Fitness Volt
  • News
    • Bodybuilding
    • Strongman
    • Powerlifting
    • Armwrestling
    • CrossFit
    • Results
    • Arnold Classic
    • Mr. Olympia
  • 2025 WSM
  • Workouts
    • Training
    • Workout Plans
    • Celebrity Workouts
    • Training Programs
    • Mastering The Deadlift
  • Exercise Guides
    • Muscle Groups
    • Arms
    • Back
    • Chest
    • Core
    • Legs and Glutes
    • Mobility & Stretching
    • Shoulders
    • Yoga
  • Nutrition
    • Diet
    • Fasting
    • Diet Plans
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Supplements
    • Reviews
    • Food Facts
  • Calculators
  • More
    • Forum
    • Strength Standards
    • DIY
    • Profiles
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • MMA
No Result
View All Result
Fitness Volt
  • News
    • Bodybuilding
    • Strongman
    • Powerlifting
    • Armwrestling
    • CrossFit
    • Results
    • Arnold Classic
    • Mr. Olympia
  • 2025 WSM
  • Workouts
    • Training
    • Workout Plans
    • Celebrity Workouts
    • Training Programs
    • Mastering The Deadlift
  • Exercise Guides
    • Muscle Groups
    • Arms
    • Back
    • Chest
    • Core
    • Legs and Glutes
    • Mobility & Stretching
    • Shoulders
    • Yoga
  • Nutrition
    • Diet
    • Fasting
    • Diet Plans
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Supplements
    • Reviews
    • Food Facts
  • Calculators
  • More
    • Forum
    • Strength Standards
    • DIY
    • Profiles
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • MMA
No Result
View All Result
Fitness Volt
No Result
View All Result
Home » Bodybuilding

‘Don’t Give Big Ramy False Hope’: Bob Cicherillo Doubles Down on Fallen Champ & 2023 Arnold Classic Judging

Cicherillo gave his take on the downfall of Big Ramy and broke down the judging of the top contenders at the Arnold Classic

Written by Nikhil Sharma

Published on29 March, 2023 | 12:58 PM EDT

Updated on29 March, 2023 | 8:57 AM EDT

Ask Question?
Bob Cicherillo, 2023 Arnold Classic, Big Ramy, Nick Walker, Samson Dauda, Andrew Jacked

Credit: Muscular Development, Arnold Sports Festival (via YouTube & Instagram)

IFBB Pro League athletes’ representative Bob Cicherillo has taken it upon himself to educate bodybuilding fans on how judging works in the sport. In a recent MD Power Hour episode, Cicherillo talked about the downfall of Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay and provided reasons why Nick Walker didn’t win in Ohio. 

Former two-time Mr. Olympia Big Ramy suffered a crushing defeat at the 2022 Mr. Olympia last December. He went into the show as the favorite to retain his title but came in looking visibly off. He turned in a lackluster showing and left the door open for Hadi Choopan to emerge as the new champion. In the end, Elssbiay dropped down to fifth.

Following the event, there was speculation about whether Ramy competed with an injury. He chose to make a quick turnaround and signed up for the 2023 Arnold Classic, which concluded earlier this month. Ramy presented an improved package on stage in Columbus, Ohio but left the show without gold. Eventually, Samson Dauda took home the top prize with Nick Walker finishing second, Andrew Jacked in third, and Ramy placing fourth after a fierce battle with two-time 212 Olympia champ Shaun Clarida.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mr Olympia Big Ramy (@big_ramy)

The results sparked a heated debate online as fans argued against the judging of the show. ‘The Mutant’s’ fans disapproved of Walker losing to Dauda. Bob Cicherillo hit back at critics for bashing the judging and said Walker lost because he lacked his usual freak factor. A few days later, Cicherillo offered a detailed guideline for properly judging a bodybuilding show while reaffirming his analysis of Walker.

Get Fitter, Faster

Level Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!

Please wait...
You're In! Let's Crush Your Fitness Goals Together

Expect expert-backed workouts, nutrition advice, the latest in strength sports, and a whole lot of motivation heading your way.

Many considered Ramy’s showing a positive sign of his future in the sport. However, Cicherillo pushed back on the idea of a potential comeback for the Egyptian mass monster. He believes Ramy needs to completely transform his physique and suggested he wouldn’t be able to win another Sandow trophy.

Bob’s critique drew allegations of being a mouthpiece for the IFBB Pro League and organization president Jim Manion. Cicherillo refuted the claims and dismissed theories of Ramy being judged unfairly due to an alleged grudge Manion held against him due to missing a guest posing appearance at the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro.

