“It doesn’t matter” – Lee Priest wants to ‘get rid’ of the 212 Division Altogether

Lee Priest is a former Australian IFBB professional bodybuilder who is considered by many Down-under to be the best bodybuilder in Australian history. He has won many national and international titles throughout his career but fell short in his six runs for the Mr. Olympia title.

The 212 division was created back in 2011 to provide shorter competitors with a platform to showcase their skills without fear of being judged unfairly against taller professionals. It was established after recognizing that it is harder for shorter athletes to put on the same mass as their taller counterparts.

Lee Priest himself was a relatively shorter competitor and stood at 5’4" or 162 cm; however, during his time, there was no 212 division. On the latest episode of Iron Rage, Priest, in conversation with Dave Palumbo, voiced his opinion on the 212 division, saying it should be dissolved altogether:

"The good shorter guys, Shaun Claridas, Dereks, even Kamal was 212, wasn’t he? These guys have done well in Open classes. If you’re a good bodybuilder, it doesn’t matter [what] your height, your weight [is], Shaun Clarida has proven that. If you’re good, you can stand in an Open lineup. Get rid of it."

The 212 division has a cap on the maximum weight a competitor can get on stage with: 212 pounds. Lee Priest's reasoning was simple. He believes that many former 212 competitors have shown that they can compete and win in the Men's Open. Lee Priest said:

"Because we’re seeing some of these 212 guys get up there, look Hadi was 212, he won the Olympia. Derek, we’ve seen Shaun Clarida, if he does well in this… yeah Bonac, I say get rid of the 212 class and use that money for the Open, so you can distribute more money in the Open. Get rid of 212. If you’re a good enough bodybuilder, you should be able to stand with the best of the best."

Hadi Choopan is probably the best example to make Priest's case. Choopan moved up from 212 and won the Men's Open at the 2022 Mr. Olympia. In fact, the runner-up of the Men's Open, Derek Lunsford, was also the 2021 212 champion. Priest, citing these examples, continued to make his case:

"I say get rid of 212 class altogether, and that money can go to more – like I said, to the Open classes, spread it out more. Just get rid of it. The 212 has proven they can stand there. If you’re good enough, then you can ... stand there. If not, go do some lower-tier pro shows. But if you’re good enough, you can do well."

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Lee Priest on the 2023 Arnold Classic

The lead up to the 2023 Arnold Classic has been quite exciting. First, the news that only eight competitors will be on stage was revealed. After Blessing Awodibu and Charles Griffin pulled out of the show, IFBB announced new rules enforcing penalties for those who pull out.

Big names were then added to the list, including two-time Mr. Olympia Big Ramy, but Priest has named Shaun Clarida as his pick to win the Men's Open:

"If Shaun comes in at his best, his proportions are almost perfect for his height, he’s not lacking anywhere, so if you’re picking faults on people, he really has none. So, it is feasible. If any of those bigger guys come in, he could win."