybody else. It was like a dude, it was like a curb your enthusiasm episode. Yeah, anyway. All right, ep09. Do you know the rest of the crew? I'm sure you know who Aaron Clark is. I'm sure you know who Chris Masaro is.
SPEAKER_00I do. How's it going, gentlemen? This was on before when I've been on. Um not know EP09.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's his uh that's his YouTube channel. He has a great YouTube channel. Um when he's not deep diving, making a lot of money for his family, he is uh doing the news on bodybuilding at EP09.
SPEAKER_02Okay, nice.
SPEAKER_01And then we have Chris Chris Masaro. I used you last week as an example, Chris, from uh because I was doing uh show on Anabolic Academy about how to grow legs. And I I used you as an example because of your adductors from the rear of your rear double eye and latch spread, how insane they are, and you know how to basically make an illusion that your legs are so big if you if you if you make those bigger. They're not that big. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03It's all posing, but uh I know.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, yeah. Anyway, so uh yesterday we had was the China pro, and so a lot of a lot of uh controversy. And uh Lee Priest, who's not with us because he's somewhere in China, actually. I think he's in Shanghai trying to get home. He's like in a changing flights right now to get back to Australia after his UK uh talk. He voiced his opinion, which of course Lee always voices his opinion. And I think the majority of us probably agreed with us with him. Maybe some don't. Uh but then of course uh Milos is a very sensitive guy, and he came to he came to the uh he came to bat for Tabani. And and that's one of the reasons why I like Asito so much, is because people talk shit and he just fucking ignores it. He's like, Yo, Mike, I won. I don't know what to tell you. It is what it is. Like he doesn't even he he just proves himself on the stage, and people could talk as much shit as they want. He has Mr. Olympia, he has Narloc, but Milos really got bent out of shape. Yeah, I actually I actually saw a secret text that I'm not supposed to talk to you guys about.
SPEAKER_03Ooh, I think I saw that one too. Oh yeah, you're probably right, yeah. So I I I I like swipe by. I've been super busy with the USA's and everything. So I I didn't really get to see what what was said on on Lee's and Milo's side. I saw the post, but there's just been so much shit going on this weekend.
SPEAKER_01So if you guys talk about it, of course, of course I'll bring it up. Right. Um, but let's see. Uh let's see. Uh I'll bring it up. I think they just okay. Here we go. Got it. So this is not, I'm not gonna show the whole video. Uh who's the best bodybuilder actually does a good job of putting all the fucking news on. And yeah, here we go. So basically, Lee said that it was a joke. He said that uh can you guys see this?
SPEAKER_05Yeah, okay.
SPEAKER_01He said he said that James, um uh he said that James was uh got robbed, and um that if you don't start saying something, um that this is gonna continue to happen. And uh Milos got a little pissed off and he said he wrote back, he said front poses were all beirus, side poses super competitive, back poses be rus wins um uh with striated glutes. Uh truth remains better physique one. Um I don't agree with that at all. I thought James I it was close, but I thought James was the clear winner.
SPEAKER_03I mean, all I can say is I did I did see the pictures, so I saw some really crappy comparisons, which I hate when they make like one blurry and one like edited or one's up close, one's far away. And like I'll just say that like I I'll be sitting there, like let's say the nationals or USAs, and they always have like the screen up there, and that's what people will see at like uh live stream and stuff, and it's like completely different than what I'm seeing. And you know, so I mean, yeah, looking at pictures, I'm like, I think I'm leaning more the other way, obviously. But um, but then seeing in person, like I've literally looked at the screen, I'm like, that's literally telling a different story than what I'm looking at right now. Because like one guy will look like he's got like fat glutes on the screen, and then in person it's like, oh, I can literally see the striations, just they're maybe not as deeply cut as maybe the other guy, but they're the guy's shredded, you know. I'm saying just sometimes the the videos just aren't very accurate.
SPEAKER_01No, I'll I'll I'll agree with you there, but there were clear differences, you know, whether it was whether you could look at it on you know Instagram or watch it live or or watch it on a live stream. Uh what I want to do is go pose for pose. Um, and again, once again, you know, we're not the only people, even even like the greats like Chris Asseto and Dave Palumbo were like giving it to James Hollingshead. But Aaron, what did you think? You saw it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, I saw this stuff online, right? Yeah. And I mean, this is it's nothing new, right? Like I think it's so I don't really, I guess I don't understand. And I like James a lot, so it's not a knock on James. I don't know much about the other guy. One thing I will say from the little I saw is that I really feel like today in our current state of bodybuilding, that they reward the smaller waist like more than half the time. And I will say that he had a smaller waist and like a more dramatic taper, right? And it seems like judges really penalize, not that James is bad, but like that they they really penalize when they can see someone's stomach protruding and all, and it seems like they really reward the opposite of that, and so like when I see the two, that's what my that's what my brain tells me. Like, well, maybe that was a big thing, and of course I wasn't there, but I'm also like people are making a big fuss about this. This is bodybuilding, like this happens almost every time, doesn't it?
SPEAKER_01Like, yeah, no, uh, it's it's a little no, it does, but this one's a little bit more controversial, and I'll tell you why. Right after Kensen uh gives us his opinion.
SPEAKER_04Okay. Did you see my video, Joan?
SPEAKER_01Of course. Why do you think I invited you on?
SPEAKER_04Let me be absolutely clear about this, okay? This was the uh biggest robbery of any competitive win in 2026. Okay, I can't think of a greater robbery in terms of a competitor taking second that deserved to take uh first place. This is not an uh individual opinion. This is the opinion of I want to say 98% of the bodybuilding world. Everybody is in agreement here. James checked more bodybuilding criteria boxes than Bayreuse did, okay? Just because Bayreuse has the better shape does not mean that Bay Ruse was the better competitor on that day. James was harder, he was fuller, he was, I mean, he was bursting full, man. Bursting full. He had the greatness to go along with it. And if you want to talk about bodybuilding criteria, he had the balance from top to bottom, where be ruse did not from the front, especially, right?
SPEAKER_05Agreed, agreed.
SPEAKER_04He he showed up uh pre-judging finals, it was one round of posing, one round, and be ruse couldn't hold it together. Okay, completely sweating bullets. James, dry as a bone. Like, how many boxes does the does James have to tick in terms of bodybuilding criteria until it just comes down to shape and midsection? You know, it's not like James has a big midsection to begin with. James has a small midsection, it's just the detailed abs is what it comes down to, right? So James was completely robbed. Bayrews did not deserve to win. I can't wait to hear what Tyler Minion has to say to try and back this one up because I cannot see any justification for Beirus actually taking the win with straight firsts.
