Tag: GI News
2022 GRL PWR Pro Results
Ashlyn Little wins Bikini at the 2022 GRL PWR Pro!
The 2022 GRL PWR Pro took place over the weekend in Orlando where Bikini competitors were vying to earn qualification to the 2022 Olympia. In the end, it was Ashlyn Little who remained in top shape winning the event!
Little already has qualification to the Olympia but was able to register her third victory of the year so far. She was also victorious during the Charlotte Pro and World Klash Pro. Little is now a two-time champion at the GRL PWR Pro, winning the event in 2021 as well.
Bikini has become a huge division in bodybuilding with the field size growing each year. Little has been able to build a championship physique and is gaining momentum into the summer. On Instagram, Little claimed that this was the best package that she brought on stage. This helped her edge the likes of Jennifer Nicole Dolias and Lawna Dunbar.
The full results from the show have been announced! Check out the full results along with an official score card from the action in Orlando over the weekend!
2022 GRL PWR Pro Breakdown
First Place – Ashlyn Little
Second Place – Jennifer Nicole Dolias
Third Place – Lawna Dunbar
Fourth Place – Marcia Goncalves
Fifth Place – Sierra Swann
Sixth Place – Cassandra De La Rosa
Seventh Place – Peyton Hunton
Eighth Place – Gabriella Mohamed
Ninth Place – Jodie Yunker
Tenth Place – Janine Herrera
2022 GRL PWR Pro Official Score Card
Generation Iron wishes to congratulate all the great athletes who earned a win at the 2022 GRL PWR Pro. Make sure to check out our full IFBB Pro results page from this year and previous years right here to catch up on any action you may have missed!
Greg has covered the four major sports for six years and has been featured on sites such as Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports, SB Nation, NJ.com, and FanSided. Now, he is transitioning into the world of bodybuilding and strength sports.
2022 Arnold Classic South America Results
Rafael Brandao was victorious during the 2022 Arnold Classic South America!
The 2022 Arnold Classic South America took place in Brazil about five weeks after competitors took the stage in Columbus, OH to open the bodybuilding season. Now, the action traveled to Brazil to see who would earn yet another bid to the 2022 Olympia. In the end, it was Rafael Brandao who was victorious in Men’s Open.
Brandão took the stage as the favorite in the event and looked the part early on. After pulling his name out of the action in Columbus, Brandão was able to bounce back in Brazil. This is a competition that he is familiar with, finishing as the runner-up in 2019. This is now his second professional victory. The first came last season when he was victorious during the Romania Muscle Fest.
Sibusiso Kotel came in as a dark-horse competitor having competed in shows such as the Vancouver Pro and Chicago Pro in his career. Kotel showed a strong physique and will make some noise on the biggest stage soon. In a strange development, Kotel was not present during the prejudging on Saturday night. He was featured during the Final round but did not receive a full score.
The full results from the show have been announced. This was a show with just one division, Men’s Open, leading the way. Below, check out the full results from the action along with the official score card from the event!
2022 Arnold Classic South America Full Results
Men’s Open
First Place – Rafael Brandao
Second Place – Vitor Hugo Boff
Third Place – Thiago Lins
Fourth Place – William Martins
Fifth Place – Emir Omeragic
2022 Arnold Classic South America Official Score Card
Coming soon!
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Joe Rogan Jokes That Will Smith Hit Chris Rock Because “It Wasn’t The Rock”
Joe Rogan makes light of the situation at the Oscars.
Joe Rogan built one of the top podcasts in the world by speaking on different topics, being open and honest, and finding times to make light of certain situations. Recently, Rogan joked about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock in the face at the Oscars. He believes that he would have not pulled that stunt if it was another person up there.
“You know why he hit Chris Rock because it wasn’t The Rock,” Rogan said.
