Shahriar Kamali, better known as King Kamali, wants to see the sport return to its roots. On April 22, 2026, he called for the symmetry round to make a comeback, highlighting that the Open division has become a most muscular competition.
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, King Kamali proved himself as a top threat in the IFBB Pro League. He tested himself against stars like Jay Cutler, Dexter Jackson, and Flex Wheeler. Over time, the symmetry round was gradually phased out, but Kamali believes it was essential to the sport’s integrity.
Men’s Open contenders today aren’t judged using a symmetry round. Some, such as former Mr. Olympia Samir Bannout, have called that out. He believes symmetry should always factor into the scorecards. Now, Kamali is providing insight into the ongoing debate.
King Kamali Wants Symmetry Round Back in Men’s Open, Says It’s Become ‘A Most Muscular Competition’
In the latest episode of Iron OGs, Kamali questioned why the symmetry round hasn’t made a return in the Men’s Open. He believes that due to a lack of posing emphasis, the division has devolved into a most muscular competition.
“When I listen to Bob, I love Bob, Bob’s my brother, and stuff like that. I don’t see why they don’t bring that back. I don’t see why they don’t put a little bit more emphasis on the posing because right now, it’s become a most muscular competition,” said King Kamali.
He shared that symmetry rounds played a major role in contest results when he competed actively.
“We had a symmetry round where they worked us. They brought this guy, I mean, I got a comparison against Orval, I got a comparison against Melvin, I got a comparison against Vince Taylor. They wanted to see symmetry. I don’t know what happened to that, to be honest with you.”
King Kamali isn’t the only bodybuilder to call out issues in the Open. Lee Labrada maintains that symmetry, proportions, and balance are ‘being tossed to the side.’ Instead, he argued that competitors are more concerned with bulking and building the biggest physique possible.
“As much as I believe that posing was refined through the 70s until the 80s, I do believe that it reached a pinnacle in the late 80s and early 90s before the Dorian Yates era. Then, bodybuilding seemed to go in the direction of what I call mass-building, not so much bodybuilding.”
Resurrecting the symmetry round would benefit the sport in Kamali’s eyes. Do you think it should make a return in modern bodybuilding?
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