by Matt Weik
I’m going to get a ton of hate for this text, however it’s what it’s. That is my opinion, and similar to assholes, all of us have one. I first wish to say that I’ve the utmost respect for Flex Lewis. This text is just not a knock at him or any kind of “hate” in any sense of the phrase. Nevertheless, what I’m about to say goes to most likely trigger an enormous response both in a single path or the opposite.
You’re both within the camp the place you are feeling Flex Lewis has each proper to stroll into the Males’s Open Olympia after profitable seven 212 titles, otherwise you’re within the camp the place you are feeling he ought to should qualify similar to everybody else.
Right here’s my opinion.
Flex Lewis Has Completed Virtually All the pieces in Bodybuilding
I don’t must inform you that Flex Lewis is among the finest bodybuilders to ever stay — his 212 Olympia titles solidify that spot in historical past. That stated, after “retiring” from the 212 division and hinting at a return to the Males’s Open division, nobody thought it might be a number of years later.
The Olympia has had its ups and downs through the years, and yearly they attempt to out-do the prior (which they’ve appeared to have the ability to accomplish with Dan Solomon on the helm of all of it). In 2020, Flex was supplied a particular invite to compete within the Males’s Open Olympia, which everybody was excited for. It was a possibility to see how he would do when thrown into an even bigger bodybuilding class. Sadly, his shoulder had totally different plans, and he by no means stamped his ticket to leap on stage that yr.
Everybody then thought Flex Lewis would seem on the 2021 Olympia (myself included). Nicely, that didn’t occur both as Flex determined to place his focus in different areas quite than stepping on stage.
That every one stated, Flex by no means misplaced his drive or ardour for the stage, and I don’t consider for a second that his intention to step in a Males’s Open present has ever wavered. Personally, I actually thought we’d see Flex soar into the Arnold Traditional (any of the earlier years). I felt like it might be a superb “warm-up” to what might happen on the Olympia and permit him to “dimension up” the competitors and see the place he wanted to enhance to hold with the larger guys.
Flex all the time appeared to combat his physique when it got here to the 212 division. In a way, he virtually wanted to downsize in an effort to make weight. The Males’s Open division solely appeared like the following finest place for him in order that he might permit his physique to proceed to develop.
When you’ve adopted Flex within the low season, he’s an enormous. And never a blob of an enormous. I’m speaking an enormous man with mounds of spectacular muscle. It’s clear that Flex feels proper at dwelling, and his physique is responding properly to the coaching and extra mass. Nevertheless, I’m unsure if the Olympia ought to be his first present.
Ought to Flex Must Qualify?
Now, for the million-dollar query… Ought to Flex Lewis should qualify for the Males’s Open Olympia? Dan Solomon, please don’t shoot me, however I don’t assume he ought to get one other particular invitation.
Whereas I hate to match Flex with Kai, we’ve been listening to a few comeback for years now and have but to see Flex on an Open stage. There are skilled bodybuilders on each side of the controversy who’ve chimed in with whether or not or not they consider it’s truthful to permit him to hop into the Males’s Open Olympia with out having to qualify, similar to everybody else.
Once you look again in historical past, there have been prime bodybuilders who by no means gained a present for the yr nor certified for the Olympia and due to this fact needed to sit out. Ought to they’ve been given a particular invite simply due to their title? Some might argue that the reply is sure, others no.
Once more, I’m an enormous Flex Lewis fan and really feel he’s every thing good within the sport of bodybuilding, however I don’t consider he deserves a particular invite (once more). In my view, and at this stage, I believe he ought to should qualify.
Would a Flex Lewis invite assist promote out the world and put butts in seats? And not using a shadow of a doubt. However will one other particular invite the place we take one athlete from one division and throw them into one other division open up a can of worms for all the opposite divisions? Let me clarify.
The way in which the foundations are structured, you at present usually are not capable of have one Olympia winner from one division compete in one other division with out having to undergo the identical qualification course of as everybody else. Basically, if Flex got a particular invite, it might toss these guidelines out the window.
What’s to not say that Oksana Grishina (I’m simply utilizing her for instance because of her Health accolades) doesn’t resolve to alter issues up and make the change over to Bikini? She’s gained the Olympia 4 instances and the Arnold Traditional 10 instances. Does that imply she’s deserving of leaping divisions and doesn’t must qualify? Even Erin Stern, who was a determine competitor, needed to qualify as soon as she got here again and determined Bikini could be a greater match for her physique now.
I’m not right here to stir the pot and create a shit storm, however I’m simply not on the facet of giving Flex a free go to leap into the Olympia. If his physique is pretty much as good as he and everybody else thinks it’s for Males’s Open, he should not have any downside going right into a present in 2022 and profitable in order that he would qualify for the Olympia.
And the entire “Flex can solely peak as soon as in 2022” is loopy. That’s Neil Hill’s fault then, if that’s what he believes. He was clearly banking on a particular invite in that case, and saying Flex gained’t compete within the Olympia with no particular invite is a slap within the face to each Males’s Open competitor on the market.
So, there you’ve got it… I stated it. I’m now going to go delete my social media accounts and toss my telephone into the lake in order that I don’t should learn all of the hate I’m about to get. (LOL)
