Arnold Classic and Arnold Amateur 2013. EGLE 2 KOHT!

Evan Centopani Opts out of 2013 Arnold Classic

http://www.flexonlin…-arnold-classic

IFBB Pro Evan Centopani’s Olympia Stage Debut wasn’t as well as we would have expected. Evan took 8th place.

Before that, Centopani has competed in both the 2011 and 2012 Arnold Classics taking 4th and 3rd respectively.

In the following video, Centopani explains there isn’t much of an off-season between the Olympia and the Arnold. Reading into that, it looks like the only time we will see Evan on stage again will be at the 2012 Mr Olympia.

Will taking an entire year off for the Olympia help Evan Centopani move from 8th to top 6? He will have to combat Mr Olympia Phil Heath, Former Mr Olympia Jay Cutler, the venerable and Mr Olympia Runner Up Kai Greene, former Mr Olympia Dexter Jackson, 3rd place finisher Shawn Rhoden, Branch Warren, Dennis Wolf, etc.

Another one sitting out the up coming Arnold is 3 times Champ Nicole Wilkins who recently announced she will not be defending her title. Her official announcement ;

For the past five years, the Monday after Thanksgiving always marks the first day of my prep for the Arnold Classic. But not this year – because, since 2008, I’ve decided to sit out the event. For the first time since I’ve been a pro, I’m going to give myself a longer off-season to make the improvements I feel are necessary to get my physique where I want it to be to hopefully win back the Figure Olympia title.

For those of you who will be in Columbus, I will be too – just at the Met-Rx booth and not on stage. I’m sure it will be hard watching all of the other girls competing that weekend, but I know this is the right decision for me at this time. And I know I’ll be back on the Arnold Classic Figure International stage in 2014 going for title No. 4!

Thank you to Fitness Management Group (FMG), my trainer Kim Oddo and MET-Rx for supporting me with this decision. Here’s to a great 2013!

A week after Evan Centopani announced that he will sit out the 2012 Arnold Classic, another favorite has done the same. This time it is none other than the reigning champ Branch Warren! For the official rosters check back in a few weeks. Here he is telling us the news

http://www.musculardevelopment.com/team-md-blogs/branch-warren-blog/5082-branch-warren-out-of-2013-arnold-classic.html

Flexonline.com takes an early-look on the upcoming AC – http://www.flexonlin…ssic-2013-grabs

The story of the day isn’t about who will compete in the 2013 Arnold Classic, rather it’s who is NOT competing in it. We won’t see reigning Mr Olympia Phil Heath, former Mr Olympia Jay Cutler, Kai Greene, Branch Warren, Evan Centopani, Victor Martinez or Shawn Rhoden on stage this March.

Both Phil Heath and Jay Cutler are going to go ‘mano a mano’ with Kai Greene at the 2013 Mr Olympia. They have their game faces on and their game plans all laid out. So we can safely cross these gentlemen off the 2013 Arnold Classic list.

Branch Warren, who sustained a quad injury in 2011, came back with true grit and determination to win the 2012 Arnold Classic, beating out Dennis Wolf and Evan Centopani. However, Warren barely made the top 5 at the 2012 Olympia. Warren just recently announced he is opting out of the 2013 Arnold Classic. In my opinion, it’s a good decision. Branch Warren needs to take off a long hiatus from the gym, rest and come back to the Olympia. Even then, I see him only placing 6th or 5th.

Evan Centopani recently announced he’s not competing in the 2013 Arnold Classic. He placed 3rd at the 2012 Arnold but only placed 8th at the 2012 Mr Olympia. Evan lost his edge between the Arnold and the Olympia. In this video clip, he explains what he plans to do in order to get that edge back and part of the plan is not to compete in the Arnold.

One of my favorites, Victor Martinez, will be competing on his old stomping grounds at the 2013 New York Pro. It will be his first competition in a few years. He’s been gaining size and strength over the past 6 months. In my personal conversation with him, Martinez has worked out the bugs and the demons and anticipates being in the mix, once qualified, for the 2013 Mr Olympia.

Flex Athlete and friend Shawn Rhoden just announced he will not be competing in the 2013 Arnold Classic in this announcement article. Rhoden competed eight times in 2012, to include having taken 6 weeks off for a hernia surgery. Rhoden placed 3rd at the 2012 Mr Olympia with a sharp and chiseled physique. However, he also knows the big boys were off last year. So if he wants to stay in the mix, Rhoden needs to add some size between now and the 2013 Mr Olympia.

So who’s left? Dennis Wolf, Ben Pakulski, Dexter Jackson, Lionel Beyeke, Brandon Curry, Fouad Abiad, Michael Kefalianos, Ben White, Toney Freeman, Ben White, Roelly Winklaar, Hidetada Yamagishi, Johnnie Jackson, Essa Obiad and Fred Smalls are just a few names off the top of my head.

It could be Dexter Jackson’s to have. He’s outgunned everyone on this list at one time or another. But having just competed in the Masters Olympia, there’s only a few weeks of rest before getting back on the wagon. With that said, I don’t think Dexter can take it if Pakulski, Fouad, Freeman or Beyeke come in big and sharp.

My prediction? Ben Pakulski will be your new 2013 Arnold Classic Champion.

What are your thoughts?