SPEAKER_01Especially when you see the scorecards. I mean, they had them by three points. It was, and I think it was a three-point lead in both uh both finals and um pre-judging for beirus. And it's like, dude, it was like, yeah, three to six, right? I'm watching it right now, just so you guys know. Okay. Um the reason good, good, Chris. I'm sorry.
SPEAKER_03I'm I'm literally watching it real time just to make sure because I already watched it, but it was at like one in the morning, so I was like not in my full right mind. And I gave the first, I already gave three poses to Baby Bruce. I'm sorry, guys. I hate to be hate to be that guy. I'm looking at front double by and I like I don't know James personally, but I'm just being objective as just another bodybuilder. Um, and I'm gonna I I wish I could pull it up on the screen myself right now.
SPEAKER_01I'm just not hooked up like I'm gonna pull it up um and we're gonna go shot for shot shot for shot.
SPEAKER_03I'm watching the video here and uh front double, you know, uh Beirus his it was front double.
SPEAKER_01I would give to Dabani.
SPEAKER_03I think flat spread as well, and that it was almost a posing thing, but Holland's head legs were better. I'm looking at side chest, another posing thing. He but I like Holling, I like Holland's head's physique better, but the pose was won by Beirus because of glutes and and side leg, they were harder. Back double bicep, he opened up his back more than Holland's head, even though Hollingshead has more muscle. He didn't show it.
SPEAKER_01His detail, Holling's head detail in that in that no, he I'm sorry, but he didn't.
SPEAKER_03He had his he had his shoulder blades retracted.
SPEAKER_01If we can pull this up, no, yeah, we'll look at it we'll look at it.
SPEAKER_03Um, so I'm just going pose for both. I'm just being completely objective. I'm just someone who genuinely likes why we have these uh panels, is because uh so Holland's head's harder in the in the rear lats spread as well, but still when you go to the pose itself, be's opened up more and actually showed the lat spread the way it's supposed to be shown, right? Um, and I hope I don't get a mess from Holland's like, oh fuck you, man. And I'm an actual fan.
SPEAKER_01Everybody, everybody knows James Hollins.
SPEAKER_03So yeah, yeah. So I I'm just seeing pose for pose, right being the the devil's advocate, why it could go that way, and I think it could be a uh actually a posing thing. I definitely give the side tricep right now to Holland's head, yeah, that's a game because that was that was such a good pose for him, yeah. Um but uh like I'm trying to zoom in really and look at this. So abdominal thigh, that's I think I gotta go beirus because his lats pop more in the abdominal thigh. So I'm counting poses.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no, I I agree. I would we're gonna go through it. I would have given the abdominal thigh to uh uh to James because it's a thigh shot, too. You know, and James's thighs were clearly better, you know. Beirus's thighs are a little under underwhelming compared to his upper body. But here's the thing, and I think his his part of it that a lot of people are are are missing. And take it as you want. This is just uh not hearsay, but this is just a a possibility. I think a lot of people think because Beirus couldn't get the visas, and God knows if he's gonna be able to get the visa to the United States. I think a lot of people saw this as possibly, possibly giving him a gift because he's been through so much. And um, you know, I understand that you gotta play the cards that are dealt, uh that you're dealt, and I give all the credit in the world to Beirus to keep trying to get to different countries and so on and so forth, and getting and getting it's not his fault or what's going on in politics right now and getting the visa turned down. It sucks. I get it, and I give him all the credit in the world. But when you have uh something that's this close, and then you see the scorecards, and you have him winning on both sides, uh, prejudging end finals by such a huge margin, and then a lot of people believe that James should have won when you go shot by shot. You could some people are gonna be able to take it as Tabani got a gift because uh because of the hardships that he's been going through. I'm just saying that's a that's a that's a very legitimate possibility. And what's funny is that Aaron, without even you saying it, you pointed this out once before, but not about this. You said that judges are people and they're gonna be biased without even realizing it. Remember that the conversation when when we when we spoke, Aaron? Yeah, sure. Yeah, so I I think that might have been the possibility that when judges look, you know, it could be a possibility that their bias, their bias might not might be like sympathy and not even realizing it.
SPEAKER_03Like uh, you know, but I mean, like we we look at James. I mean, like he's done like if we ever talk about paying your dues, though. I mean, like, James freaking competes so much, yeah, like he's so busy, like, wouldn't like wouldn't you want to give him like uh a pass if you're gonna give anybody a pass?
SPEAKER_01Uh yeah, I I I guess, but not not what this guy's been going through from from like the last what three years, like with the visa issues, and he's got a peak for every one of those shows, and then he gets he know and he doesn't know whether he's gonna be there or not, like uh and and James has won shows and he's a great bodybuilder, but you know, um you you're I'm glad that you're you're you're you're giving a you know a different opinion, believe me. But when you want to go with like who gets more sympathy, it's definitely Tabani because because of this, and um and and what and I'm I'm giving Aaron credit because he's the one who actually opened my mind up to judges. Like judges are human beings, they're gonna be biased, and half half of the time they're not even gonna realize they're gonna be biased because they're all human. And I just kind of put two and two together. I said this might be a possibility that they just gave it to the bonnet because they are just sympathetic.
SPEAKER_03So, John, I just I just sent you that video on Instagram that's got all the poses in it. So if you didn't
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I got it actually right here. Hold on. I got to do that.
SPEAKER_03And I'm only I'm only giving this opinion too because like I literally just spent time talking to judges and asking what they're looking for. Okay. And and and how much they're like really hammering down on posing, especially in open, you know.
SPEAKER_01No, I I fully agree, and I'm glad you're giving your opinion because these are these are things that I don't think about.
SPEAKER_03And these are and I'm a fan of of James. Like genuinely, I love this for the game. James is one of the most likable bodybuilders.
SPEAKER_00Super cool, dude. Super nice.
SPEAKER_01He really is.
SPEAKER_00So strong. So strong.
SPEAKER_01Can you hear? He's a fucking animal in the gym. Did you guys uh can you guys see this? Yeah. Yeah. All right. So I'm gonna well, and then I'll pull up the video. Um, but uh Kenson, do you want to say anything before we uh go shot for shot?
SPEAKER_04No, just go shot for shot. Let's just get into it. I've said I've said so much on this topic already. Like your comment section, people are already asking if I'm still pissed about this. The the answer is yes, I am still pissed about this. Because I do genuinely think that James did win. So we'll go shot for shot and we'll we'll see what we get.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, okay. So all right, here's the first one front double front double pie. I obviously clearly give this to the Bonnie. What do you guys think?
SPEAKER_03Yes, I I I think his arms look better in the pose. I think his lats are one of the biggest things that pop out. Stomach looks a little bit better. I think James is a little bit watery in the stomach or less detailed, but James has better legs. So uh body part wise, I think he gets a little bit better. Uh it goes the other way.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, I think to I think Tabani takes this. Aaron, what do you think?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, that's that to me. When I see him hit that shot, I'm like, wow, that's one like an incredible shot for him.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, definitely the prettier, definitely the prettier physique. There's no question about it. Right. Um, Kenton, agreed, Tabani takes this shot or absolutely bay ruse takes this shot.
