What happened to Big Ramy at the 2023 Arnold Classic?

Mamdouh Mohammed Hassan Elssbiay, better known as Big Ramy, is among the most popular bodybuilders in the world. The Egyptian bodybuilder is not only well-known for his accolades but also for his kind and joyous personality.

He is celebrated as an ambassador for the sport as he represents the global nature of bodybuilding.

Over the last weekend, bodybuilding's second-most prestigious event, the Arnold Classic, saw a variety of competitors take to the stage across seven different divisions.

The open division saw English-Nigerian Samson Dauda win after facing strong competition from multiple athletes, one of them being Big Ramy.

Ramy finished the Arnold Classic in fourth place behind Andrew Jacked, Nick Walker, and Samson Dauda, missing out on a podium finish despite being a strong contender to win the show. However, there were some serious positives to be taken from the 2023 Arnold Classic for the big Egyptian.

A few months ago, Ramy went to the 2022 Mr. Olympia as the reigning champion and the heavy favorite to win the title for a third time. However, this was not to be due to a series of injuries and health issues faced by the Ehyptian right before the show that saw him fall to fifth place.

Ramy's appearance on the Classic stage displayed significant improvements compared to the one seen in the Olympia.

The most improved part of the Egyptian's package was his conditioning, which made his overall appearance much better than the Olympia. His shoulders and biceps were well-rounded, and his mid-section was well separated.

Despite the improvements, he lost out on a third-place finish to Andrew Jacked who had previously finished behind Ramy at the 2022 Olympia. The answer is simple: all the other competitors, including Andrew, have also made improvements.

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Big Ramy's future in the sport

Two athletes viewed the Arnold Classic as a test, the first being current 212 Olympia champion Shaun Clarida, who was testing the open division waters, and the second being Big Ramy.

After losing his title at the 2022 Olympia by five places, Ramy had three months to tighten up and improve to show the world that he is still a threat in the sport. Although he did improve significantly, he still finished in fourth place in the Classic.

This has raised a lot of questions about Ramy's position as an elite contender in the sport, especially with the rise of younger bodybuilders. These younger bodybuilders are representing a shift in the sport.

The rise of Derek Lunsford, Nick Walker, and Chris Bumstead, who are all in their 20s, shows that younger competitors with less experience are bursting onto the elite scene. One wonders where this leaves bodybuilders of the old guard such as Big Ramy and William Bonac.

With all this said, Ramy's potential is undeniable. He may come to the 2023 Olympia looking better than ever, surprising the critics. However, he has to perform in and win another show to qualify for the competition.

Ramy is currently going through stem-cell therapy to help his muscle growth capability. Another option for Ramy is to choose to take the year off and prepare for a massive comeback in 2024. This may be a good option for him, as his stem cell work will peak around that time.