One of the musclemecca.com writers wrote this for us some time ago.
The Mr Olympia contest is the pinnacle of the bodybuilding world. It is the contest which all aspiring bodybuilders dream of one day winning. For 90% of all bodybuilders, dreams are about as close as they will get to stepping on stage, yet for a select few, through years of hard work, dedication, and self sacrifice, they are indeed able to step on stage and compete against the best of the best. There have been many great winners of this prestigious contest over the years, not to mention the fact that we have seen some of the greatest overall packages to ever grace the stages. Examples that instantly spring to mind are Jay Cutler’s 2009 comeback physique when many people had written him off as done in the bodybuilding world. Ronnie Coleman’s 2005 showing is another one that will withstand the test of time, but that was then, and this is now. Now that Kai Greene appears to have walked away from the Mr Olympia for good, realistically there didn’t appear to be anybody in line to upset Phil Heath. In recent years however, we’ve seen some fairly young, relatively new stars begin to shine through, not to mention the return of a bodybuilding legend. This Olympia could be the most exciting yet, so without any further ado, here are our picks for top 6.
1 Cedric McMillan – Yes, you really are reading this correctly, we have indeed tipped Cedric to upset Phil Heath and claim his very first Mr Olympia title. For years many people argued online over just how well Cedric would place on stage at a big show, as many accused him of becoming complacent and failing to nail his conditioning come show day. Sure, a few weeks out in gym changing rooms he would look fantastic, but come show day, there was always something lacking, which more often than not, was conditioning. He would often come in watery, and flat, which obviously affected the overall aesthetics of his physique. Over the last year however, Ced appears to have nailed his conditioning as he has truthfully gone from strength to strength. Last year he placed 7th, and around six months later, he went ahead and scooped the Arnold classic title. His confidence will be sky high from that win, and if he brings a slightly better package, and Phil slips, even slightly, we could have a brand new champ.
2 Phil Heath – As mentioned, we expect this to be a closely fought contest between Cedric and Phil Heath, and although the smart money would be on Phil, with Cedric now more committed and hungry than ever, Phil will certainly have his hands full. Whether he places first, second, third, or even worse still, Phil Heath still belongs at the top of the mountain. Working with the ‘Pro Creator’ Hany Rambod, certainly won’t damage his chances either, especially as the two appear to know Phil so well. Ordinarily, Phil could so what he’s done for the last six straight years, but with some of the changing physiques, and the hungry youngsters chomping at the bit, he will need to dig a little deeper and bring an even better physique to the stage this year, though many expect him to do just that.
3 Dallas McCarver – Dallas McCarver is a very young athlete that appears to have come out of nowhere. Still in his early twenties, the scary thing is that he has not even reached his peak yet, and if he can stay injury free, he will literally get better and better with each training session. A friend of Flex Lewis, the two can often be viewed on social media training in Flex’s ‘Dragon’s lair’ private gym in Florida, and when you see what the two do together, you can’t help but be amazed. Dallas is tall, he has a heck of a lot of size, he’s vascular, and he knows how his body works. Each year he seems to get bigger and bigger, whilst keeping his waist narrow and his body fat relatively low off-season. If he can bring up his back, which he already appears to be doing, he will be a force to be reckoned with for decades to come. Many are already tipping him for the Arnold next year, so he is certainly one to watch.
4 Dexter Jackson – There isn’t much we can say about Dex that hasn’t already been said. He probably has never showed up to a contest not in shape, in his entire life. He isn’t getting any younger, though his physique looks just as good, if not better, than it did ten years ago. Dexter knows how it feels to win an Olympia and the former 08 winner will be looking to throw his name in the fold for another upset this year. Whilst we don’t think he has the size required to scoop the title, a top 4, possibly even top 3 finish, is certainly not out of question. In fact, many people consider it to be a certainty.
5 Roelly Winklaar – For years people were tipping Roelly for big things, but he never quite delivered. The man with arguably the biggest and most freakish triceps in all of bodybuilding, would often lose too much size when trying to nail his conditioning. However, last year he finished in sixth place and a metaphorical fire appears to have been lit under him which has him more driven and motivated than ever.
6 Kevin Levrone – Considering he finished joint last place last year, you may think we’re out of our minds. However, last year it was his legs that let him down due to injury, and that injury is now all healed. The story last year was the comeback and whether he would be able to hang with the big boys, and he did just that, and much more besides. This year the buzz has worn off somewhat now, so now Kevin has to ensure his legs match up to his very impressive upper body. If they do, a top 6 finish is certainly more than possible.
If you want to follow the going on of the 2017 Mr. Olympia, musclemecca.com always has outstanding coverage! https://musclemecca.com/showthread.php?t=238033
