Shawn Ray is back for another healthy debate with Milos Sarcev. On Dec. 20, 2025, Ray compared bodybuilding to a Miss Universe contest, calling it a beauty pageant, not a sport.
Whether bodybuilding is an actual sport has been debated for years. Competitors are tasked with presenting physiques based on specific judging criteria. Analyzing physiques is subjective by nature, leading to heated arguments about contest results.
For Sarcev, bodybuilding is a sport of delicate balance, especially in the Men’s Open. Athletes must showcase adequate muscle, conditioning, and balanced proportions to walk away victorious. However, whether that qualifies as an actual sport is unclear. To shed some light on the ongoing debate, Shawn Ray gave his perspective.
Shawn Ray Calls Bodybuilding a ‘Beauty Pageant,’ Not a Sport
In the video, Ray compared bodybuilding to a Miss Universe show where the best-looking contestant ultimately wins.
“What my experience has told me don’t ever compare bodybuilding with any other sport in the world, because it’s not. It’s not comparable. I tried to compare it to Miss Universe. When you get to the top 10 of Miss Universe, nobody else matters, Milos. And they start off with 50 girls in that damn thing, and they all look beautiful.”
Just like a bodybuilding event, judges slowly whittle down the lineup to determine the winner.
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“Anybody can leave with the crown, but you know what they have to do? They have to whittle it down, and not everyone gets a participation award, and by the end, we’re standing there with three beautiful girls. But all the other ones were beautiful too! They are not going to get the crown. There’s only one winner, bro,” said Shawn Ray.
Sarcev interjected, emphasizing that bodybuilding was a sport when he started.
“You want to compare bodybuilding to another sport and bring up Miss Universe?” asks Sarcev. “Miss Universe is a pageant, not a sport. Bodybuilding was a sport when I started.”
Ray maintained his stance that bodybuilding is a pageant and an art form, not an actual sport.
“It’s a pageant, bro. It’s who looks the best. It’s based on looks. It is an art. Nobody has ever asked me how much I can lift when I stand on the Olympia stage,” said Ray. “It’s not a sport, it’s an art. It’s a pageant and an art form. It’s a beauty pageant and an art form.”
Ray wants to see bodybuilding evolve to accommodate a larger fan base. He recently argued that confirmation rounds need to be eliminated. He believes they are a waste of time and provide those who didn’t see the prejudging rounds with another opportunity.
Whether bodybuilding is a sport or a pageant remains up for debate. Ray views it as a pageant and a genuine art form.
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