Was Big Ramy TOO big?

When it comes to athletic sporting endeavors, it’s an understatement to say that everyone loves a good upset once in awhile. For those who love the front runner, that may not be the case of course. Some people just like to see a dominant champion who can’t be beaten by the competition. It’s why so many people love Phil Heath yet so many others support a bodybuilder like Kai Greene. But with the latter out of the 2015 Mr. Olympia, the underdog role shifted to other competitors. It left the fans looking for an upset to wonder who could be the athlete that could potentially ruin Heath’s plans of winning a fifth consecutive Olympia championship.

Many had speculated who would be the biggest threat to Phil’s crown. Many people sided with Dennis Wolf, others with Shawn Rhoden, and still others with Dexter Jackson. But there were a great deal of fans that believed the Egyptian bodybuilder known as Big Ramy, real name Mamdouh Elssbiay, would prove to be the man that would threaten the champs reign. With an impressive showing at the Arnold Classic Brazil and touting a frame that would weigh more than 300 lbs, many believed that Big Ramy was going to be the man to keep your eye on at this competition.

The reality however didn’t really pan out that way. Sure, Big Ramy was able to take fifth place, but to many the Egyptian powerhouse was a bit of a disappointment. With such a storied off season, packing on so much muscle and still remaining conditioned, many were hoping to see the most impressive Big Ramy that had ever hit the stage. Unfortunately it appeared that all that size that he packed on proved to be a double edged sword. Take a look these comparison photos and judge for yourself.

photos courtesy of Per Bernal and Flex Onlne.

Compared to his appearance earlier in the year at the Arnold Classic Brazil… his over all package left most of us a bit wanting. With all of that extra size he fell victim to the one big word that often comes up when critics and fans mention Big Ramy’s shortcomings: conditioning. Big Ramy still has a ton of potential and could still prove to be a future Olympia champion, but he’s going to have to make some more adjustments going forward.

Maybe a little less size, bigger calves, and a more shredded midsection will prove to do the trick. Just take a look at Dexter Jackson landing second place – he certainly wasn’t the biggest bodybuilder on the stage compared to the likes of Dennis Wolf or Big Ramy. So maybe the focus on size, for once, isn’t the most important element. Now that here are rumors that Big Ramy hiring a new trainer, anything is possible for the talented bodybuilder. Perhaps he can over come his conditioning woes and lay down the true pressure next year.
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Did you think Big Ramy would place higher this year? Let us know what you think in the comments and forums. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.

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