Two-time reigning Mr. Olympia Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay isn’t light on praise nowadays. With all eyes on the Egyptian athlete searching for a three-peat of titles on the 2022 Mr. Olympia, he’s rapidly becoming the clear focal point within the bodybuilding world once more. After former titan of the game Ronnie Coleman recently showered Elssbiay with compliments, one other all-time great sees the identical within the competitor.
In an Oct. 19, 2022, episode of “The Ronline Report” with Muscular Development, eight-time Mr. Olympia (1984-1991) Lee Haney discussed the upcoming Olympia contest, being held on Dec. 16-18, 2022, in Las Vegas, NV. One the more notable tidbits concerned how Haney sees Elssbiay as an enormous (no pun intended) favorite for the celebrated event.
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Certainly one of the most important reasons that Haney sees Elssbiay performing higher than ever on the 2022 Olympia stage is his training. Haney thinks Elssbiay is accumulating mass at a better level and credits a dedicated coaching staff for pushing the champion. Amongst that staff is 1989 Mr. Universe Miloš Šarčev, who notably takes lots of his time coaching many rising bodybuilders.
“I’ve been checking him [Elssbiay] out on Instagram,” Haney said. “And man, he’s got Dennis James working with him now. Listen, on the subject of training and know-how, it’s hard to recover than Dennis. You bought Dennis, [Chris] Cormier, Miloš [Šarčev], and after all, Charles Glass. It’s hard to get beyond them.”
For Haney, Elssbiay’s team of proficient experts is a significant potential boon to continued success, even together with his past standard of excellence.
“While you got someone like that working in your corner that’s been there done that, you’ll be able to’t get around that,” Haney explained. “These are usually not just coaches. These are seasoned legendary Olympians. Once they put a routine to you, put a meal plan to you, it’s right on spot. So, I believe Ramy [Elssbiay] will are available in higher than he was last 12 months.”
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To Haney, Elssbiay’s prospects for an additional Olympia title seem like a cut above the remainder of his peers. When the legendary bodybuilder discussed other athletes who could potentially dethrone Elssbiay — like 2019 Olympia winner Brandon Curry, for instance — he made a lofty comparison to the past exploits of Coleman.
“Well, the one which I see that’s got the form and mass combination, but he’s got to are available in there sliced and diced is Brandon Curry. You gotta be sliced and diced,” Haney clarified. “No one on the market that’s like that. Ramy [Elssbiay] is cut from a special cloth, identical to Ronnie [Coleman] was. What you gotta do is out-pretty Ramy.”
For Haney to check Elssbiay to Coleman, who won eight consecutive Mr. Olympia titles from 1998-2005, is important. Though, with two Olympia titles and (potentially) counting, Elssbiay thoroughly might live as much as such a high standard. If two bodybuilding all-timers like Haney and Coleman think that Elssbiay is at that rare level of performance, then it would only be a matter of time before he’s reaffirming their keen experience on stage.
Featured image: @big_ramy on Instagram