Eryk Bui New IFBB Pro !

[Tim Wescott]

I cannot say enough about this guy,I have thought he was incredible since the first time I saw him as a lightweight!

Now as a middleweight and new pro he has finally arrived!

Complete package and this particular shot is insane!!

[GerryT]

I think Eryk was a strong candidate for the overall. It didn't appear that anyone else in that lineup had the package he presented. He is a great pro and champion.

[hossjob]

WOW! ;D I WANT THAT! hahaha, I have always thought he looked great since I first saw him as a lightweight a few years back in a magazine! I'm so glad he pulled it off.

[youngblood]

There was someone over at Big Mayhem saying how the bantamweights, the small guys and a wieght class or two higher shouldn't really get a chance at a pro card. In some respects, I agree.
I think it's fair that they step onstage and duke it out with the big boys. I think it's fair they do get their pro card. But, how many of the little guys have actually gone on and made not just am impact (although an impact small guy outside of Franco, I can't think of one- Tim?), but really been mentioned on a regular basis, getting attention similar to Cormier, Dexter Jackson, Mark Dugdale or Cutler? I can't think of too many that even step onstage and get noticed in the pros. Idrise Ward-El (or whatever his name is) was a smaller guy, but he seems to have floundered, but I remember hearing talk about him for the Ironman I believe. Then, as most smaller guys these days seem to, just *poof* go away.
I think Bui looked amazing. I'd love to look like that. It's not that I'm saying they don't deserce it. But it seems with judging standards these days, no small man (more of a height statement, since the Richard Jones' and Mark Dugdale is coming back- thankfully) can even get a callout from a judge to compare. And IF they do, then they don't really fare well.
My .02

[Tim Wescott]

For starters:

Priest
Platz
Tueful
Padilla
Benaziza
Corney
Labrada
Belknap
Pastel
Mastorakis
Makkawy
Gaspari
Commerford
Podda
Guiliani

And the list goes on !!

Some of those guy`s ,while they may never win the Olympia,look as good or better in some cases than the heavier GH bloated cats running around owning cards such as Heiko Kallbach.

I for one would rather look like Chris Faildo than Fux or Heiko who is a complete chemical looking mess.

Any more questions?

[youngblood]

Yes, were all those guys bantamweights? (I can't remember all the class names) I'm not talking about heavyweights, or light heavys. The guys below these classes are the ones I'm speaking of.
I'm not talking about height either. Priest is 5'4" (I think) but he weighs around 200lbs. When he won the SF Pro Show, he was 198 I think. Does that qualify as a bantamweight?
What do you think Bui weighs? Regardless of how great he looks. That's more my point (if I'm getting it across correctly), not about the height issue (although that's another discussion on it's own).

[Tim Wescott]

OK,I hear you,my mistake.

The only bantam to win a major show(TEAM UNIVERSE) was Marvin Ward ,to my knowledge.

[GerryT]

Jimmy Canyon won overall at '03 Jr Nats and far as I know is the only mw to win overall at a National level show. He has yet to his mark as a pro.

George Farah won 2000 Nationals as a mw and has fared somewhat better. He placed in an Olympia qualifier a couple years ago and was 6th in this year's NOC.

[sockrocker]

for those who didn't notice, i posted the flexonline pics of eryk from his nationals win on the bodybuilding superstars page

[ChrisC]

I think Youngblood hit it on the head - judges just don't seem to want to reward the lighter/shorter guys. In part I can see the predicament for the judges - it doesn't matter how well developed a smaller guy is, standing next to someone like Gunter makes it real hard to reward the shorter guy who is being outweighed by 150lbs.

I wonder if perhaps a return to height classes might help.?

[youngblood]

I don't think weight classes would help, much, if at all. Remember up till the 80 Olympia, there were weight classes then, but did the smaller man ever win? Two times, or rather two men I can think of- Frank Zane and Franco Columbu. Franco's second win is obviously debated today. Zanes I'm not sure about, but I'm sure not many would complain had Robbie Robinson (I said it!!!! ) won the title over Frank.
Compare that to how many times a lightweight, or smaller man in general, won over the big guy. Arnold ALWAYS won over Franco. Danny Padilla didn't exactly win titles when he should of! Many people think that he was the rightful winner of the 81 Olympia. Platz, Callender and Padilla were all deserving that day, IMO. However, the best man was a smaller man- just that no one agrees that he was actually the best except the judges.
So, my point is, I don't think weight classes would do much more good than they once did.
Man, I gotta learn how to say my piece in a straight forward manner!!! Enough tangents!

[ChrisC]

70-75 I don't think anyone would complain with Arnold beating Franco and once Arnold retired in 75, small men won the next four. 1980 was just weird but 'small' men (in the sense that there were heavier/taller competitors around) then won in 81, 82, 83 until Haney appeared.

[ifearnoman]

holy sh*t and a half...can you say SHREDDED PECS?

[Ken B.]

hey whats wrong with short guys?

Freddy Ortiz 5'5" with Larry Scott 5'8"

[Ken B.]

a few more of Freddy, for those unfamiliar Freddy was a champ of the 1960s and well ahead of his time.

rear lat spread from some 40 years ago!

[Tim Wescott]

Freddy and Larry look OK!! ;D

Great shot Ken....total "little" freaks,and two of the greatest sets of guns to be found in any era!

Total arm development on both these legends!!

[Ken B.]

side chest......(when a rib cage mattered)

[Tim Wescott]

Great calves on Ortiz also,a bodypart sorely lacking on most guy`s today!!

I never noticed that Fredy was eating an ice cream cone in that pic with Scott!! LOL

[Ken B.]

not meaning to hijack the thread Tim but IMO the short guys have always made their presence known - also I think Eryk Bui looks great!

Freddy backstage......

[Ken B.]

a better double biceps.....