Bob Cicherillo, Talks about the aftermath of Derek Lunsford 2023 Mr. Olympia victory stirs debates and controversies. Cicherillo, in a recent Voice of Bodybuilding podcast on YouTube, voices concerns about fans sending death threats to Lunsford post-win. Additionally, Cicherillo discusses ongoing debates about whether Nick Walker merits a 2024 Mr. Olympia invitation.
Lunsford’s historic moment unfolds on November 4, securing the Open Mr. Olympia title and Olympia People’s Champ Award. This victory crowns him the first-ever two-division Mr. Olympia champion. However, drama ensues as he defeats teammate and former champion, Hadi Choopan.
The controversy peaks when Choopan abruptly exits before customary victory photos, sparking speculation. Despite public resolution, threats to Lunsford and family safety follow.
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Against this backdrop, Bob Cicherillo, a seasoned figure in the bodybuilding community, embarked on a comprehensive analysis of the significant narratives emerging from the Olympia weekend. The discussions revolved not only around Lunsford’s triumph but also delved into the complexities of fan reactions and the intriguing question of Nick Walker’s potential special invitation to the 2024 Mr. Olympia.
Bob Cicherillo Deliberates on Derek Lunsford Threats, 2023 Olympia Fallout, and Nick Walker’s Prospects
Bob Cicherillo confronts death threats aimed at Derek Lunsford. He emphasizes maintaining ethical boundaries.
“Let’s not get carried away, death threats, like really? These are going to Derek Lunsford and his family! Why would you be threatening his family? For what reason?”
Moreover, Cicherillo asserted that fans ought to channel their dissatisfaction solely towards the judges, emphasizing that participants should not bear the brunt of fans’ ire.
“I don’t care how big of a fan you are, there’s never any reason to put threats out to people. And by the way, none of these athletes voted, right? You want to be mad at somebody, be mad at the judges, they are the ones that made the decision. All Derek Lunsford did was show and do what he should have done, try his best to win the title of Mr. Olympia champion and that’s just what he did. Please enough with the negativity.”
Regarding the direct comparisons between Lunsford and Choopan, Bob Cicherillo efficiently outlined the reasons why the former 212 champion emerged victorious. According to him, Lunsford’s success hinged on his balance, symmetry, and proportions, acknowledging, however, that the competition was closely contested.
“Hadi from the front, Derek from the rear shots, no question about it, best back in the entire show any division, Derek Lunsford. Now we go to the side, well you can kind of split this okay? I like Hadi in the side chest, I like Derek in the side triceps, let’s call it even. Abdominal shot, I’m going to give the edge to Derek, he’s got that smaller waist and the bigger X-frame. Most muscular, definitely Hadi no question about it.”
“It’s tied now what do we do, well you go to the three things I’ve been saying from day one make the biggest difference in bodybuilding and that’s shape, symmetry, and proportions. Check marks to Derek on all three.”
Amidst rumors of a potential suspension for Hadi Choopan, Cicherillo shared his perspective on the matter, asserting that Choopan’s actions shouldn’t be magnified beyond their actual significance.
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“Nobody could hear because he didn’t have a microphone, he said, ‘No. No. No. I go and I don’t come back.’ Then I figured he had to go and moved on with pictures and that was the end of it. I wasn’t going to make a big deal of it on the spot. Listen, if he’s gotta go, he’s gotta do what he’s gotta do. By the same token, this moment belonged to Derek Lunsford.”
Bob Cicherillo Expresses Strong Opposition to Nick Walker Receiving a Special Invite for the 2024 Mr. Olympia
In the wake of Nick Walker’s unfortunate injury just days before the 2023 Olympia, Cicherillo strongly opposes the idea of Walker receiving a special invite for the 2024 Mr. Olympia. Despite Walker’s expressed belief that he deserves such an invitation due to his circumstances, Cicherillo contends that the qualification process should remain consistent for all competitors.
“I got to completely disagree with this one. Everybody that follows my stuff knows I’m not a big fan of special invites, never have been. For the record, I wasn’t even on board with Derek Lunsford getting a special invite,” said Bob Cicherillo.
Cicherillo disregards Nick Walker’s injury as a reason for a special invite. Injuries, he states, are common in sports.
“Guys need to go out there qualify and compete, there’s an integrity to the process that gets destroyed… alright, when there’s special invites that are just kind of thrown out there,” shared Bob Cicherillo.
“The very word, the special invite, special, that means there should be special circumstances. Somebody getting injured be it Nick or anybody else, it’s not special. It’s happened every year that we’ve ever had the Olympia and what will be 60 years next year that we’ll be celebrating. Somebody is always out with an injury. That’s not unique or special and it’s not deserving of a special invite either.”
“I say you get out there and you pick a show and we’ve got plenty of them throughout the year, if the Arnold is too early, that’s cool, go into another show. We got Big Steve’s show, the New York Pro, Tampa, Chicago, shows out of the country, there’s all kinds of shows you can go in, pick one and qualify.”