Cicherillo is confident Dauda has what it takes to win Olympia. He lauded ‘The Nigerian Lion’s’ impeccable muscle shape and backed him to win the 2023 Mr. Olympia if he came at his best. Cicherillo got called out by Ramy’s training partner Dennis James for making an unfair comparison. Although James agreed with the result, he claimed Ramy did not get a fair shake on stage.

Bob Cicherillo doesn’t want fans to give Big Ramy false hope

In a recent MD Power Hour episode on YouTube, Bob Cicherillo shared his analysis of Big Ramy’s evolution in the sport and recommended he take some time off.

“Here’s a question to all the conspiracy people out there who say Ramy’s getting held back, spanked, kept down from the powers that be because he didn’t show up in Pittsburgh and all this crap,” said Cicherillo. “If that’s the case, why would they have even invited him to the Arnold? The Arnold is invitational, they can invite whoever they want. They don’t have to have anybody. If Jim has the power or wish for some odd reason to keep somebody out, why would he let him in the show?”

“Number one, I didn’t tell Ramy to retire. Number two, if you can’t see the differences in his physique, then you got no business commentating bodybuilding. It’s very obvious and evident he’s not the same guy he was a few years ago. He’s got some problems which they brought up themselves.”

“What’s Ramy need to do in my expert opinion? Take some time off. Get your physique back where you got to get it. Fix whatever problems you got going.”

He urged fans to stop suggesting that Big Ramy can regain his Olympia title with his current physique. 

“The fans, don’t prop these guys up and give them false hope. Be realistic. I give him an honest answer. If he can’t get back to where he was, I would say maybe he needs to look at something else. What’s option B? Be 10th at the next Olympia?”

“If the problems that Ramy has can be fixed, then I’m all for it. Why would I not want him to come back? He’s one of the best bodybuilders in the world, love the guy. But if you can’t, why would you want to put a 80% Ramy on stage? We all age. We all don’t get better as we go. We all end up with problems and injuries and stuff. That’s the essence of any sport.

“But if you truly care about Ramy or anybody in that position, don’t give him false impressions of what he can put out there and what he can’t.”

Bob Cicheriilo compared judging a show live in person and on a live stream in a recent podcast. He favors the opinion of those in attendance as they get a closer look at the competitors. He extended his support for Dauda and Derek Lunsford as the biggest threats to Choopan later this year.

Cicherillo explains Nick Walker’s loss and other placings at the 2023 Arnold Classic

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nick "the Mutant" Walker (@nick_walker39)

Bob Cicherillo gave his take on why Nick Walker scored silver. He laid out the judging system and provided justifications for the top three finishers. 

“There are no absolutes in bodybuilding,” continued Cicherillo. “Everything is a grey area of aesthetics. It’s somebody’s opinion at the end of the day. But it’s not who has the most amount of strength, it’s about who has the least amount of weaknesses. Why is Samson first? Well, for very obvious reasons. He’s got the best of everything overall; symmetry, shape, proportion, muscularity, and conditioning.

“Now you go Nick Walker and Andrew Jacked, who’s second and third? Walker, freak, all these things, brought it down a little bit too much in my opinion, lost some of that ‘freak factor’ he had at the Olympia. He’s a little long torso and short-legged. He doesn’t have the best aesthetics in the world. But he brings great conditioning, is always on point, and never out of shape.

“Jacked, big, tall, aesthetic, lots of muscle, needs a little bit more thickness from the side, conditioning not as good as Walker. Who do you pick? It’s the one with the least weaknesses and that’s Nick Walker in this case.”

“I can give Nick a few poses but I can also take him out of all the front and back poses because he’s not proportional. If you’re not proportional, how the hell are you winning a front double bicep? You don’t win poses. You get assessed against the other guy.

“Why isn’t Samson win that pose when he’s the most symmetrical of anybody out there? You can see where you can make an argument either way. But that’s why you’re not scored. There is no score for the side chest pose, the most muscular, or the abdominal pose. It’s not scored like that. It’s a general assessment of somebody’s physique. At the end of the day, it’s somebody’s opinion versus mine.”

Bob Cicherillo recently issued a fiery message to ‘biased’ coaches and disputed the accuracy of judging a show online. He believes coaches tend to weigh heavily toward their own clients as opposed to offering more objective opinions.

You can watch the full video below.

