The race to become the 19th man to hold the prestigious Sandow trophy is on, prompting bodybuilding veterans Shawn Ray and Bob Cicherillo to dissect the Open lineup slated for war. In a recent YouTube video shared on August 20, 2024, Ray and Cicherillo predicted the first call-out for the 2024 Mr. Olympia and previewed the show’s top contenders.
There are just seven weeks till the 2024 Mr. Olympia event takes over Las Vegas, Nevada for its 60th anniversary, and talks about the top threats are heating up. Eyes are especially on the Men’s Open category which is brimming with talented athletes from around the globe, eager to solidify their spot as one of the best.
Nick Walker is also determined to make his comeback count following his injury that had him sitting out last year. Walker is feeding off the people who doubt his ability to conquer the Mr. Olympia stage and is looking forward to proving them wrong once and for all.
However, Chinedu Andrew ‘Jacked’ Obiekea has quickly presented himself as a dominant force inside the Open category. His height combined with his freak factor muscle mass allow him to stand out against competitors such as Derek Lunsford and Hadi Choopan who can’t match him in stature.
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Bodybuilding Veterans Shawn Ray and Bob Cicherillo Predict First Call-Out for 2024 Mr. Olympia, Talk Nick Walker’s Chances
Bodybuilding veterans Shawn Ray and Bob Cicherillo recently broke down the Men’s Open lineup for the 2024 Mr. Olympia and gave their prediction for the first callout come this October 10-13. First, they discuss Derek Lunsford and Hadi Choopan’s past in the sport as 212 bodybuilders and how the added mass affects their overall look on stage.
“Derek and Hadi, these are smaller bodybuilders like myself. They are former 212-pound bodybuilders who somehow or another have found a way to sandwich 30-40 pounds on their frames which makes them look a little more squatty and they don’t look as long and as X-framed,” shares Shawn Ray.
Shawn Ray shared his thoughts regarding Andrew Jacked and expressed that while he looked good at Texas, the true test of his physique will happen when he stands next to athletes like Lunsford and Choopan.
“The big long lengthy X-frame athletic look, Andrew Jacked is bringing it. I had to kind of give him some perspective I said look, yeah, he looked like Mr. Olympia in Texas but you’re only as good as the people you stand next to. That’s when you get a dose of reality. It was August, we still have two more months to go.”
“When you get to that Olympia and you stand him next to people, again, some people can rise to the occasion, some get lost in the commotion, carry too much water, miss their peak, make some rookie mistakes and it’s not Andrew’s first time at Olympia and it’s not the first time we’ve seen Andrew Jacked but it was the first time we’ve seen Andrew Jacked I believe, in a contest where there wasn’t that much depth.”
Of the entire lineup, Ray thought the only one that should be concerned was Nick Walker, who barely skirted into first place at the 2024 New York Pro.
“The one that has to worry while we start talking about the Olympia is Nick Walker. Because no one talked about the gut that finished in second place to Andrew Jacked. It was a runaway victory but when Nick Walker eeked out a very controversial win against the little-known Martin Fitzwater that could have beat him, that raised a lot of question marks because Nick is of the opinion that he’s one of the top five bodybuilders on the planet.”
Shawn Ray takes a closer look at Derek Lunsford, who as the current champion, took a back seat as the face of the sport throughout the season.
“Heavy is the head that wears the crown. And Derek Lunsford is the one who is kind of been MIA in all of this. We were talking about someone that can take that title, become more visible and market it and do all these things we were hoping would happen that just haven’t really happened. Derek became a new father. I think maybe he pulled back on some of his travels.”
Shifting gears, Cicherillo examines Hunter Labrada and his decision to wait till the Promuscle Italy Pro to earn his qualification, speculating that he was avoiding competing on stage with Andrew Jacked.
“Hunter Labrada was a guest of the show as he lives about 20 minutes from there [Texas] but he wasn’t competing, he’s waiting till Italy. Unless I’m mistaken, there are only two qualifiers left, which is the Italy Pro September 8th, which is literally just in a few weeks, and the UK Pro September 14th,” Cicherillo shares.
“That only leaves two shows left and Hunter is picking one of those shows to go to. Now I don’t think he’s going to have any issue qualifying per se, the issue is he’s catching a little bit of flack, at least from what I’ve seen, that he specifically did not go into Texas because of Andrew Jacked.”
Cicherillo emphasizes that a lot can go wrong, especially when traveling outside the country, and if Labrada doesn’t qualify in Italy, he will be sitting on the sidelines for the 2024 Mr. Olympia.
“You never can tell what a bodybuilder is thinking. It’s a very big inconvenience to leave the country at any given time. To put all your eggs in that one basket, it only takes one spoiler to knock you off your pedestal. If he doesn’t qualify in Italy, it’s pizza and beer. He’s watching the show with you and I,” shares Ray.”
Cicherillo shared his predictions for the first callout, acknowledging that it is subject to change in regards to athletes like Behrooz Tabani possibly being left out due to visa issues.
“Derek, Hadi, Samson, Nick, Brandon, Jacked, and the only guy I got to put in parenthesis is Tabani because we don’t know if he can actually get to the Olympia,” reveals Cicherillo.
Cicherillo’s 1st Call-Out Prediction:
- Derek Lunsford
- Hadi Choopan
- Samson Dauda
- Brandon Curry
- Andrew Jacked
- Behrooz Tabani (If visa is approved)
Shawn Ray said the first call-out will likely see the top three finishers from last year duke it out.
Ray’s 1st Call-Out Prediction:
- Derek Lunsford
- Hadi Choopan
- Samson Dauda
“Too many people. I wouldn’t want to look at seven. I don’t think, we’re at the 60th year right? I don’t even think the judges should put themselves in a box where their first call-out is any less than five guys, which doesn’t indicate it’s the top five. I think the fewer is the better to get a really good look. Bring them out five at a time.”
“What I would do I’d start with the top three guys that we know are going to be [Derek Lunsford, Hadi Choopan, Samson Dauda ],” explains Ray.
Time and opportunities are drying up for those hoping to qualify. However, Hunter Labrada intends to secure his spot on the prestigious stage by winning at the 2024 Promuscle Italy Pro this September. If he is successful, Labrada will add to the Open’s list of threats all vying for the title of Mr. Olympia.
The clock is ticking closer to the 2024 Mr. Olympia. With a lineup like the Men’s Open, you certainly don’t want to miss the action. Make sure to follow us here at Fitness Volt to stay up to date on the earth-shattering extravaganza that Mr. Olympia is guaranteed to be.
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