On the night Smith won Best Actor at the Oscars for his performance as Richard Williams in “King Richard,” he decided to make headlines in another way. Smith reacted poorly to a joke Rock made about his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith. Rock compared her to GI Jane as a reference to her baldness. Smith took offense and decided to slap Rock across the face on stage.
After the slap, Smith walked back to his seat and Rock continued on with his words. Rogan discussed the slap with former UFC Lightweight champion BJ Penn.
“You can tell he did a lot of boxing. His hands looked good.
I think that needs some work. It didn’t even stagger Chris Rock.”
The Rock has built a physique that is well known by all and has been for decades. Since his time in the ring for WWE, Dwayne Johnson has been able to show off his incredible strength and athleticism. Now, he is seen on the big screen as a larger-than-life actor.
Joe Rogan continues to say that this would not have happened if it was The Rock on stage making those comments.
“There’s no chance in hell… Such a crazy thing, to think you could get away with it.”
This is an incident that has blown over to this point but will not be forgotten for quite some time. Smith has since apologized for his part in the incident, which many could not figure out if it were real or not at first.
Joe Rogan continues to discuss any topic imaginable on his podcast and this time, he decided to weigh back in on Smith’s slap. Maybe it would have all been avoided if The Rock were the one on stage speaking at the time.
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Former Mr. Universe Gary Lewer Loses Appeal To Overturn Deportation
Gary Lewer will not be sent back to the UK after being a resident of Australia.
Former Mr. Universe champion Gary Lewer will be deported after losing his appeal was rejected to overturn the original decision. Lewer, a bodybuilding champion, will be sent to the UK after his extensive criminal history has come to light.
Lewer, 66, accepted his criminal history, including a prison sentence on weapons charges from over 25 years ago. During his appeal, Lewer argued that there has been no change in his character since he received his previous visa in 2017. Police have said that they believe he is involved in criminal drug importation and manufacturing enterprise. He has never been convicted of said crimes.
In 2020, Lewer’s deportation was requested on character grounds by Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton. Recently, it was Federal Court judge Justice Bernard Murphy who rejected Lewer’s appeal and upheld his visa cancellation.
Police have also said that he “possesses sound knowledge of police investigation methodology, is extremely disciplined in his criminal conduct to avoid detection and therefore is an extremely difficult suspect to investigate.” Lewer also has a conviction from 2004 when he was caught selling steroids.
Lewer began building a championship physique during the 1980s. He won the 1986 Mr. Australia competition, making it his second victory during the Australian National Championships. He has also competed in many other competitions, such as the Amateur Mr. Universe, over the course of his career.
Gary Lewer is a three-time bodybuilding champion who originally hails from Britain. He left at age five and did not take up Australian citizenship. He has been an Australian resident for close to 60 years.
There has been a petition started in hopes of “stopping this wrongful deportation.” The petition claims that Lewer did not commit a crime and that this is not the right decision. The final goal is to get to 500 signatures. The petition has already reached 387. The petition believes that this is an abuse of power by the police.
Gary Lewer was being held in a detention center during the process. Now, there is an answer on his future and it will be interesting to see if there are any more moves that he can make to stay in his home in Australia.
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Fitness Star Simeon Panda Named Global Brand Ambassador For Gold’s Gym
Simeon Panda will now join an exclusive group connected with the famous Gold’s Gym.
Fitness superstar and bodybuilder Simeon Panda is joining one of the biggest names in fitness. Gold’s Gym is an institution that has been linked to legends such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno, and Franco Columbu. Now, Panda will join that list after being named a Global Brand Ambassador for Gold’s Gym.
Panda has built a huge following on social media, including eight million followers on Instagram. He shared a video on the social media platform to make the announcement and explain what an honor it is to him.
“I am very proud to announce my new position as @goldsgym Global Brand Ambassador ??
I probably wouldn’t be living in LA were it not for @goldsgym Venice. I live and breath bodybuilding, so when I first visited LA everything was centred around it. The hotels I stayed at, and then later the apartments I rented all had to be close by.Jump a few years, I now have the only official home Gold’s Gym in the world!”
