“The Boogieman” will step back onstage in 2023.
IFBB Pro League men’s open bodybuilder Blessing Awodibu has announced his intentions to compete within the 2023 Chicago Pro contest, scheduled for the weekend of July 21-22, 2023 in Chicago, IL. Awodibu shared the news on Instagram by posting a throwback photo of his first win on the 2022 Indy Pro contest.
“We’re locked in on Chicago [right now]. 7 weeks.”
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Awodibu can be making his first contest appearance of the 2023 season. He’s coming off of a breakthrough 2022 campaign that saw him rating his first two wins within the Indy Pro and Latest York Pro on back-to-back shows. He also qualified for the 2022 Mr. Olympia contest because of this of those wins.
His last appearance onstage was at that Mr. Olympia show in Las Vegas, NV on Dec. 14-16, 2022, which was his debut in the game’s most prestigious contest. Awodibu finished that show outside of the highest 15. The champion of that show was Hadi Choopan. All competitors placed below fifteenth are simply marked as tied for sixteenth.
Away from the stage, Awodibu has developed a big international fanbase because of his videos, training, confidence, and charisma when he’s at shows or posting on social media.
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He garnered numerous that focus when he was promoting himself for the 2021 Latest York Pro on the expense of fellow rising star Nick Walker, who was also competing in that contest. Walker would win the show, while Awodibu placed sixth. After taking an prolonged offseason, he returned in 2022 with a much bigger physique and higher posing, which helped him rating his two victories that season.
He was expected to compete on the 2023 Arnold Classic in Columbus, OH in early March, but Awodibu withdrew from the competition shortly after he was announced, citing a must rest from the 2022 competitive schedule.
As of this writing, it’s unknown which other athletes can be competing within the Chicago Pro. If Awodibu doesn’t win the show, he may have to compete again if he wishes to qualify for the 2023 Olympia in Orlando, FL on the weekend of Nov. 2-5, 2023. Only show winners can qualify for the Olympia within the 2023 season. The deadline for qualifying is Oct. 9, 2023.
Featured Image: @blessing_awodibu on Instagram