The crowning of Derek Lunsford as the 2023 Mr. Olympia has sparked discussions about the Open division’s future. In a recent episode of The Menace Podcast, published on November 12, seasoned bodybuilding experts Milos Sarcev, Dennis James, and Chris Cormier delved into the unfolding events of 2023 Mr olympia.
Notably, former 212 Olympia winner Derek Lunsford made history by becoming the first two-division Mr. Olympia champion. This feat was coveted by seven-time 212 Olympia titleholder Flex Lewis. However, Lunsford’s victory stirred controversy, particularly regarding his teammate Hadi Choopan.
However, Lunsford’s victory was not without controversy. The finals pitted him against his teammate Hadi Choopan, and the aftermath of Lunsford’s win stirred considerable debate. The bodybuilding community, particularly online fans, found the victory contentious. Post his triumph, Lunsford faced not only criticism but also threats to his safety and his family.
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Despite public assurances from Choopan and Lunsford regarding their amicable relationship, debates persist about the rightful winner. Milos Sarcev, Dennis James, and Chris Cormier, esteemed figures in the world of bodybuilding, recently added their insights to the ongoing discourse surrounding the aftermath of the 2023 Olympia.
Dennis James, Milos Sarcev, Chris Cormier: Breakdown of Derek Lunsford’s Physique and 2023 Olympia Results
In their discussion, Chris Cormier admitted uncertainty about the cause of bumps in Lunsford’s lats, while Dennis James speculated that these features might be related to injection sites or an inflamed lymph node. This conversation provided an in-depth analysis of Derek Lunsford’s physique and examined factors contributing to the observed characteristics, offering insights into the 2023 Olympia results.
“Listen, but you got to be better at hiding stuff [referring to the lumps on Lunsford’s lats] hiding those type of things because you don’t want this type of fallout but but let’s not think that he’s the only one or that was I don’t know, it just needed to be thought out better but everyone’s doing something,” said Chris Cormier.
“I don’t know, if you tell me this is a lymph node I would believe it too,” said James. “I can’t see anybody shooting it to the point that it lumps up like the way it did. It’s symmetrically on both sides. I mean this looks like you’ve been doing this shit for a long time.”
Cormier stresses the importance of careful consideration in the injection process. He states that it needs to be “better thought out” to avoid adverse effects that could potentially “totally mess up your body and shorten your career in bodybuilding.”
“There’s thighs, there’s hamstrings, there’s a lot of stuff going on where they are choosing to place different things. I’m not talking about Derek especially, I’m talking about overall in this sport. Men and women.
I just think it needs to be better thought out and understanding what can happen and what can come up of putting a substance in your body and I’m not saying to that point, but I just rather not see that type of thing like on the legs, hamstrings, and I think it’s potentially dangerous and I think you can actually tear muscles and I think you can totally mess up your body and shorten your career in bodybuilding.”
Despite the questioning of the legitimacy of his victory, Sarcev emphasized that Lunsford made history on November 4.
“Let’s first state, he made history, first 212 guys, had the courage to go to the Open, almost won last year, he said he was going to come and win it improved, he improved, and he won it, congratulations. Shit,” said Milos Sarcev.
“Yeah [he beat Hadi Choopan]” said Cormier. “He did a slam dunk from the free throw line with that back double biceps.”
“I didn’t [agree with Lunsford’s victory],” clarified Sarcev.
Sarcev contends that Choopan and Lunsford were comparable, considering Choopan’s back and Lunsford’s front.
“He knows he doesn’t have the striations and details in the front for that, because I look at it this way, how much worse is Hadi’s back compared to Derek’s front? asks James.
“Comparable, very comparable,” replied Sarcev.
“I think Hadi’s glutes had more striations than Derek’s chest. I think that Hadi’s back was not as good as his front but if I had to take it, how big of a difference from front to back, I would say 70% different. He’s 70% from the back, 100% from the front. With Derek, I’m going to be honest, he’s 110% from the back, and maybe 60% from the front,” explained Dennis James.
Dennis James, given the choice, would have bestowed Choopan with his second Mr. Olympia title.
“If I would have been the deciding factor for the win, I would have gave it to Hadi one more time,” added James. “I’m cool with Derek winning.”
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Next, Cormier, Sarcev, and James discussed whether or not Lunsford has an abs and thigh pose since he always pulls vacuums which doesn’t show off his abs.
“The abs were improved [on Lunsford] even though it wasn’t like Hadi’s abs, but they were improved,” said Cormier.
“Why do you think he didn’t do an ab shot, ab and thigh, both hands overhead? asks James.
“Maybe it was gamesmanship, maybe it was a chess match,” said Cormier.
“Yeah, because he’s more competitive not showing,” shared Sarcev.
Dennis James and Milos Sarcev Discuss Choopan’s Exit and the Path to Reclaiming the Title
Despite Choopan’s sudden exit from the stage, both Dennis James and Milos Sarcev expressed no concerns about his behavior. Sarcev agreed, mentioning that he did take one picture and congratulated Lunsford.
“He took the loss, he took that thing, and he has nothing bad to say, he was in good spirit,” said Dennis James about Choopan. “You know, when you win the Olympia and you lose it… you know, you’re kind of like, ugh, that sucks. Look at Hadi, I don’t fucking think anything of Hadi for him walking off stage. I can get it. I know, I’m a fucking sore loser too. If you work hard for something and you want to win, I’m a sore – you do shit like this and this is nothing. I don’t think he did that to disrespect the people I just think he was ready to get out.”
“He congratulated him, accepted the medal, took a picture, he just after that first picture he didn’t want to take anymore,” said Sarcev.
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In response to how Choopan could regain his Mr. Olympia title, Sarcev emphasized the need for additional back detail, while Cormier mentioned the requirement for harder legs.
“I get more comments about Hadi got fucking robbed,” said James.
“Me too, they act like you had something to do with it, like ‘God is going to curse this sport,’” said Cormier.
“Back detail,” said Sarcev. “I think so [that’s all he has to do,” said Sarcev.
“Those legs have to be hard [for Choopan to win back the title],” Cormier shared.
Tyler Manion, Vice President of the IFBB Pro League, addressed the controversy surrounding the 2023 Olympia through insightful Instagram videos. He emphasized that defeating the reigning champion isn’t necessary to claim the title. The arbitration process, as explained by Manion, meticulously evaluated the eight mandatory poses, favoring Derek Lunsford in five of them.
As Hadi Choopan recuperates and eyes a comeback, anticipation builds for the 2024 Mr. Olympia. The event is set to unfold at the Las Vegas Convention Center in October, marking the 60th anniversary of the iconic Olympia. Fans eagerly await this highly anticipated rematch, shaping up to be unforgettable.
For an in-depth exploration of this perspective, the complete video is available on the Muscle and Fitness YouTube channel:
Overview
The 2023 Mr. Olympia, marked by Derek Lunsford’s historic dual championship win, ignites debates on the Open division’s future. Moreover, Dennis James and Chris Cormier scrutinize the results and debate Hadi Choopan’s fate. However, despite controversy over Choopan’s competition with Lunsford, experts like Milos Sarcev, Dennis James, and Chris Cormier provide insights into physique, posing choices, and the win’s legitimacy. Tyler Manion clarifies the evaluation process amidst disagreements. As Choopan eyes a comeback, the 2024 Mr. Olympia promises another historic chapter at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Featured Image @aj.kellyrobert, @hadi_choopan (Instagram), & @Muscle and Fitness (Youtube)