Simeon Panda will be linked to the legendary gym and continue to add to the brand. Beginning in May, Panda and Gold’s Gym will reveal a four-week fitness program called “The Mecca Method.” Not only will Panda lead workouts physically but he will create motivational and instructional content.
Simeon Panda, a London-born bodybuilder, has competed in Musclemania competitions over the course of his career. Recently, he has built his brand on social media and is now working to better others. Now, he will join Gold’s Gym and be able to reach more who are interested in fitness.
Gold’s Gym began as a small gym in Venice Beach in 1965. This gym began being associated with some of the biggest names in bodybuilding. Over the last 57 years, Gold’s Gym has over 600 locations on six different continents.
“I am truly excited about this partnership and will do everything I can to continue the Golds Gym core value of building a worldwide fitness community.”
Simeon Panda made the announcement on social media two days ago and will begin his work immediately. Fans can look forward to workout plans that are going to be released in the future by Panda and Gold’s Gym.
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Tyson Fury’s Promoter Bob Arum Believes Fight With Francis Ngannou “Should Be Easy To Make”
Could Tyson Fury and Francis Nggannou put up bigger numbers than Mayweather vs. McGregor?
Tyson Fury has not been shy about calling out a fellow heavyweight champion in recent years. Fury and UFC champ Francis Ngannou have been going back-and-forth about a potential crossover fight. According to Tyson’s Promoter and CEO of Top Rank Bob Arum, this fight might not be that difficult to set up.
Fury made remarks about this meeting once again following his knockout victory over Dillian Whyte. The crossover affair has been compared to another of its kind. Of course, that is Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor. Arum believes that this fight could be even larger.
“I think Fury and this UFC heavyweight champion, Ngannou, do bigger business than Mayweather and McGregor,” Arum recently told BoxingScene.
“They know each other and they know how much there is to be made for that fight…This UFC guy, assuming that he’s able to fight, that’ll do monumental business.”
That fight between Mayweather and McGregor saw 4.3 domestic buys, which is the second-highest buy rate in pay-per-view history. This was just behind Mayweather’s bout with Manny Pacquiao, which sold 4.6 million. Mayweather reportedly made around $280 million for the fight while McGregor, in a losing effort, took home $130 million.
Prior to his fight with Whyte, Tyson Fury announced that it would be his last and he had plans of retiring. This is true of official bouts but Fury has shown interest in appearing in exhibition fights and even teased a match wearing MMA gloves.
When McGregor made the switch to box Mayweather, it was the first time that a UFC fighter under contract was permitted to do so. This would not impact Francis Ngannou, who has no fights left on his current UFC deal. As champion, Ngannou is tied to his deal for another 12 months beginning this past January. Even so, Ngannou will not extend his contract if there is not a clause that allows him to take on Fury.
“The Tyson Fury fight has to be part of the discussion,” Ngannou told The MMA Hour.
“That’s not an option. It has to be part of the discussion because if that’s not part of the discussion, it never will be…If I sign another contract now, basically the same model of the contract, I’m screwed.”
According to Bob Arum, there is interest from both ends and we could see a Fury vs. Ngannou watch set up very soon.
“I don’t know what Ngannou’s contract situation over with the UFC is…Obviously, it’d be a massive fight, and it should be easy to make,” Arum said.
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Krzysztof Wierzbicki Pulls Heaviest Deadlift Seen With 502.5 (1,107.8lb) Lift
Krzysztof Wierzbicki completed the lift with lifting straps and a sumo stance.
Krzysztof Wierzbicki is a Polish powerlifter that might be flirting with the heaviest deadlift of all-time. In a recent video, the powerlifter is seen completing an eye-opening 502.5kg (1,107.8lb) deadlift during a training session. He completed the lift with lifting straps and in a sumo stance.