SPEAKER_04He's uh I think that he has better better flow, uh, especially across the shoulders. You can see uh like from the uh from like from the front delts to the chest across the it just doesn't flow nearly, not nearly as well as uh as Bay Ruse. Uh given the fact that um he the midsection, of course, he's got a little bit more detail there. I think they're comparable in terms of the size of the midsection, but uh, you know, it is what's going to tie it all together. Detail in the legs, roundness in the quads, you'd give that to James. Uh you could argue overall balance from upper to lower body definitely goes to James, but you have to look at uh, I mean, the arms on Bayrews, they're much better in the in proportion, the shape of the biceps, the the X-frame. Um this one's this one's a shot for Beirus, despite the fact that I think he's a little bit top heavy here, you know. But uh he he's got enough detail in the quads to pull it off, and he's got the superior shape in the in this pose, uh, you know, individually, you give this one to be ruse. Like the the shape is far superior.
SPEAKER_01Okay, all right. Let's go to the next one. So front lat spread. I'm gonna I'm gonna give this to Tabani as well. Uh Chris, what do you think?
SPEAKER_03Uh yeah, same thing. Um, and yeah, the the overall flow from top to bonnie, uh, top to bottom, not not top to bonnie, but um, is definitely to go go his way. Um and also uh I'm just I'm gonna say the posing thing again when it comes to like textbook, uh he's doing it better. And I think that Jay, I think James could pull his stomach in a little bit tighter. His legs are just freaking crazy, man. Um I mean I'm looking at James' legs, they look freaking nuts, but like I think I think the midsection and the way uh breathed when the in the moving shots, I don't think helped him. Uh so yeah, it's gonna go to Bonnie.
SPEAKER_01All right, Chris, what do you think? Chris Aaron, what do you think?
SPEAKER_00I think on this shot, you know, of course, James's legs are bigger, but again, uh, just like what everyone else is saying, there's something about the way he's hitting the shot, it looks a little off, and and it's not for a lack of thickness in the chest for sure. I'm not sure exactly what it is, but yeah, I I have to give the nod to Beirus on on this shot for sure.
SPEAKER_01Right. Kensen.
SPEAKER_04On this one here, I actually would go with James. And the reason I would go with James is because I am seeing more striations through the shoulders, I'm seeing more separation in the arms. Like you can see the the biceps are better separated from uh from the triceps. I think that he's uh I think that he's rounded through the shoulders. The the chest on Bay Ruse, this picture doesn't do it justice, but Bay Ruse compared to James, his chest was flat. And and I'll and I'm talking flat. Okay.
SPEAKER_01But Tabani was definitely off by at least five, ten percent. There's no question about it.
SPEAKER_04James has uh, in my opinion, the better balance from top to bottom here. His chest was bursting full, striated like like there was no tomorrow. The detail in the quads, I think, uh with the with the roundness of the quads and the better balance between upper and lower body. Um Bay Ruse in terms of execution, I mean, pretty non-existent traps from what you can see, the way that he's hitting this one. If if you want to talk about posing execution, um good flow, you know, from from beirus, but James just looks like he has more hard, grainy, dense, popping muscle. So in this one, I would give it to James.
SPEAKER_01Okay, okay. Uh, all right, next one. Uh uh side chest. I I know Tabani has the better hanging hamstring, but I give this one to Hollingshead. The th he's got like that mac truck density, plus that gnarly fucking grainy look in his shoulders and chest and triceps, and his legs are are super thick. Um, even though he doesn't have the hanging hamstring like Tobani, his quad is better than Tobani's. So I would give this one to Hollingshead, but Chris, go ahead.
SPEAKER_03So here's my thing in this picture, I give it to Hollingshead. In the video, I gotta go the other way because Hollingshead wasn't flexing his glutinous hamstring as well throughout the pose. And the same thing kind of goes for the for the lat spread in the front double. It's like he's moving his stomach, and I know that might be a little thing, but when they're when they look this good and you're judging these top pros, little things like pulling your stomach in and holding it tight.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, the little details count.
SPEAKER_03And then keeping your glutes flexed and your hamstrings flexed. That's where it he it could have gone to Bonnie's way just for edging him out on holding the pose a little bit longer. And it's man, when you're that full, like Holling said, which that's what they asked for. It's like, okay, they want you to be full, they want you to be dry. When you eat that much food and you're full, and I don't know what he did, of course. I don't know, but it is tough, you know, because you're so freaking pumped up there. So yeah. What do you think?
SPEAKER_00Like in this I had like all I've seen a few videos and pictures and they all they look a little different, right? In this one, I will say that uh Holling said looks much thicker, right? I mean yeah, yeah, it's kind of dark, it's hard for me to see the detail of um you know, in his his hands there, um of the Bonnie. But I I you know, based on this photo, I would say James.
SPEAKER_01But I'm gonna pull up a few a few of them, but I just want to go shop a shot on this. Um uh Kensen, what do you think?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I I think this is a a shot for James. I mean, it look it looks like he he just is is ready to burst out of his skin, man. Like that that muscle is put pressing against that skin. So it's it's like there's not a single drop of water on this guy, man. You know, he he absolutely nailed it here. And this pose really, I think, is is reminiscent of that. Um the the hanging hamstring detail again, uh as it's been noted, could be a posing execution thing on James's part. Uh Beirus definitely has more of the uh separation than the hanging hamstring, there's no question. But James just he looks like he's on, as opposed to beiruse that really in this shot looks like he's off, you know. And be ruse when he's on in this shot is very difficult to defeat. But James just being as good as he is and peaked as well as he is, I gotta give it to him.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. All right. I want to say this. So let's let's say two to one uh Tabonny right now, because what if we talk about execution? Yeah, James has got the execution definitely from the waist up. Like, I mean, that's like a side chest. That looks awesome.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, no, as of right now, two to one the other way, though. Uh it's two to one for James the way I have it. But I I I do I do understand what you're saying as well, Chris. And look, this is uh we'll get to it, I'm sure, at the end. This is part of the uh the I don't want to say age-old conversation in bodybuilding because it's about the modern era of bodybuilding where shape is starting to be awarded uh ever since really they got uh Sean Roden who who was awarded the Olympia title. The the conversation happening now is that shape has been too far emphasized, you know, and it has to come back toward the middle a little bit. But I I we we'll keep going shot for shot. I don't want to get into that necessarily.
