Classic Shawn: 10 Questions With Shawn Ray
Classic Shawn
10 Questions With Shawn Ray
1. We know you are the Global Brand Ambassador for MUTANT. We see they just announced a partnership with two-time Ms. Olympia, Andrea Shaw. It’s great to see support of Women’s Bodybuilding returning. How did that come together?
Andrea is one of the athletes we simply could not ignore. Amazingly built, articulate and great with her fans! We approached her with the idea that we could help take her physique even further if she tried our products, which she was very receptive to, and we wanted to show our support for the hard work female athletes put into their preparation and nutrition by making her a MUTANT-sponsored athlete. We believe she can continue to improve and win for as long as she wants to!
2. The Arnold is back in full force this year. We noticed MUTANT was part of a pretty cool giveaway for a trip to the event and other great prizes. Can you describe the feeling being crowned Arnold Classic champion in 1991?
Well, there’s no question MUTANT stepped up big time last year in the face of some unhappy people who wanted to “cancel Arnold” while trying to suppress his freedom of speech, which we fully support and respect his opinions. That said, coming back in 2022 as a supporting sponsor in contrast to 1991 when I won the title is pretty surreal! This year represents 34 years and it was 31 years ago that I won! The speed of time never ceases to amaze me but I’m more appreciative of what I accomplished now than I was then because I realize how awesome my competitors were. Highly decorated athletes that helped build this show into what it’s become and I was a part of that winning tradition – which makes it so much more enjoyable for me to be able to give back and bring products to the industry to help future and current athletes achieve their goals!
3. Will the Arnold Classic popularity pick up where it left off in 2019?
I hope so! We’ve got this feeling as fans of being detached from the close camaraderie that we once shared as brothers of iron and huge fans of the sport. With COVID-19 on the downslide in Delta and the emergence of the Omicron pandemic we all are simply looking to get back to normal. None of us are exempt from this virus going around but we all agree that we just want it to go away already!
4. Without a returning defending champion at this year’s Arnold, who’s your pick?
What makes the Arnold classic great is that it’s up for grabs, it’s anyone’s contest. Meaning, just because someone has won the title in the past doesn’t ensure that they are going to win it this year! This is what the fans love about the Arnold Classic weekend!
5. Is this a make-or-break contest for Brandon Curry?
Let’s be real: this is a contest that makes and breaks careers! Brandon Curry won this contest only a couple of years ago; so did William Bonac and so did Cedric McMillan. Brandon has shown more consistency than William and Cedric yet it goes without saying that Brandon is the odds-on favorite to win this title again this year in order to remain in the driver’s seat for the upcoming Mr. Olympia, where he placed second a year ago.
6. MUTANT seems to be making big moves in the U.S. market. How’s business with them treating you?
We successfully launched our MADNESS All-In Pre-Workout product last year, which took off with the users so we are happy to report, “mission accomplished” there! This year, we continue to expand product availability and will be running more specials and launching another Shawn Ray Signature Series product to the collection, so stay tuned!
7. When you were bodybuilding, did you suffer any injuries or setbacks due to your training style?
It’s well documented that I trained like a physique artist, not a powerlifter. I was always aware of the potential of injury; therefore I trained lighter than most reckless bodybuilders that were crazy strong. I use the word reckless because a lot of guys train with the afterthought of how they might feel years into retirement. I trained with moderate weights and higher repetitions with a faster pace in order to not put too much stress on my joints, my ligaments or my tendons. In hindsight, I believe that’s what saved me from any serious injuries.
8. Can Big Ramy be beaten?
Anyone can be beaten; all you have to do is look at history. Ronnie Coleman was ultimately beaten by Jay Cutler, Jay Cutler was ultimately beaten by Phil Heath, and Phil Heath was ultimately beaten by Shawn Rhoden. It’s Big Ramy’s time right now and what we don’t know is how long can you continue to win? Several guys have a history of beating Big Ramy, like Curry and Bonac. That said, nothing lasts forever and to be honest, Ramy is in control of how long he wants to remain Mr. Olympia more so than someone else beating him.
9. The 2022 Mr. Olympia moves back to Las Vegas. Do you think that’s the right thing to do?
I’ve always said that Las Vegas should be the home of the biggest bodybuilding event in the world, even when I was competing back in the day. When it arrived in Las Vegas for the first time in 1999, it was a feeling as if I was home. Mr. Olympia was held the last two years in Orlando, Florida and it was a smashing success! This year I feel it’s going to go to the next level as it’s coming back to Las Vegas with fresh eyes, a new production crew and with lots of great ideas! I’ve seen the new venue at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino and I can only describe it with one word: “awesome!”
10. What’s going to be the biggest change this year for the Las Vegas Mr. Olympia?
Well, prize money for one, will continue to increase. Secondly, we now know that the new Wellness division is a huge success! Finally, with the Mr. Olympia being held the second week of December, it gives everyone an opportunity to plan to spend the holidays in Las Vegas, enjoy the football games that are being played, as well as catch some of the many great shows and events that highlight the city of Las Vegas, which makes it the premier place to be for shows, food and entertainment.
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