Wierzbicki shared the video during an Instagram story. He is seen stepping up to the weight looking to build on other massive lifts accomplished recently. Just this month, Wierzbicki was seen pulling 490kg (1,080.3lb) and 461kg (1,016.3lb) on separate occasions.
While this is already an unofficial lift, where does it rank with the other deadlifts of all-time?
Anytime a lift of this caliber is achieved, Eddie Hall and Hafthor Bjornsson have to be mentioned. Hall became the first strongman to achieve the ultimate 500kg club, setting a new world record at the time. This was later broken by Bjornsson, who set a new mark with a lift of 501kg.
Both Hall and Bjornsson are former World’s Strongest Man champions and considered two of the best to ever do it. Bjornsson’s deadlift world record has stood since May 2, 2020.
When looking at the lift accomplished by Krzysztof Wierzbicki, there are a few glaring differences. First, this was done in a training session and not a sanctioned competition. Second, Wierzbicki approaches the bar with a sumo stance rather than a conventional stance. This has become a controversial topic in deadlifting because of the differences in the stance.
The sumo stance allows the lifter to get a wider base and the weight does not have to travel as far. Sumo stances are not legal in strongman, which is why both Hall and Bjornsson use conventional styles. Wierzbicki does not compete in strongman at this time.
The lift accomplished by Wierzbicki was achieved a bit more raw than that of Hall and Bjornsson. This is not considered a completely-raw lift because Wierbicki did use straps. However, he did not have a lifting suit on at the time. Danny Grigsby recently achieved the heaviest deadlift in a powerlifting meet. This was a 465kg (1,025.2lb) lift during the Virginia Beach Classic 2 in March.
It is unknown if Krzysztof Wierzbicki would be able to approach the numbers of Hall and Bjornsson with a conventional stance but nonetheless, this is an impressive lift regardless of stance.
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Nick Walker On Hadi Choopan: ‘He Has the Ability To Win The Olympia As Much As I Do’
Nick Walker believes that Hadi Choopan flies under the radar a bit in bodybuilding.
Hadi Choopan has turned into one of the best bodybuilders in the world but is there a chance that he is still a bit underrated? Nick Walker recently spoke on Choopan during a recent Q&A and feels like he is not mentioned as much as he should be.
Choopan does not appear on stage much but his preparation is up there with the best in the world. Despite Visa issues in the past, he has competed at the Olympia in each of the last three years. Choopan began competing professionally in 2013 and earned a gold medal at the Amateur Olympia in 2018. After another victory during the 2019 Vancouver Pro, Choopan finished third at the Olympia that same year. The 2020 show saw Choopan finish fourth.
In 2021, Hadi Choopan was able to make it to Orlando and many thought he showed up with the best physique. Choopan finished third, behind Big Ramy and Brandon Curry, but this was a controversial victory. There were many around bodybuilding that believed Choopan was the best-conditioned competitor at the show.
This is where Nick Walker began his answers when discussing Choopan.
“I don’t think Hadi gets mentioned as much because he’s probably a little smaller but he has the ability to win the Olympia just as much as I do. His conditioning was second to none and backstage, he was the most impressive bodybuilder,” Walker explained.
Hadi Choopan edged out Hunter Labrada and Nick Walker, who finished fourth and fifth respectively at the Olympia. Walker is not the first competitor to say that Choopan showed up in the best shape.
Nick Walker also took some time to discuss Blessing Awodibu, who used to have a bit of a rivalry with Walker. This stemmed from previous competitions but they have seemed to settle any differences. The two have since began training together on multiple occasions and Walker believes Awodibu is going to be a dark-horse this year.
“I think Blessing is going to surprise us and I think he’s going to place really, really well.”
The 2022 Olympia is scheduled to take place in December and returning to Las Vegas. There are many competitors near the top that can win the show and this includes both Nick Walker and Hadi Choopan.
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Iranian Hulk Shows Crazy Strength By Bending Frying Pan With Bare Hands
The Iranian Hulk has made it clear that he still holds super-human strength.