SPEAKER_03I think it is a little bit uh because I think that people who are competing right now need to hear it because I you know, talking to the judges, they do say it is bodybuilding first, so it it is they are looking for that fullness and size first. At least that's what they say. So go going by what they say, they I mean, at least and and that sucks for me because I'm only I'm one of the smaller guys in the circuit, right? And everyone's gonna tear me apart at my next show. Jeez, after after I'm saying this stuff, right? But um, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Well, I won't be because you're my friend, and thanks, John. I'll be very nice. No, no, I'll be able to do that.
SPEAKER_03We'll bring it up and then we can I'll tear me apart for you guys, all right?
SPEAKER_01So here's uh the rear rear double buy. Um, I personally give this one to James because I I fully understand uh Chris what you're saying with the um uh the posing, but he's so thick and fucking grainy and his hamstrings crazy man crit crazy grainy with detail. This is probably the best James that we've seen, and plus his hamstrings and glutes are uh tied in incredibly, and then you know Tabani, even though he has the the wider lads, he just doesn't have uh the detail. Um bad crisp.
SPEAKER_03All right, I'm I'm just look I'm looking at here. So in this picture, I think it can go either way. We're looking top to bottom, right? Because I just I just listened to him talk about like it's not just the back shots, back, arms, legs, everything. So I have it live, like on my not live, you know what I mean. I'm watching the video on the phone, and um so I'll say Tabani gets into the pose quicker. That that's that's always good for you. And he's showing definitely more low lats and more development top to bottom in the back. Delts are showing James beats him in the arms, legs can kind of go either way, but it's real he's really dark, Tabonny. So I can't really see his hamstrings as well. But the conditioning from the waist down could be enough to go to Bonnie's way. But in the picture, I like James, so Aaron.
SPEAKER_00Based on the picture here, I mean James's back is so thick that it's but it's hard for me, you know. I'm not I would I would want to see the video, it's it's really given. After we get through all these, I'm gonna pull up uh traps, rhomboids, delt, lat, like just that. It's is uh pretty crazy looking.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I know it's just uh insane. Kensen, what do you think?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I mean it is, it's crazy. I mean, this this is this is bodybuilding as far as I'm concerned. You know, Milo spants to talk about hashtag bodybuilding, you know, fucking throws that shit out there all the time. Dude, this is hashtag bodybuilding to me. Yeah, but James could obviously have, I think, a little bit more width in the back. Yeah, there's there's no question there, especially compared to Bay Ruse, who is not fully in the pose in this shot. I will say that. Bay Ruse is better in the back double than this shot. Okay, he's not uh his his arms are uh his arms are not rotated back as far. He hasn't dropped his arms down quite as much. So again, again, but you just have to be able to recognize these things from watching these guys a million times uh get on stage, right? Um great conditioning from like I said in my wrap-up video, good conditioning from Beirut. He was lean. There's no question that he was lean. You know, that's that's not in question, but he just doesn't have that pop, he doesn't have that hardness, that graininess that we're used to seeing from him as opposed to James, who again absolutely nailed it here, and definitely, I think, deserves the victory when it comes to uh the back double, despite Beirus um having the better shape.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I want to say something really quick. So this is just if anybody's listening who's uh wants a tip, just guys get into your pose quick and stay still. If you keep going like this and squeezing your shoulder blades back and then back and forth, they might look at you while your shoulder blades are together because I mean they're humans. You're they're looking like this. It's not like we're looking at a screen together, they're looking at people, so they have to turn their heads. So when they turn your way, if you're not in the pose and you turn the other way and that guy is in the pose, it's it sometimes makes it harder for the judge. So get in your pose quick and then stay still.
SPEAKER_01That's why I like having guys like Chris and Aaron on, because they're like basically in the trenches and they could tell you things that uh we can't. Like I would have never thought of that like when the judges are actually looking at you as opposed to when you pose.
SPEAKER_03Think about it when you're watching a movie on a big screen and there's a conversation. Like I just watch Odyssey and IMAX, and I'm like, you know, that's how it is when you're sitting 10 feet away from the guys, you have to actually turn your head. If you're like in the Olympia, they're like 10 rows back, which is really good, actually. But if you're in the crowd and you're like 20 rows back, you can see it more like a picture because you don't have to you just move your eyes right in your head. Like in right here, too. The camera is more lined up on James, so that's good in his favor. And uh Tabani's kind of on an angle. Also, I don't think he was actually posed. His shoulders are are up and they're not down, so now his lats aren't showing, his hands are forward, so you can't see the biceps. So in this shot, James wins because it's a picture, right?
SPEAKER_01Right, right. Aaron. Yep. Yeah. Oh, did you say that we did do this already? Yeah, we did, right? I'm fucking retarded. Sorry. Um back lats spread. Uh I would actually probably go with Tabani on this one because of the smaller waist and the wider, the wider uh lats. Chris, what do you think?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I mean, this this one I gotta go to Bonnie because of the lats, the actual lat development in the low lats, where James is thick, he's got a lot of traps and and uh you know lumbar and everything, but he doesn't have the pop in the actual lats, which can kill you in this pose. So I'm gonna have to go to Bonnie.
SPEAKER_00Go ahead, Aaron. Yeah, I'll echo that. There's something about James's back that looks just absolutely insane in his back double, but it doesn't open as much, right?
SPEAKER_01Um it's like the complete opposite of uh of Quint Beastwood when he does a latch spread, you're like, wow, and there's a rear double body, like what the fuck happened?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, I've seen a lot of people like that that you know, they'll their back looks really good in one of those poses, and then the other one, you're like, is that the same back? The fuck? Yeah, so yeah, it just is what it is.
SPEAKER_03I see him kind of like James has got his shoulders elevated and Tabani's got his depressed. When you depress your shoulders, your lats pop out on the bottom. So if if you're one of these guys who does the lat spreads with your shoulders up, you're not helping yourself because you're making yourself look skinnier. So I think if you put his chest up higher and shoulders more depressed, it'll show his lats a little bit more in this pose. Okay, especially from people looking this way up at you. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Oh, again, also great point. The judges are always looking up. Yeah, you're right. Yeah, this camera's above everyone's head. Yeah, um, all right, Kenton, go ahead.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, you know, uh horse MD actually comes to mind. He was notoriously, I think, the biggest discrepancy between having a super weak back double to a super strong back lats spread. You know, horse MD was was the number one culprit. But in terms between James and Bay Ruse, you can just see the the separation that Bay Ruse has from the middle back that spreads out to the lower lats, like the the depth and the detail is there, you know. And Chris, you're right when it comes to uh you know the dropping his shoulders, it just flows better. Overall, Bay Ruse is is taking this one, you know. James, it might be opposing execution thing, that's fine, but uh it's definitely lacking from either the way he's hitting it or well we know the details there, you know. We we can see it in the back double, but it's it's gotta be opposing execution thing. But to whatever end, this one is Bay Ruse all day long.
