The IFBB season is upon us and what better way to start off the year than a show in the Mecca of Bodybuilding-Venice, CA. The Flex Pro will be taking place on the 19th of February at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, California. Right off the bat, this show will be a hodgepodge of all types-- seasoned veterans, upcoming stars and rookies pro-- all throwing their hat into this contest for the chance to be crowned the first ever IFBB Flex Pro Champion.
California is sometimes depicted as the breeding ground to some of the wackiest and undoubtedly most eccentric characters the bodybuilding world has to offer. However it simply cannot be refuted that the truest and most passionate fans reside in Venice, California. They will be out in droves to witness the behemoths of our species compare mandatories in what is slowly becoming the most anticipated show of the year.
Former Mr Olympia Dexter Jackson is throwing his hat into the mix and he's considered the highest ranked athlete of the show. He is the seasoned vet of the bunch having been competing as a professional since 1999. He is very consistent with his conditioning and presentation
and sports a physique that is well-balanced and combines both size and shape. He's never lost to anyone he'll be competing against in the Flex Pro; however he is not about to take any chances in this unpredictable and subjective sport we call bodybuilding. Jackson's preparation for the show is taking place in California so he doesn't have to worry about any of the negative effects of long distance travel on the body. Also he teamed up with Trainer of Champions,Charles Glass, for this contest and has pulled out all the stops to make sure he dominates the line-up and brings an even better package to the Arnold two weeks later.
Big Bad Dennis Wolf is hungrier than ever especially after his top 5 placing at the 2010 Mr Olympia. Wolf is all about potential and he plans to elevate himself to the top in this contest. He believes he has everything it takes to take down the 08 Mr Olympia; however, this won't be an easy task for two reasons. First, Dennis Wolf is known for his inconsistencies-- yes that's right-- Wolf has not lived up to the hype and potential of the 2007 Mr Olympia where the fans anointed him as the future title bearer after Mr Olympia Jay Cutler supposedly avoided him during the posedown. Following that showing, Wolf finished a disappointing 14th at the 2009 Mr Olympia. Add to that, a lacklustre 
performance at the 2010 New York Pro (3rd), which many believed would be an easy victory for the Wolf. Another reason Dennis Wolf may face problems winning the FLEX title is the fact that he has never once beaten Dexter Jackson in any of his 5 previous encounters. Wolf needs to come out big, sharp and howling if he wants to regain the fans faith.
To quote bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegge, "The wolf on the hill is not as hungry as the wolf climbing the hill". Not only does Wolf have to focus on defeating Dexter Jackson, but he also needs to worry about a very hungry animal named Evan Centopani who is right on his tail. Centopani is portrayed as the golden child of bodybuilding; he 
is the perfect face that best depicts the portrait of a great Olympian, and many things are expected from this young athlete. He has chosen his shows wisely in the past, winning the New York Pro in 2009 and then dodging much fiercer opponents till this year. Now, however, Centopani has run into a dead end because the time for bobbing and weaving has come to an end and he has no choice but to dive into the deep end by comparing himself to the likes of top 6 calibre Olympians. He'll be tested and judged stringently as the fleet of fans will be expecting this young warrior to display something magnificent to compensate for such a long offseason. He has proved in the past that he does not become weary under pressure. And of all the competitors in this lineup, Centopani, more than anyone, has the most hype and expectations on his back. With that said, I feel Centopani will secure a top-3 placing when all is said and done.
The top-six pose down opportunity will also be home to three other bodybuilders and each of these competitors will have a fight on their hands to secure their spot in this lineup. Ben White, Fouad Abiad and Ben Pakulski are all super competitive and match up very well next to one another. All three athletes have finished in the top 6 before and Ben White has even won a show before (2010 Tampa Pro). 
White is known for his flamboyant and cocky personality; however, he proved he can back up the talk when he rose to victory in Tampa. He is known for excellent conditioning and rumours, in the bodybuilding community, are that he's been training very heavy and hard; deadlifting 400lbs for reps and gorging on pounds of beef in an attempt to put on even more size. Look for Ben to be the wild card in Santa Monica.
Canadian Fouad Abiad has been MIA for the past season and many believed he was in retirement following a leg injury he sustained during training. This was not good news for the Fouad camp 
because his legs were considered his weakest body part. Abiad needed to add mass to those legs to bring them on par with his brilliant upper body. Also, last year, Fouad and his handful of supporters received an early Christmas present in the form of a back hand slap to the face when he was dropped by his main sponsor, Muscular Development magazine. Things become very sour as tension was building for team Abiad until his hard work landed him a new home with Flex/AMI Fouad Abiad has not competed for some time and he may have accumulated some rust during his long offseason; however, I believe Abiad will brush it off and show up in California at his all-time best.
Another Canadian, Ben Pakulski, is throwing his hat into this ring in hopes of winning it all. He's big, he's angry and he means business as he wants to redeem himself from a placing he feels he was unjustly given by the judges. The problem is that Pakulski suffers from the reverse disorder of what hurts Fouad Abiad; Ben has great legs but his upper body needs to come up. Has he brought 
up that slightly lagging upper body? This may just be the case as he's been sighted at Golds Gym Venice working with "trainer of champions", Charles Glass, during his contest preparation. This may just be what he needs because, if anyone can help, it's definitely Glass who's worked with champions such as Flex Wheeler, Chris Cormier and Kai Greene. Pakulski fans up north will be hoping he has done everything necessary to propel his physique to "the next level".
Rounding out the line-up is Grigori Atoyan, Robert Belisle, Stan Efferding, Wendell Floyd and Dan Hill. Hopefully each of these men have spent their offseason productively and have put 100% dedication into their pre-contest prep. Only time will tell for these athletes gearing up for what may well be the breakthrough show of their careers. As contest time nears, the excitement throughout the bodybuilding community can be felt like an electrical current. Who will be crowned the first IFBB Pro Champion of 2011? Stay tuned to Rxmuscle.com for all the updates and contest results as they happen!
Oto Livingston Predictions:
(1)Dexter Jackson
(2) Evan Centopani
(3) Dennis Wolf
(4) Ben White
(5) Fouad Abiad
(6) Ben Pakulski
(7-Last) Grigori Atoyan, Robert Belisle, Stan Efferding, Wendell Floyd, Dan Hill
