Blessing Awodibu reacts to Big Ramy’s Olympia win and whether or not his special invite complicates the victory.
When Big Ramy won the Olympia 2020, it was cause for celebration. It was a well deserved victory after years of hype and hope that he could become a tried and true champion. But for some, there was a caveat to his victory. His presence at the Olympia was due to a special invite, not because of qualification. Does this dampen his claim to victory? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Blessing Awodibu shares his thoughts on Big Ramy’s Olympia 2020 victory and special invite.
2020 was a strange and painful year due to the pandemic that swept the world. This certainly affected bodybuilding in more ways than one. Public events were cancelled or postponed, gyms were closed, and for a short while many thought the entire 2020 season would be cancelled.
That didn’t end up happening. By the late summer, cancelled shows had new dates in new locations. Qualification dates for the Olympia were pushed back. The Olympia weekend itself was moved to December and set to take place in Florida. It all worked out – albeit with a lot of changes.
These changes also led to some complications for athletes looking to qualify. That includes Big Ramy, who was set to compete in the Europa Pro 2020 for qualification only to miss the entire competition due to COVID-19. He ultimately had no opportunity to qualify. Due to this, the Olympia gave him a special invite so that he could compete.
Watch our latest GI Exclusive interview segment with Blessing Awodibu above!
Big Ramy would later win the Olympia 2020. While this was received almost universally with positive acclaim, there were some who felt that the win, while earned, was somewhat unfair. He technically shouldn’t have been at the competition at all.
During our conversation with Blessing Awodibu, we asked for his thoughts on the Olympia 2020 results as a whole. He praised Big Ramy as a true champion and impressive bodybuilder. The kind fo bodybuilder that you can tell instantly will be a legend in the sport. He also, without being asked, shared his thoughts on the special invite.
Blessing Awodibu believed that the proof is in the pudding – Big Ramy showcased a spectacular physique at the Olympia 2020. His special invite was deserved as he would have been there in any normal year. Whatever competition he would have chosen to compete in – he would have qualified.
At the end of the day, Blessing Awodibu keeps pointing back to Big Ramy’s physique. Regardless of how he got there – it’s a very rare person who can pull off a physique so spectacular that he wins the Mr. Olympia. Not only that – but it’s largely understood that he won by a mile. He was the obvious choice to win the moment he stepped up for finals.
Maybe some of that is easy to say with hindsight – but Blessing’s point still remains clear. It’s not an accident that a bodybuilder shows up to a show with a physique capable of winning the Mr. Olympia. The pandemic created a unique situation and the Olympia wanted to reward the best bodybuilders in the world with the option to compete for greatness.
While it might seem unfair based on the standard rules set by the Olympia committee, this year was also not a standard year. It’s clear that Big Ramy would have qualified for the competition if this was a standard year. So the special invite was sent out. This is similar to the special invite that Cedric McMillan received previously – as he missed his ability to qualify because of his military duties. He was deployed to help with disaster relief last minute.
You can watch Blessing Awodibu share his thoughts on Big Ramy and the rest of the Mr. Olympia 2020 in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