SPEAKER_01Okay, all right, let's see. So now we got the side tricep. I clearly James Hollingshead takes it. This is probably James Hollingshead might have one of the best side triceps, if not the best side tricep in bodybuilding, and when he's this fucking on. Chris, what do you think?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, hands down, James. So I have three to three right now. That's me personally.
SPEAKER_01No, it's all right, yeah. Yep, uh yeah.
SPEAKER_00Well uh Aaron, what do you think? Yeah, I mean, especially like I said, in this picture right here, for sure, James.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, Kensen. 100%. All right, so yeah, absolutely. All right. Uh you're writing this shit down, John?
SPEAKER_01Yes. Okay. Abs and thighs. Okay, I give this one to James uh because it's also a thigh shot, and his quads are unbelievable. And I mean, I don't know. Chris, well uh Chris, I want you to explain this one. You you're you're a really good poser, but the um I don't I I never like the double quad uh the double quad ads and thigh shot. I always liked to me, it was like if you have great separation and and and huge quads, just stick that one out and fucking show it. Do you think Tabani does this knowing uh that it's his quads are a little uh on the weak side? Is that why he poses like this?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah, that's what when guys have small width from side to side, they'll usually just put their legs together. But it is it was originally called the abdominal and one thigh. But I'm gonna get I'm gonna be devil's advocate again. Okay. So in the picture, I like James, but in the video, if you can look right now, Tabani's leaned a little bit forward with his hips back, but then James is kind of leaning back like this. So if you're looking up, all you're gonna see is stomach. You're not gonna be able to see the lats and the small waist if you're leaning back. If you're like this and you're presenting your your arms and your lats forward and your hips back, it makes your stomach look smaller and the smaller waist. But I still that's what I'm saying. I'm just giving devil's, I'm being uh given the devil's advocate, but I still got to go, James. So uh maybe maybe we're at four three now.
SPEAKER_01James or Tabani, you give this one too.
SPEAKER_03I'm gonna give this one to James by the picture.
SPEAKER_01Okay, all right. Aaron, what do you think? And and and and uh speak on that posing too, Aaron, that Chris was talking about with the with the two.
SPEAKER_00Well, yeah, and I I also am gonna say, like, I have uh Tabani's Instagram up where he's hitting these poses. They look significantly different here than they do in these photos just because of the angle.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00Um now, of course, it remains that James's legs are you know really freakish and that he he clearly has better quads. Um and it's really hard for me to like I think like we've said before, Tabani's lats is a midsection. Um and I think also like his hips are narrower, right? So it even helps that illusion. Um yeah, it's really tough, man. Like I I wouldn't like when I'm looking at this picture, right, right in front of me, I'll say James. When I see the video, I'm like, uh and that's why I say also. Also before when I see that he was chosen, it just makes me think of the the rhetoric that I just see over and over again over the past few years where they award the smaller waist. And I don't think that's right. I I you know uh I'm not somebody with a really small waist myself, so like uh it's not like I'm right, like that that works against me, right? Right, right. But that's just seems to be um no, you happen to be right.
SPEAKER_01It seems to be that judges are going more towards shape than fullness, thickness, hardness.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's not I'm not even saying that I like it. I just it's it is what it is, it is what it is. But based on this picture, I'm gonna say James. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Kenson, what do you think?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, well, I mean, we talked about posing execution a fair bit so far. And look at the way that James is holding his hands as compared to Bay Ruse. I actually like the way that James is holding his hands on his head as opposed to Bay Ruse, who has uh almost like his fists closer down to it to his neck almost. Like it James, I think, is hitting it well for for him.
SPEAKER_01I got you.
SPEAKER_04Uh Bay Ruse, I think that uh by really uh by really having his hands down further toward his uh toward his traps, it might give him a little bit more uh little bit more of the illusion of size in the lats, although obviously he doesn't need the illusion. Um I think that uh it takes away from the superior biceps that he has by pulling them back further intoward his uh uh intoward his uh his ears. I think that his obliques, again, this is a picture, but uh his obliques look like they are just a little bit bigger, almost spilling out over his trunks on one side. But again, the background doesn't help us with that. With James, it's clear as day that that's not happening. Um and I agree with you, John, actually, when it comes to the leg stance. And uh a guy like Bay Ruse, who does not have those big round sweeping quads, should be looking more at an alternative stance so that he's not showing the the lack of size. Uh James is hitting this very well for the best that he can do with his pose. And I think that Bay Ruse, despite having the more etched midsection, does not do himself any favors in terms of flow from top to bottom.
SPEAKER_03Okay, I'm just gonna disagree as someone who teaches posing because open bodybuilding is still about taking taking up space, and he has enough lats where he can have his arms further back, and when his when your hands are further down your head, your biceps take up more space, so there's no you can't look through to see the background. So it makes the biceps look a little bit bigger and it makes the chest look longer and fuller while James is a little bit lower, which I think is good for him. Uh, you're creating a space between the bicep and the head, and it can so remember it's a judge, it's a posed top to bottom, like you got to look at everything. So I'm still gonna go with James by the picture. I want to be clear about that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I'm gonna pull up your video right after we do the next one. But but Chris, yeah, honestly, wealth of knowledge when it comes to posing. I would have never thought of that, obviously. Um, I mean you you you nailed it like when you would describe it, yeah. I could see why he's holding that shot like that. Um yeah, but I I do I really like James's legs. I love his guys that are in the trenches on because they point out things like Aaron points out stuff about the judges and Chris points out things about the um about the opposing that I would have never pulled uh thought of.
SPEAKER_03I had to learn this because I'm not aesthetic, so I didn't make myself look aesthetic, man. Like you gotta learn all this shit.
SPEAKER_04I know so. Do you think if Bay Ruse was to change his hand position as to something like James is doing now, that it would take away from uh or or it wouldn't give him the illusion of having more size in the lats? Like it seems to me like James getting it the way that he is. But like it just seems like it's more like Bay Ruse is being favored in terms of uh overall aesthetics and flow. But in this one, I really think it looks more like James has the superior aesthetics and flow.
SPEAKER_03So I'm gonna so like I'm gonna always start off with like by this picture. I like James's James's uh physique and this. I I think he wins by the picture. But when it comes to like textbook stuff, I think Tabani has enough lats. Like I think James is thicker front to back in the actual like thickness of his back, like his uh his like I call him the trap four, the lower traps. But when yeah, you if he were to pull his hands further back, he'd elongate his lats more and cause his shoulders to lift up, making them look smaller, and he would have less of a taper. So he has to have his hands there to be able to still flex his lats. So to make this pose look pretty, you really have to have lats engagement and to be able to flex your abs at the same time. Where Tabani has enough lats and and that long chest that he can still show that thickness to a small waist. Um, and that's even looking at I'm looking at Tabani's same thing that that lower hip muscle, which I try so much to never develop that uh in the lower oblique because it really takes away from aesthetics. But listen, at a certain point you can't change your hip bones, right? So, I mean, I think I do think James is posing as good as he can for this pose, and I think it's paying off, especially showing it is called the abdominal and one thigh, and he's doing that correctly, which I really like.
