Bodybuilder Nathan De Asha intends to leave the Middle East $100,000 richer this weekend. In a recent Rx Muscle interview published on July 25, 2024, De Asha assessed his competition at the 2024 Dubai Pro and revealed his plan to retire from the sport at 40 years old.
Nathan De Asha has made the Men’s Open class his playground, having laid claim to multiple Pro titles throughout his tenure. In his return to the stage for the 2024 season, De Asha clinched the Open Bodybuilding title against former two-time Arnold Classic champ William Bonac at the 2024 Mr. Big Evolution Portugal Pro, paving the way for him to compete at the upcoming Mr. Olympia show.
The Liverpudlian intends to dominate the 2024 Dubai Pro where he’ll face easily one of the most intense lineups on display this year. Not only will Bonac be in attendance, but De Asha will have to get past the conditioning of Behrooz Tabani, and Rubiel ‘Neckzilla’ Mosquera, one of the IFBB Pro League’s fastest-rising stars. Before the action kicks off, De Asha sat down to discuss where his head was at.
Nathan De Asha Sets Retirement Timeline, Discusses 2024 Dubai Pro Showdown With Rubiel ‘Neckzilla’ Mosquera & William Bonac
De Asha is playing with house money as he’s already stamped his ticket to the Mr. Olympia contest. He explains why the massive cash prize was his primary motivator for entering the 2024 Dubai Pro show.
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!
“The money [is why I’m competing in Dubai]. Obviously, the plan was to do this show originally,” said De Asha. “I believe this show is going to be probably top two best shows in the world in the next two years. For me, I want to go down in history to be the first person to win it. Everyone remembers the first.”
“We go to shows and we win $10,000, $20,000 and that’s massive money but when you come into a show and win $100,000 it’s life-changing. These shows are life-changing for everyone. So, I think more and more of them are going to do it. It’s going to be a battle of promoters on who has the best show.”
Having missed out on family time, De Asha believes he will step away from the sport at 40-41 years old and hopes to depart with more Pro wins than bodybuilding legend Dorian Yates.
“Coming out here has made me achieve my dreams. I show my kids that if you put your mind to something you can achieve it. I miss a lot of family time. That’s why I keep saying I’m going to retire at 40 because my kids are going to be 11-12 and I want to be them for those years.”
“Yeah, 40. So two years, 40-41 [I want to retire]. Hopefully, I can have more Pro wins than Dorian.”
Looking at his competition, he says his fullness is ‘hard to match right now,’ adding that his front lat spread is the best in the league currently. He also revealed that his back definition has come up dramatically thanks to muscle maturity.
“I believe my fullness it’s hard to match right now. The muscle density I have obviously because I’m a bit older. A lot of guys are big but they don’t have that mature muscle,” said De Asha. “My front lat has been the best in the game. My side chest has come up and obviously, my weakest part was my back, now my back double I believe it’s a lot older, a lot more mature, it’s a knock out show.”
When talking about ‘Neckzilla,’ De Asha didn’t mince his words; he believes if he nails his peak and conditioning, ‘it’ll be game over for everyone.’
“If he brings what he potentially can bring… it’ll be game over for everyone. He gives it a good go. I think he pushes himself a bit more and he changed a few things how he trains. He wants it more. I think it’ll be a knockoff for everyone in the pro league, right now, his muscle is still fresh, still young, not matured. I would say give him another 18 months to two years if he digs deep.”
The Open class staple refused to count out William Bonac, who has offered De Asha clutch advice throughout his career.
“William was one of the first guys when I was at the Olympia to acknowledge me. He helped me out. He was there from the way to go, always giving me like fatherly advice. He explained to me how the game goes and what to do and stuff. Even to this day, he gives me advice and to share the stage with him two weeks ago, winning, for me, it was massive,” shares Nathan De Asha.
Locking horns this Sunday, De Asha and Mosquera have sized each other up already with a grueling arms training session. Both men pushed each other and plan to showcase crucial improvements to their physiques on stage this weekend.
The 2024 Dubai Pro bodybuilding event has all of the makings to be historic. The winner will walk away with a staggering $100,000 paycheck and loads of momentum heading into the Mr. Olympia contest from October 10-13.
RELATED: Nathan De Asha Talks 2024 Season Plans, Steroids, and If Urs Kalecinski Can Defeat Chris Bumstead
Watch the full video from the Rx Muscle YouTube channel below: