Bodybuilding Coach Chad Nicholls’ son, Dominic Nicholls, confronts Shawn Ray: “”I’m Going To Kick Your F*cking Ass.”
Drama unfolds at the 2023 Arnold Classic on the expo floor as Chad Nicholls‘ son, Dominic, confronts Shawn Ray. The video has been going viral on social media showcasing Dominic Nicholls verbally threatening Ray – claiming he will “kick your f*cking ass” the next time he sees Ray in person. The confrontation comes after many years of bad blood between Chad Nicholls and Ray. Shawn Ray had made many defaming comments about Nicholls and his coaching techniques.
The Arnold Classic is often always a weekend of excitement and drama. While this drama and tension usually happens on stage – a different kind of battle happened on the expo floor Friday. Dominic Nicholls, the son of bodybuilding coach and guru legend Chad Nicholls, approached and verbally assaulted Shawn Ray.
While there was no physical altercation, Dominic Nicholls stood threateningly close to Shawn Ray and then threatened him – defending his father from the many defaming statements Ray has made over the years. Below is the Instagram video as well as a transcription of the altercation:
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“I don’t want to hear you say one more f*cking word about my f*cking dad okay? Next time I see you, I’m going to kick your f*cking ass, got it? Alright? I don’t want to hear one thing about the f*cking cops…[incoherent]… don’t make me f*cking me come back.”
– Dominic Nicholls to Shawn Ray
Shawn Ray seems to say, “Oh no not again” upon first seeing Dominic Nicholls, implying that this is not their first altercation.
Shawn Ray has gone on record many times against coach Chad Nicholls. Upon the many accusations, Ray has stated that bodybuilder deaths and health risks are directly due to the way Nicholls trains his athletes – implying that he recommends very dangerous drugs. Chad Nicholls has stayed relatively silent on the matter – often choosing to brush it off rather than engage (except one time in 2020).
Bodybuilding coaches and gurus have been under some light scrutiny after recent years in the industry. This is due to the long streak of tragic young athlete deaths in the sport. While there has been no direct connection between these many deaths – many worry that the drug protocols and health standards in pro bodybuilding are to blame. This includes the way coaches train their star athletes.
This seems to be what triggered Shawn Ray’s criticisms of Chad Nicholls’ coaching approach. Though Ray has also been on record criticizing Nicholls for many years even before these recent tragic deaths came to make headlines.
The confrontation ultimately led to no physical altercation – and was only a tense moment in an otherwise eventful and exciting day one of the 2023 Arnold Classic. You can catch our full coverage of the event including updates, exclusive interviews, and results at our official Arnold Classic coverage page here.