SPEAKER_01Okay, uh, let's go.
SPEAKER_05I think then Let's good point, still, man. That's that that is good info.
SPEAKER_01The last one is most muscular, and uh, once again, the reason why I give this one to James is because of his thighs. Um uh and I mean the the two hands on uh we're gonna pull up the video too that uh that Chris sent me. But uh in this picture, if you go from waist up, it looks like Tabani's shot, but from waist down, it looks like James's shot, but it's not really that off when you yeah, I'm still going with James on this one, Chris.
SPEAKER_03Uh on the picture, I on in the picture, I just don't think it's enough for James to win the pose. Um, and in the video, it's like taking kind of long to get into it, and like that's just a textbook hands clasp, like most muscular. I think if you can show your stomach, great, that's awesome. But the judges want to see us all hit like this first, so that's why I don't go straight into a crab or anything else. I always do the hand, and I I suck at that. I suck at having hands clasped because my my clavicles aren't very wide, so it's it it hurts me, but I hit it anyway, and then I go into my better most muscular. So I think that hit the textbook one first, they want to see like the mandatory pose, and then move into it. But like I said, I don't think it's enough to to give uh Hollingshead the win, if that makes any sense. You know what I'm saying? Because it's most muscular, everyone's looking free, pretty freaking sick, and they're they're close enough that I don't think they're gonna give it the other way.
SPEAKER_01Okay. Aaron, what do you think?
SPEAKER_00I mean, I have to say again, legs, James. But aside from that, his hands class most muscular is phenomenal. And uh that's a hard to beat pose right there, like him in that pose. Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, very good shot for him. So I might based on the again, we're going off of these photos, right? Right, and I'm not saying I would like to see James in that same style of most muscular next to him. That would like so I could really um but his most muscular is so good, I might lean towards Sabani and and yeah, it's just the legs, man. They're so crazy on James.
SPEAKER_01But yeah, I know, I know. Kensen, what do you think?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I mean, this shot being the most muscular, uh's is is a difficult guy to defeat when it comes to hitting this hands clasped, you know. Like his arms look substantially bigger than James just from the way that he's hitting it. In turn, James definitely looks like he has the bigger quads with more detail, there's no question. But again, you you you look at it from top to bottom, and this one I actually do want to favor Bay Ruse. You know, I I know that uh in and actually the way that Bay Ruz is hitting this as well. Like I uh I was saying earlier about Beirus really looking like his chest was flat. There wasn't much detail that we were seeing in that. I mean, here you can see like the separation of the shoulders to the arm proportions, as well as the chest striations and the the midsection being superior in detail. Uh I think that the balance looks its best from top to bottom for Beirus in this shot. So his balance, I think, is very good. As opposed to James, the way that he's hitting it, one could argue that he looks like he's actually bottom heavy here, right? The arms, he's not doing himself any favors, I think, by hitting the pose this way. Uh, I was talking about Beirus not really showcasing his traps earlier as well. In this one, I mean, all day, you know, they're they're Dexter Jackson-esque is what it really reminds me of. So I would actually give this most muscular to Beirus.
SPEAKER_01Okay. Uh let me pull up the because that's the last of this one.
SPEAKER_03So I want to say this really quick though. Go ahead. Right now, I counted them out, and I have Tabonny at five to three. Okay. It could be five or it could be four to four if I give the back double to uh James for thickness, but if it comes to lat detail, I'm gonna give it to Tabani. So I have five three right now. So like I'm I just want to say, like, I don't think that this is the biggest robbery. Okay, you know, I can see why people would like James because like I said, I'm a fan too, but just trying to be as objective as possible, yeah. You know, for someone I'm not even I don't know the other guy at all, you know. I I have five three.
SPEAKER_01See what's funny is I have it five three for James, and that's why there's more than one judge, right? You know, exactly, right?
SPEAKER_03So we will we'll go across, and if there's seven of them and there's three and three, though you know there's a tie break, just like uh, you know, we talked about you know Pittsburgh, which I think Nick should have won.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03And the Arnold, I thought also thought Nick should have won. And I love Andrew Jack. So and even though Nick's my friend, so that's a lick weird, right?
SPEAKER_01Let me uh let me pull up the video that you sent me. It is actually hey, whose ass is that?
SPEAKER_05Oh, is that the one? Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01That's mine. Um, where else? IFBB. Uh because I have two different um, what do you call it? I have two different Instagrams. One for the other channel and one for the bodybuilding channel.
SPEAKER_03Do you have two cell phones?
SPEAKER_01Uh, do I have two cell phones? Yeah, no, one for the Tinder. Oh no, I just go on my laptop. Or grinder, I don't know, whatever you're into. Grinder. Oh, um, I thought you meant OnlyFans. Yeah. No, I'm I'm married. I can't do Tinder or Grinder, even if I wasn't.
SPEAKER_04That's just John doing research for us on their channel. That's all.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, exactly. All right, so here's the video. Let's see. Could you zoom it in? No.
SPEAKER_04Can you make it not look like shit, John?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I know. This is as good as it gets, but I don't know what to think about.
SPEAKER_03Oh shit. That's not fair.
SPEAKER_01I know.
SPEAKER_03On are you? We're on Stream. I think you can zoom in on StreamYard.
SPEAKER_01I'm trying. I don't know. I'm not that technically savvy here. Let's see.
SPEAKER_04I I don't even remember how to do it. I can still see I it doesn't matter. I can see the side chest from here. Fucking James took that. Holy fuck, man. Crazy, crazy side try. Like it's crazy side chest.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I can see what you mean when um about getting into the shot quicker. But the the lats, the low lats, man. You know.
SPEAKER_04Alright, let's see if I can do John's job for him. Hold on a second.
SPEAKER_01I need all my help.
SPEAKER_03I know, I know there's a way to do it, but I'm like over here not tech savvy trying to figure shit out too.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, tell me about it. Me too.
SPEAKER_03I don't know.
SPEAKER_01It doesn't, it doesn't matter. I mean, it is what it is. Let me see if I can get another.
SPEAKER_03But like like I said, man, there's there's things that just matter when you're close. Like if you're if you're losing detail in a shot, because like there's even if you hold water in like one spot, like let's say your stomach or your low back, which I'm you know, I'm just saying, like that could change a shot for you. Or if it's far away, you can't see that stuff. You know?