RELATED: Athletes Rep Bob Cicherillo Offers Pay-Per-View ‘Profit-Share’ Solution to Bodybuilders Having to Pay Own Way for Events


Catch comprehensive coverage of the 2025 Arnold Classic, including pre-judging, event recaps, analyses, and complete Arnold Classic results at our Arnold Classic coverage hub:
FitnessVolt.com/arnold-classic


If you have any questions or need further clarification about this news, please leave a comment below, and Nikhil will get back to you as soon as possible.

Stay on top of the latest fitness news and updates by adding Fitness Volt to your Google News feed: Follow us on Google News You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for even more content.
Facebook Twitter Reddit Flipboard LinkedIn Pinterest
Categories: Arnold Classic Bodybuilding News Videos
Previous Post

Ronnie Coleman Shares 4 ‘Greatest Bodybuilding Poses of All Time’

Next Post

Lee Haney Reveals Why He Retired after 8th Olympia Win: ‘I Thought of Stopping at 7’

Nikhil Sharma

Nikhil Sharma

Lifelong fitness & combat sports enthusiast and fan with a love for the community and everything related.

Related

Lee Priest
Bodybuilding

“Nick Should’ve Been the Winner” – Lee Priest Discusses 2025 Pittsburgh Pro Results

Jay Cutler
Bodybuilding

Jay Cutler, Milos Sarcev Discuss Nick Walker Losing to Derek Lunsford at Pittsburgh Pro: ‘A Lot of People Thought He Should Have Won’

Steve Weinberger
Bodybuilding

Steve Weinberger Talks Nick Walker vs Derek Lunsford at Pittsburgh Pro: “It Was the Closest Show We’ve Seen in Years”

Bob Cicherillo
Bodybuilding

Bob Cicherillo Explains How Derek Lunsford Beat Nick Walker in Pittsburgh, Says There Was No Robbery or ‘Politics Involved’

Rich Gaspari
Bodybuilding

Rich Gaspari Would’ve ‘Given the Nod’ to Nick Walker in Pittsburgh, Says Derek Lunsford Was ‘5% Off’

Dorian Yates
Bodybuilding

Dorian Yates Had Nick Walker Winning 2025 Pittsburgh Pro, Gives Advice to Samson Dauda: ‘More Upper Body’

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest

2025 World’s Strongest Man Results [Live Updates]

2025 World’s Strongest Man Finals — Day Two Results [Live Updates]

Larry Wheels Wins IFBB Pro Card in Classic Physique at 2025 Musclecontest Ireland

Retired Bodybuilder Dennis Wolf Shares Ripped Upper Body Update at 46 in Latest Photo

Rich Gaspari Flaunts Ripped 6-Pack at 61 in Latest Photo: “Still Got It!!”

Old School Muscle: The Frank Zane Program for Classic Muscle Growth

Fitness Volt

At Fitness Volt, our mission is to empower every individual on their fitness journey by providing expert advice, the latest research, and comprehensive resources. Whether you are a beginner or an elite athlete, we are here to support your goals with trustworthy and up-to-date information in strength, fitness, and nutrition. Read more.

For inquiries, please contact us at:
Email: [email protected]

About Us | Careers | Contact Form

Topics

  • Mr. Olympia
  • Bodybuilding
  • Strongman
  • WSM
  • Powerlifting
  • CrossFit
  • Workouts
  • Exercises
  • Training
  • Reviews
  • Nutrition
  • Discussion Forum

More

  • Calculators
  • Fasting
  • Mastering The Deadlift
  • Workout Plans
  • At-Home Workouts
  • Programs
  • Supplements
  • Newsletter
  • Review Process
  • Accessibility
  • Advertise
  • Syndication
  • Sitemap
  • DMCA
  • Copyrights
  • Terms
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Disclaimer

© Copyright 2010 - 2024 Fitness Volt IBC. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Bodybuilding
    • Powerlifting
    • Strongman
    • Armwrestling
    • CrossFit
    • Results
    • Mr. Olympia
    • 2024 WSM
    • Arnold Classic
  • Forum
  • Workouts
    • Training
    • Workout Plans
    • Muscle Groups
    • Celebrity Workouts
    • Programs
    • Mastering The Deadlift
  • Exercise Guides
    • Arms
    • Back
    • Chest
    • Core
    • Legs and Glutes
    • Shoulders
    • Yoga
  • Nutrition
    • Diet
    • Fasting
    • Diet Plans
    • Supplements
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Reviews
    • Food Facts
  • Fitness Calculator
  • More
    • DIY
    • Strength Standards
    • Motivation
    • Videos

© Copyright 2010 - 2024 Fitness Volt IBC. All Rights Reserved.