Mr. Olympia 2023 | Community Forum

dazzledaisy9.36RPOriginal post

7d ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuzbxMbP8ic I'm calling bullshit. Don’t get me wrong—Derek Lunsford looked fantastic and was right there with Hadi... but Hadi beat him in virtually every mandatory pose and his conditioning was superior. Yeah, Lunsford has the crisper V-taper and can pull off a vacuum, but that alone doesn't secure an Olympia. Hadi was the reigning champ, came in peak condition, and honestly looked as good or better than he did in 2022. Size and muscle-for-muscle they were about even pose-for-pose, but Hadi had the edge in conditioning.

19 replies · page 1 of 2

speed_quiet3.25RP

7d ago

I agree on the physiques, but Derek plays the sport better off-stage. Hadi stormed off after he didn’t win—I saw it live and people were shocked by the poor sportsmanship. Bodybuilding is global, and from a marketing standpoint it’s easier to promote Derek than Hadi—Hadi isn’t very active on social media and doesn’t speak English, which makes him harder to market.

eastracer9.18RP

7d ago

At first I thought Hadi was robbed, but after rewatching the footage it honestly could've gone either way. In the end, being pleasant on stage probably helped.

coastscribe7611.03RP

7d ago

You made solid points. Look at Hadi versus Chris Bumstead—Hadi might not have brought much money into the sport, while Bumstead is more mainstream and has likely generated tons of exposure (maybe more than anyone since Ronnie or Jay). I’m not saying politics should decide placings, but I can understand why they might factor in.

rocketvalley759.76RP

7d ago

Good observations. The IFBB should pay the classic guys way more than $50k total—that’s a joke. Chris Bumstead has money, sure, but the guys below him probably don’t. While $50k helps, $100k feels more appropriate for a top prize. Top pros should be able to stop working and live off prize money and sponsorships. A footballer often earns more from a single boot deal than many pros do in a year.

north28.87RP

7d ago

Imagine being the best on the planet in your division and getting paid minimum wage. Seeing a giant novelty check for $200 is insulting. A sponsor could easily throw in another $1,000 per show—five sponsors could do it. Guys are risking everything for a $1,000 payout; it should change.

anvilsunday12.68RP

7d ago

I win first place and it still doesn’t cover the cost of my cycle. Then travel, hotels, everything else—I'm out around $2k even when I place.

dusty_night845.25RP

7d ago

Exactly. It’s politics and marketing, not just at the Olympia but everywhere in the sport. You see it down to the amateur level with coaches and promoters pushing themselves.

scoutx13.64RP

7d ago

Honestly, I don’t think the classic division should even exist—it felt like another way for NPC/IBFF to cash in by adding entry fees. It waters everything down and the prize money should be going to the athletes instead.

readermidnight849.98RP

7d ago

Fantastic matchup. I'm pleased to see champs getting dethroned. For years it felt like the title-holder kept it regardless of conditioning. Not dogging Yates—he was huge for the sport—but giving symmetry awards when the torso was rounded and an arm looked tiny robbed other guys, especially Levrone. I met Levrone at a show once—super humble and a true pro.

silvergains4.96RP

7d ago

Men’s Physique, Bikini, even Wellness—all added for cash. Tons of amateurs enter the qualifiers, which means stacks of entry fees, plus friends and family buying tickets. I love following bodybuilding and have built up a huge knowledge base over the last decade, but the freak factor is real. Would be cool if the Olympia toured the world—maybe I’d get to see it live one day.

mondayowl12.86RP

7d ago

I never understood the sacrifice when the money is so poor. Bodybuilding is rough, and powerlifting is even worse when you look at prize money.

whiskey_pump642.62RP

7d ago

I agree—having a classic division shows respect to the old-school athletes who built the sport. But overall prize money is pathetic and classic deserves better pay too. Without sponsorships these athletes are basically out of luck.

quiethawk306.65RP

7d ago

Kevin Levrone is, in my view, one of the most naturally gifted bodybuilders ever. He’d hop on for a few months pre-contest and blow everyone away with the size he added—insane. And like you said, he’s as down-to-earth and humble as they come. He should have at least one Olympia; he always says it wasn’t meant to be because of Ronnie, and maybe that’s true, but he definitely deserved one.

crownorth8.31RP

7d ago

I stopped following bodybuilding after Kai and Phil left the stage. To me they were the last true greats. Now the top end feels like a toss-up. It’s nothing like the 90s/2000s era. The 70s had its moments too. And I agree—Hadi seemed better conditioned than Lunsford.

wolfx10.3RP

7d ago

Sure, but if they’re pulling more from entry fees then they should be distributing more back out. The issue is greedy promoters—not that adding divisions has to hurt competitors, it’s how they handle the money.

bearquiet10.39RP

7d ago

They aren’t sharing the revenue. It’s lining their pockets, not paying the competitors.

brawntinker404.34RP

7d ago

Can’t wait to see the next cash-grab division—maybe ‘dad-bods’ or something. This is already getting ridiculous with the number of divisions.

platenight7.39RP

7d ago

Bingo—the promoters are greedy. Bodybuilding follows the same pattern as other sports when it comes to money grabbing. Look at boxing for an example.

storm_owl3612.97RP

7d ago

Happy Derek walked away with the title.