SPEAKER_01Let me see. Does this no, it's not it? Does it come up better on here? Let's see. I don't know. Yeah, maybe. Let's see. No, same shit. Yeah, look, man. Yeah, you know. Alright, whatever. It is what it is.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, John, you gotta press control and then hit your plus button if you want to do it. Well, you fucking get rid of it anyway.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, forget it. I'll figure it out next time.
SPEAKER_05Uh no, you won't. It's all right. Yeah, you're right. Actually, I won't.
SPEAKER_01It took me a while to figure out stream. I'm fucking listening man, I'm fucking 50. I suppose. What else was I gonna say?
SPEAKER_03I'll be in the middle of a podcast and I'm like yelling for my wife. Say that again, Chris. I said when I'm in the middle of a podcast and like yelling for my wife, I'm like, come here, like like before I couldn't get my mic to work and everything, at the computer restarted. I was like, come on.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and I'm I pay somebody to edit my stuff and fucking put it up because I I have no idea, I clue how to do it.
SPEAKER_04Anyway, in uh in my last video that I did, uh my my nine-year-old boy, he actually uh I was I was kind of looking and I was like like I'm recording right now, and I was like, Yeah, what's up, dude? So he came in, he waved, and he was like, When are you gonna make me food, Dad? I was like, I'm keeping this food sucks with gold.
SPEAKER_01The dad thing's gotta come in. All right, so Aaron, here's the big question. All right, people are gonna have this. A lot of people think most people think James should have won. Some people think um uh Tabani should have won. But here's the question okay, Tabani is gonna obviously be headed to the Olympia if he gets his visa, and that's a big fucking question mark, right? We don't know if he's gonna get the visa to the States or not, all right? But now, where does James go from here? Because James's next show is in Tampa, and that ain't gonna be fucking easy for him. And and what sucks is he had two shows where he came really close to winning and getting to back to the Olympia, right? Some people thought that he should have beat um Jordan, and now a lot of people think he should have beat Tabani, but now where does that leave him? Because Tampa's Tampa's stacked.
SPEAKER_00It is what is left after that? Anything?
SPEAKER_01Well, no, yeah, there is. There's the Australian Texas Cup. There's uh, I think there's Linda Murray has an open, from what I understand. It's in Texas, right after Tampa, and then they have Texas, and then it's two weeks after, yeah. Two weeks after, and then you have the Austrian Oak Show, and obviously in Austria. So I was talking to Lee uh last night, and Lee said he thinks James should do the Austria show because he might have a good chance of winning. Because the only big name as of right now is that uh Joan Prudell's doing that show.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, definitely. I mean that yeah, because there's a lot of guys that are really casting their name in the hat at Tampa, and uh if you didn't get the nod here, like I'm not trying to be negative, but it's gonna be tough. You don't want to play second, like you're looking for a qualification. So yeah, I would I would say yeah, go do the Austrian.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, uh, I mean, because I mean the this the and Kensen, who am I forgetting? Okay, in Tampa, you got Nick, you got Joe, you got uh Kennedy, right? Colossus Ken, um Griffin, James.
SPEAKER_04Oh, yeah, you got Charles Griffin, man.
SPEAKER_01Charles Griffin, man. That shows fucking stacked. And uh James is in a difficult position right now because these I don't care what anybody says. James is a gentleman, he's a sportsman, he is he is the nicest guy in the world, but these close number two fucking shows like coming in second, it has to kill you.
SPEAKER_03It has to fucking kill you, especially when you god, you know how much how expensive that is to do all this stuff?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you know what I mean. Hopefully he has a good. I think his from what I understand, I think his his sponsors pay for a portion. He doesn't have full sponsorships paying for his everything, and but and then it's it's very rare. It's very rare nowadays to get sponsors covering. Yeah, yeah, you gotta be a top dude. Yeah, yeah. But now, Chris, where does he go from here? Because like now it's you know, all and and and what's funny is that we've talked about this, like all the other guys, too. Like, you think you're gonna qualify all those guys can't qualify at by at this point, you know. So when's the Austrian one? Uh let me see. Austrian oak, what is that? Is it in German or Austrian? Austrian oak is let me see. It is okay. Austrian oak is August 23rd.
SPEAKER_04So the weekend of the yeah, so that doesn't qualify for this year. That qualifies for next year.
SPEAKER_01No, it does. The 29th is the cutoff.
SPEAKER_04Oh, is it okay? Okay, yeah.
SPEAKER_01So um, so you we got Tampa, we got uh Atlanta Pro, which I believe that's Linda Murray's, right? Uh Texas, uh Austrian Oak, and there's the two bros pro show, but I don't think that has an open. But I might be wrong. Might be wrong.
SPEAKER_04I'm pretty sure no one wants to do two bros pro shows anyway.
SPEAKER_01That's true, actually. Wasn't that the guy who gave Giles the big issue and the problem?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah. And uh who else? Uh yeah, what what else went on there? Um escaped me.
SPEAKER_01Anyway, there was a number of problems with those guys, but yeah, those promoters, uh, people have a difficult time with those guys. So, you know, um James is in a tough spot, man. Because, you know, Regan, you know, you and you know with the guys who lose Tampa are gonna go on to do Texas. You you know that's gonna be the case because they don't want to try to get qualified too, right? I mean, it is what it is. The other thing that I want to bring up, um, well, there's two more things I want to bring up. I hate the fact that all these great bodybuilders are waiting for the last minute. I mean, I know it's difficult, don't get me wrong. I know, but you know, Regan Grimes, uh uh who's the other guy, uh uh uh Jesus Christ, uh Regan, Kennedy, Nick, um uh Joe, Joe, Brett Wilkins, um, you know, you go through the list, and uh these guys, Chris uh Charles Griffin, you're all not gonna get uh qualified, and there were so many missed opportunities in the past, it drives me crazy. But now the thing is again, I wanna Tabani has this mystique about him because of the Visa thing, and it really last year I think the mystique was greater last year before he went into the Olympia. People were saying things like, Well, if he gets to the Olympia, he's gonna upset the top six and blah blah blah blah and so on and so forth. And um, he is a good bodybuilder, don't get me wrong. Um, I don't think if Tabani does wind up getting his visa to come to the State Studio Olympia, I don't think he's a threat on that stage very much. When you break it down to Hottie, Nick, Andrew, uh, Derek, Samson, Samson, and Don Tony, who Martin, Martin. Um, who's the other guy? Uh uh Michael uh what was it? It was the Russian guy's name who beat Tonyo and Pit and Yeah, Sir Sir.
SPEAKER_04Oh, uh well, Chris O. There's uh Chris Green and Curry still. That looks phenomenal.
SPEAKER_01I don't think he's a threat to this to this lineup. I think he is shown that he is very beatable.
SPEAKER_03This top ten is gonna be legit. James last at the Olympia.
SPEAKER_01Say that again, Aaron.