Is the Iranian Hulk still frustrated over his fight being cancelled? Is this just a show of brute strength? Either way, Sajad Gharibi has made it known that he still holds super-human strength and is capable of doing some crazy things with his bare hands.
In a recent YouTube video, Iranian Hulk is seen bending a frying pan using nothing but his hands. This video was released just four days before Gharibi was scheduled to step in the ring with Martyn Ford at the O2 Arena in London.
There was plenty of drama surrounding the cancellation of this fight earlier in April. Ford claimed that it was cancelled because of “mental well-being” and “health and safety risks.” This came after a video was released of a TV interview featuring an emotional Gharibi speaking on his relationship with his family following the initial stare down with Ford.
Of course, April 30 was not the original date for the fight. It was slated to take place on April 2 but was moved to give fights more time to prepare. On April 4, Ford released a video on social media explaining that the fight night will still be on but they would not be part of it. This did not go over well with Iranian Hulk, who threatened to sue for breach of contract.
During the pre-fight preparation, Iranian Hulk was seen doing some crazy things. In November, he released videos fighting off a group of men and punching concrete walls. More recently, Iranian Hulk was being hit in the midsection with wooden boards in order to build strength in different ways.
The Iranian Hulk did not post to social media much but there was an instance where he shared a YouTube video looking extremely slimmed down while working out on a treadmill.
It is unknown if Iranian Hulk and Martyn Ford will rescheduled their fight, which has been anticipated for years now. If they do, there will be even more hype surrounding the bout after the drama that ensued. If they do not, it is clear that both fighters will continue to train and show off their strength in different ways.
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2022 Arnold Classic South America Preview: Rafael Brandao Headlines Roster
The Arnold Classic will move to South America on Saturday.
Back in March, the bodybuilding season began with Brandon Curry winning the 2022 Arnold Classic. Now, nearly a month and a half later, the Arnold Sports Festival will travel to Sao Paulo, Brazil. The 2022 Arnold Classic South America will be held this weekend on April 29-30.
The Men’s Open division highlights bodybuilding shows around the globe but this will be the only competition that is on tap for the weekend. The winner of this division will earn qualification to the 2022 Olympia, which will take place from Dec. 16-18 in Las Vegas.
Pst winners of this event includes Curry, Kai Greene, and Juan Morel. There are currently six competitors on the list looking tp add their names to the history books in Brazil.
2022 Arnold Classic South America Lineup
Thiago Lins Adao
Alan Ramino Bonadiman
Rafael Brandão
Marcelo Pedro da Cruz
Sibusiso Kotelo
Eduardo Rodriguez
Rafael Brandão
Brandão last appeared on stage in this competition in 2019, when he finished as the runner-up to Morel. He has competed sparingly since but is still considered an up-and-coming talent ready to breakout. In 2021, Brandão won the Romania Muscle Fest Pro to secure his first professional victory. He was slated to appear at the Arnold Classic in Columbus, OH but was forced to withdraw his name. Now, Brandão will enter Brazil as the favorite to win this event.
Sibusiso Kotelo
Kotelo won his Pro Card in 2018 after winning the Worldwide Shawn Rhoden Classic. In 2019, he competed three times but has not been on stage since. Kotelo finished ninth at the 2019 Chicago Pro during his debut before stepping on stage during the Vancouver Pro and Monsterzym Pro. Kotelo has built a strong physique with incredible symmetry to this point. It will be difficult to top Brandão but Kotelo has a chance if he shows up at his absolute best.
Eduardo Rodriguez
Rodriguez has appeared in one professional show and it came back in November during the Bigman Weekend Pro. Rodriguez finished fifth in Men’s Open during the event, which is impressive in its own right. He has plenty of experience at the NPC level and is ready to make a big jump in Brazil. With a small field prepared to take the stage, Rodriguez has a chance to make an impact once the show begins.
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