Classic Shawn

10 Questions With Shawn Ray

1. Looking back this year’s Arnold Classic and Brandon Curry’s second title victory there, is he going to have what it takes to dethrone Big Ramy?

Of course, I actually thought Brandon could have won the Olympia last year too! I like what Brandon brings to the stage; he wasn't as conditioned as I’d like to have seen him in Columbus, Ohio however his natural genetic gifts helped elevate him above the competition and into first place, which was solid in my opinion from round one to round four. Going into this year’s Mr. Olympia, he stands just as good a chance to beat big Ramy and recapture his title as he did last year – it’s all a matter of opinion, though, when it comes to the judging.

2. Do you think the Masters Olympia will return in 2022? Rumor has it they are trying to bring it back.

I personally am not a fan. I have no interest in seeing guys past their prime and risking their health for little to no reward. Bodybuilders past the age of 50 should be thankful to be healthy and pushing past that threshold to “dry out” is dangerous and has been proven to be deadly for some. I’d reserve the contests to simply be Open instead of labeled Masters so that we see and remember the best in the world, not best old guy in the world, much the same as me not being interested in watching the best old Masters sprinter, boxer or basketball players!

3. What are your thoughts about new breed of guys: Regan, Brett, Hunter, Nick and Samson?

I’ve said this before: these young new jacks are the future! Lots of potential, huge social media and popular among the fans! I like that some of these guys are having the chance to compete against guys heading into the twilight of their careers, like Brandon, Ramy and Bonac. Dexter retired; Roelly, Cedric, Maxx and a few others are on the way out, clearing room for what’s to come. These kids are full of energy and excitement and I’m glad to witness their arrival!

4. Terrence Ruffin won his second Classic Physique title in a row at this year’s Arnold Classic. Can he take out Chris Bumstead, who has three Olympia titles?

Listen, I’m a lot of things in this industry but a judge is not one of them. Terrence won the Arnold because he was the absolute best on the day; however, I’ve already gone on record as saying that Chris Bumstead, if he competed in Open bodybuilding, would be Mr. Olympia! So to answer your question, while Terrence is a two-time Arnold Classic winner in Classic Physique, Chris Bumstead is a three-time Classic Physique Olympia winner and for that reason alone, I think Terrence will have issues going up against the bigger champion this December providing Chris is 100 percent healthy.

5. I see you’re in a world tour, which kicked off in Ohio and now you’re in Peru. Where are you off to next?

Well, it seems like the world is now tolerating Covid and omicron to the degree that things are manageable. With that being the case, it’s time for me to continue being an ambassador and missionary for bodybuilding, spreading the gospel of physical fitness worldwide, not just locally. My travels this year have me all over the United States but also internationally, so besides my recent trip to Lima, Peru I’ll also be visiting Cologne, Germany; Zürich, Switzerland; Toronto, Canada; Birmingham, England, and Dubai. For the full 2022 Shawn Ray tour, visit https://shawnray.fitness/ 

6. MUTANT is making a lot of noise about its newest release – FLEX FOOD. Kind of cool to see the return to a true meal replacement shake like the iconic days of MET-Rx and original EAS Myoplex. Any insight?

Yes! FLEX FOOD. We call it FAST FOOD – with attitude. It’s actually a very smart release and something I was glad to be a part of. Meal prep is a bodybuilding MUST. I get so many questions about proper nutrition. Meal prep is essential; you simply can’t out-train a bad diet. FLEX FOOD is a totally balanced MRP with a whole-food base that allows someone to stay consistent. The macros are on point and it takes into account foundational health stuff like greens and probiotics that most people don’t get enough of. You can find it now on iammutant.com. Enjoy!

7. I heard you added two pro divisions to your very successful NPC Shawn Ray Hawaiian Classic this year.

Correct, and this is my fifth year promoting Hawaii's biggest event of the year on Sunday, November 19^th at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu! My partner, Dr. Morales at Fit Doc Productions along with our pro division sponsor, GMU Sport, has made it possible to take this NPC national qualifier and turn it into an Olympia qualifier. So this year will have the best Bikini and Wellness competitors vying for an Olympia qualification! We’re super excited to bring this to the greater Hawaiian Islands. The late Dot and Mits Kawashima first invited me as a guest poser to Hawaii back in 1988. I fell in love with the place and I am super happy and very privileged to be able to come back and carry on their tradition of promoting and creating an awesome show in the shadow of their excellence.

8. Has posing in the pros improved or are we still waiting for a miracle to happen? Who do you like?

I think posing on the professional level has improved over the last couple of years. For a while I didn’t even like to watch the guys struggle through their forgettable routines. I was highly impressed by the efforts of Brandon Curry at the Arnold Classic, along with Samson Dauda. The pro Classic Physique athletes at the Arnold really stood head-and-shoulders above the other contests as everyone had a great routine, especially Terrence Ruffin, who rightfully won the Best Poser Award created by The Fit Doctor, Dr. Morales, only last year.

9. In 2021 we had lots of guys dying and we started 2022 off with Bostin Loyd passing away. What are your thoughts on what to expect in 2022?

While 2021 was tragic with the number of athletes that died, I’m not Nostradamus nor do I pretend to be able to predict the passing of some of our sport’s athletes, fans or family members for that matter. Prayerfully, we will see more people take more interest in getting health check-ups, be smarter with the chemicals they put in their body and pay more attention to longevity instead of mass and size, so they can live longer.

10. Any appearances scheduled in May with MUTANT? A lot of fans look forward to booking these in advance.

LA FitExpo! May 21-22. MUTANT Nation will be there large and in charge, with a pretty cool setup. I’ll be at the booth both days with several of our other athletes like two-time Ms. Olympia Andrea Shaw. See you there.

Instagram @shawnrayifbbpro

Facebook @TheRealShawnRay

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Twitter @sugarshawnray

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