SPEAKER_00James placed last at the Olympia. Right. Not not near the top, right?
SPEAKER_01Not yet. He placed like sixteenth, fifth or sixteenth, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Right. And everyone is like he didn't deserve to beat James. So in my opinion, you know, I think he could do a lot of damage if he brought his legs up to match that phenomenal shape and upper body that he has. But in in what he just showed right now, no, I think you'll get smoked.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I think so too.
SPEAKER_00I mean and it's just it is what it is. It's just a bigger pond with bigger fish in it.
SPEAKER_01No, it's it's a completely different ball game when you get on the Olympia stage. It's it's not even close when you go from a a pro show any pro show for that matter and then go to the Olympia. It's like welcome to the NFL rookie really you know yeah and um yeah I just I think that the mystique of him if you're looking at it objectively is broken because he looks like he's very beat and again I get it you know it's it's it's very hard for him uh the visa thing it's an issue coming in condition you don't know if you're gonna get the visa or not it sucks but you got to play the cards they get dealt and he did have he did come into the Olympia last year and he did place last to Bonnie last year.
SPEAKER_00But I think I think this mystique I think I think he's very beatable I I really do I think he's very beatable especially with these top 10 guys even with an auto classic lineup I think he's very beatable you know in in the what he just brought yeah he is I but I I say that saying he has this phenomenal shape if his legs were bigger he could be less beatable for sure. Yeah he could wipe out a lot of the people that are placing in front of him with a better you know better quads.
SPEAKER_04But I think that when you look at his physique that's what he's losing like in the a lot of the pictures with James but it's he's losing that uh just in terms of like that lower body size yeah no no qu no question about it absolutely um yeah all right any uh Kensen have you changed your stance a little bit or are you still like James should have won nah James should have won't there's there's no question in my mind i i I will die on this hill you know I will die on this hill no but look um after doing this podcast uh absolutely Chris you make some some some very very um educated points you know from a uh for from a professional standpoint there's there's no question you know uh especially when it came to uh the the absent thigh when uh when you were talking about hand position where I mean that was absolutely excellent information you know there's a reason why you've got uh IFPB pro behind you and I'm just some asshole sitting in a hotel right now and uh going to work tomorrow you know um it's uh it but even still with that being said I do still think that be ruse was overwhelmingly the uh the the better physique on that day and we're talking about on that day right that was the conversation yeah well going into this show that was the conversation if be ruse is off and James is on at his best then James can beat be ruse and that's exactly what happened that's exactly what happened but um look it is what it is now like you said be ruse is gonna have to contend with some much bigger fish at that Olympia there's no question if he can if he can even get there um because he placed inside the top 10 not looking like this and you know a lot like I don't think it's at the point where be ruse has has excuses yet either because we've seen phenomenal versions of be ruse you know Dubai Pro 2025 ridiculous absolutely ridiculous you know even when he stood on stage with uh with sampson and horse md at the uh the romania pro what was that like 2024 I want to say yeah right right after sampson won he went on to do the Romania Pro yeah phenomenal phenomenal version of be ruse but now we have be ruse coming off the olympia where he apparently had these teeth infection and it affected him and now apparently he got a cold when he was on his way over to um to to do this show I don't want to say that there's excuses happening as of yet but if he has another one at the Olympia then there's going to be a little bit of a trend that I'm starting to see and I don't want that for him you know I I I want him to be at 100% because 100% be ruse regardless if he places inside the top 10 or not if he's at his 100% is still a very impressive physique that I do want to see on the Olympia stage.
SPEAKER_03Absolutely all right Aaron I'm gonna give you the last word and then we're gonna get the fuck out of here what do you think you think be ruse can improve himself by the time we get to the Olympia I mean he can he can peek better right is he gonna show up with a new physique no like it's a couple months like you know I I and and of course it's it's hard for me to say like how bad how off was this right we don't really know he wasn't he wasn't nailed so can he be better sure but how much better is four percent five percent right it's not gonna be thirty percent better right it's it's so rare to be a hundred percent man like like Jay Culler said he was only a hundred percent in 2019 and maybe 2001 does it even exist it's so it's so hard to exist in the human body to ever really be 100% but and i i'll say this like I'll see someone be at their 100 for peaking like let's say when they turn pro and then they have this new bigger body that they don't know how to work with and they jump from coach to coach your best yes presentation even if you're not the biggest may literally be when you turn pro or something or at one random show that nobody remembers and you didn't even win so it's like I it's so hard man my point was more not can you be 100% it's like how off was that what you saw and that even if he gets better it's gonna be like four percent better at best right it's not gonna be 25 better so that's that's all I'm saying uh and that and that video I'm gonna say this that video was shit the the video in the pictures like and uh like and once again I'm just bringing up the USA's that just happened in person it was bright you could see everything the pictures were so dark my year and this year so it's like you look someone if they have like a little bit less oil they look flat in the pictures because it's so dark of a picture you're like come on man I can't even judge this you know but if you're in person it's like a whole different story so how off was he was was the the video dark was he not oiled up enough there's so many little things that can make someone look more off than they even are it could look like 15% when there's really just like five percent difference.
SPEAKER_01Well last thing I want to say is I hope the live stream is great at this weekend because I'm very excited for Tampa. I think I think we're all excited for Tampa because everybody's looking forward to Palacios versus Walker and then everybody else that you're gonna throw in the mix like I said uh Colossus Ken Charles Griffin uh uh Hollingshead um and you name it uh that is gonna be a stack show so I'm really looking forward to to see it to seeing that man and um I mean okay I mean I'll I'll say it now as a fan I want to see Joe win so bad but my realistic opinion as a bodybuilder my realistic body but my realistic bodybuilder take my emotion out of it I don't think anybody's gonna beat Nick Nick could come in 10% off and still fucking beat everybody I'm I'm sitting here like I text Joe and then I text Nick I'm like you're gonna kill it you're gonna kill it you're gonna beat you I don't I don't actually don't say anything like that I was like damn bro you looking sick I'm like oh damn bro you're looking I don't say anything about winning or anything like that I'm just like dude you guys are awesome yeah friends these guys thank you very much I appreciate it and thank you Chris thank you of course Kenson you're the fucking best I appreciate you guys coming on man I know this was like a fucking you know a pain in the ass this one because of all the shop for shots and this was great man i i like having different skins and stuff all right yeah and and chris man you you're you're you're a fantastic uh breakdown uh chris and aaron the guys that are in the trenches the guys that have been there can always give you a better uh viewpoint or a different viewpoint than the guys that that aren't in the trenches it's just that fucking simple you know um so thank you guys i really appreciate you guys coming on yeah i i really enjoyed this one i gotta say like i i i chris aaron i i i appreciate both of you you know absolutely all right fellas loved it have a good night gentlemen later john later