Shawn Ray has once again ignited debate inside the bodybuilding world and compares Modern bodybuilding with Miss Universe. During a recent discussion with Milos Sarcev, the former IFBB Pro and long-time commentator argued that modern bodybuilding no longer fits the traditional definition of a sport. Instead, he likened it to a beauty pageant, where visual appeal outweighs measurable athletic performance.

Ray’s remarks come from decades of experience at the highest level of the sport. He competed against legends, finished in the Mr. Olympia top five 12 times, and later transitioned into a vocal analyst of bodybuilding’s direction. Because of that background, his opinions tend to carry weight—even when they frustrate fans and athletes alike.

At the center of his argument is judging. Bodybuilders are evaluated on symmetry, proportion, conditioning, and presentation. There are no stopwatches, no scoreboards, and no objective performance metrics once competitors step onstage. That distinction, Ray argued, fundamentally separates bodybuilding from most recognized sports.

His comments immediately reignited a long-running conversation. Is bodybuilding an athletic contest, an art form, or something closer to a pageant? Ray believes the answer is uncomfortable—but obvious.

“What my experience has told me, don’t ever compare bodybuilding with any other sport in the world, because it’s not. It’s not comparable. I tried to compare it to Miss Universe.”

 

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Shawn Ray Compares Modern Bodybuilding to Miss Universe and Questions Whether It’s Still a Sport

According to Ray, the Miss Universe analogy captures bodybuilding’s reliance on visual judgment. Much like pageants, competitors advance not by objective output but by how they appear relative to others under a specific set of aesthetic standards.

“When you get to the top 10 of Miss Universe, nobody else matters. Anybody can leave with the crown, but you know what they have to do? They have to whittle it down.”

Ray emphasized that narrowing the field doesn’t mean the eliminated competitors lack quality. Instead, it reflects a judging process rooted in comparison rather than quantifiable achievement.

“All the other ones were beautiful too. They are not going to get the crown. There’s only one winner, bro.”

In Ray’s view, bodybuilding functions the same way. Many physiques may be elite, but judges ultimately choose the one that best fits the visual criteria on that day.

Is Bodybuilding a Sport or an Art?

Milos Sarcev pushed back during the conversation, arguing that bodybuilding was very much a sport when he competed. He pointed to the physical demands of training, the discipline required, and the pressure of performing onstage at peak condition.

Ray didn’t dismiss the work involved. Instead, he reframed the outcome.

“It’s a pageant, bro. It’s who looks the best. It’s based on looks. It is an art.”

He then drew a clear line between preparation and competition.

“Nobody has ever asked me how much I can lift when I stand on the Olympia stage.”

To Ray, that absence of measurable performance is decisive. The effort happens backstage, in the gym and kitchen. Onstage, the result is judged purely by appearance.

 

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Why These Comments Still Matter

Ray’s remarks resonate because they touch on an issue bodybuilding has never fully resolved. As prize money grows and global exposure increases, fans continue to debate fairness, consistency, and transparency in judging.

Some agree with Ray. They see bodybuilding as a visual art judged by humans, no different from pageantry, dance, or physique modeling. Others argue that the extreme physical demands alone justify its classification as a sport, regardless of how winners are chosen.

What Ray ultimately forces is clarity. Bodybuilding, he suggests, should stop trying to resemble traditional sports and instead embrace what it truly is: a judged physique competition built on aesthetics.

Watch The Full Video at Milos Vs Shawn Ray Youtube Channel Below:

Overview

Shawn Ray comparison of bodybuilding to Miss Universe challenges long-held assumptions about the sport’s identity. By emphasizing subjective judging over measurable performance, he reframes bodybuilding as an aesthetic competition rather than a conventional athletic contest. Whether fans agree or disagree, his argument highlights the unique nature of physique competition and underscores why debates about judging, fairness, and definition continue to shape bodybuilding’s future.

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