Russian bodybuilder Ugolnikov ‘Goodvito’ Vitalii’s winning performance at the 2025 Arnold Classic South America has the community talking. On March 8, 2025, judge Terrick El Guindy compared his legs to Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay’s and believes he’ll be in the running for gold at the upcoming Pittsburgh Pro.
Last year, Vitalii made fans believers after his breakout showing against Martin Fitzwater at the Detroit Pro. While he wasn’t able to lay claim to gold, he still held his own against ‘The Martian,’ who later turned in a fourth-place debut on the Mr. Olympia stage.
Goodvito didn’t waste time this season; he got right back to work and competed recently at the Arnold South America contest. He dominated and brought his most conditioned package to date, clinching a qualification for the 2025 Mr. Olympia, set for October 9-12 in Las Vegas. However, he still plans on competing in Pittsburgh and won’t have to worry about stamping his ticket to the sport’s biggest event of the year.
Terrick El Guindy Compares Goodvito to Big Ramy, Says He’ll ‘Mix Up’ Against Derek Lunsford/Nick Walker in Pittsburgh
In a recent YouTube video, El Guindy reflected on Goodvito’s performance, comparing his leg definition and sheer mass to Big Ramy’s.
“Goodvito, the Russian competitor, he comes to the IFBB Pro League and now he’s going to the Mr. Olympia. Guys, he looked massive. I mean, the legs… it kind of reminds me a little bit of Big Ramy, especially from the back. He’s got legs for days.”
While El Guindy has been critical of Vito’s waist in the past, he thought that wasn’t an issue in South America.
“The back, the chest, the front double biceps, he is a monster onstage. His conditioning was good. Even his waist, which I have been a little critical in the past, I said maybe we need to minimize the waist. The waist was small, everything was perfect. This guy is good.”
In light of the Russian’s impressive performance, El Guindy believes he’ll have the firepower to mix it up with big-name bodybuilders in Pittsburgh, including Derek Lunsford, Martin Fitzwater, and Nick Walker.
“I saw a lot of people saying, well, he might not be able to mix up with Derek, with Martin, and win Nick Walker. I think I’m going to disagree here.
I think this guy has the mass, he has the conditioning to go against those guys. I’m so excited to see him in Pittsburgh because it’s going to be a war. Remember last year, he was battling with Martin Fitzwater.”
“I think he can make an impact in Pittsburgh and really go at these top guys,” adds Terrick El Guindy.
This wasn’t the first time Goodvito had been compared to a Mr. Olympia champion. Recently, his coach, Chris Aceto suggested that he was beginning to look like former four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler.
Goodvito could end up being one of the biggest shock factors when he makes his way to the Mr. Olympia in October. With momentum and hype behind him, the final callout doesn’t seem unattainable for the IFBB Pro.
Watch the full video from the OlympiaTV YouTube channel below:
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