Coleman appreciates Lunsford’s potential and approach to the game.
Because the 212 Olympia champion in 2021 and the 2022 Mr. Olympia runner-up, Derek Lunsford doesn’t necessarily need endorsements from anyone on the skin looking in. He’s a bona fide modern superstar and seems destined for a prolific bodybuilding profession. That said, if there have been an individual to speak Lunsford’s talents up, there probably isn’t a greater pick than eight-time Mr. Olympia champion (1998-2005) Ronnie Coleman.
On June 5, 2023, Coleman posted a video to his YouTube channel where he called Lunsford his “favorite bodybuilder” of this currently stacked generation. (Note: Coleman maintained that he also appreciated the exploits of 2023 Arnold Classic (AC) winner Samson Dauda.) Coming from a legend like Coleman, it’s quite the shining qualifier for Lunsford, especially after the pair’s shared training session in early April 2023.
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Coleman didn’t mince his words endorsing each Lunsford and Dauda. While discussing the state of the game, he dove right into his appreciation for the 2 high-profile fitness stars.
“My favorite bodybuilder in the intervening time, let’s see, hmm, Derek Lunsford might be my No. 1 favorite,” Coleman mused. “Probably my No. 2 favorite … I sort of like that guy that won the last [2023] Arnold Classic, his name is Samson Dauda. If I had to choose any favorite, it’d be [one of] those two.”
As for Coleman’s reflection on bodybuilding as a complete, especially where the Men’s Open class stands, the icon thinks the game is in a healthy place in terms of training, nutrition, and dedication to their craft. Given among the athletes’ staggering physiques on display while guest posing on the recent 2023 Pittsburgh Pro, Coleman’s wide-spanning assessment actually appears to be on the mark.
“I see every generation has its own era,” Coleman began. “Mostly, all of us should work extremely hard and weight loss plan extremely hard and make the largest sacrifices ever. So, I feel that the following generation of bodybuilders is a reasonably good class of men. They work extremely hard. They train hard. They weight loss plan hard. I feel the brand new generation is a reasonably good generation.”
Finally, after some health scares over the past 12 months, Coleman turned his attention to himself. The retired legend maintained he’s on the upswing and appears to be progressing well in any case the surgeries he’s had on his neck and back through the years.
“I’m doing pretty good,” Coleman said. “I’m in great health and my last check-up was back in March [2023]. I had a very good, clean bill of health so far as my last check-up goes. Now, I actually have one other one, probably in a few months. So, we’ll see how that goes. But for now, I’m doing pretty good.”
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Even in his deserved retirement, Coleman stays a major and influential voice in bodybuilding. Whether athletes like Lunsford and Dauda maintain their grip on Coleman’s favor stays to be seen. Though, in the event that they’re keeping the pedal to the metal, Coleman will likely proceed to sing their praises.
Featured image: @dereklunsford_ on Instagram