At the end of Rocky, a banged-up Apollo Creed muttered something about, "There ain't going to be no rematch." Well, if you notice, "ain't no" is a double negative, meaning there was going to be a rematch. If you saw Rocky II you know what I'm saying. Well, rematches are like that. You think you may not want one, or that another shot at a title might be impossible, but the universe has a strange way of making things happen. Things such as rematches.
The 2010 Figure International has a deep line up and no one can say these girls are scared to get on stage and fight it out for the second most prestigious title in the sport. The scorecard is stacked with well-known veterans and well deserved rookies and while the defending Olympia champ will be on stage, the winner is not a foregone conclusion.
2009 Figure Olympia Champ Nicole Wilkins-Lee seems the likely favorite, but I am not ready to give her the title just yet. The judges decided to go with the "softer" look at the Olympia and that could change in a different city at a different show. She's got amazing lines and structure, but her conditioning leaves a little to be desired and she runs the risk of being too soft.
The last class to hit the stage was the open men's bodybuilding and with names like "Marvelous" and the "X-Man" in the mix, this was a first rate show. In first place, Melvin Anthony delivered today and made the most of his amazing structure. He finally got his glutes dialed in and it was the perfect complement to his tiny waist and marvelous symmetry. Always the great performer, Melvin flawlessly displayed his physique and made the most of each pose. As he exited the stage after pre-judging he looked to Shawn Ray in the crowd and yelled: "How's that for a 40 year old?" Melvin knew he was on and had the swagger of a champion all day.
The first IFBB Pro show of 2010 is in the books, as the inaugural Phoenix Pro set a strong precedent for a great year of competition. Stryker Solomon and his crew put together a smooth running and enjoyable contest that featured 79 competitors spread out among Men's Open Bodybuilding, Men's Under-202 Bodybuilding, Women's Bodybuilding, Fitness, and Figure. Leading up to the show, we all had questions as to who was going to show up and if the big names would take the stage in Phoenix, As it turned out, no class was a disappointment.
The 2010 IFBB season kicks off in Phoenix, Arizona next weekend (Feb. 20) with the IFBB Phoenix Pro promoted by Stryker X (who'll be appearing on Heavy Muscle Radio Monday Feb. 15). The top athletes in our sport not only get their first opportunity to hit the stage, but also their first opportunity to qualify for the Mr. Olympia. The show features Men's Bodybuilding, Men's Under-202, Women's Bodybuilding, Figure, and Fitness in what promises to be a great weekend in the warm, dry, air of the Arizona desert.
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