One of the best components of the IFBB Pro League is that it’s a true international sport. Competitors from around the world can face off and pose down to determine who the best is. There has been a lot of growth in Germany in recent years thanks to Urs Kalecinski and Mike Sommerfeld. But, which man should be considered “the man” in their home country? Leave it to Chris Cormier, Terrick El Guindy, and Tim Wilkins to chime in on the topic on Prime Time Muscle.
El Guindy shared that this rivalry really kicked off at a 2021 show in Tijuana, Mexico, where Sommerfeld got the best of “The Golden Bear.” That led fans and experts to believe that the same would happen at that year’s Olympia, but it wasn’t the case.
“Urs Kalecinski impressed everybody and got in the top 5. Mike Sommerfeld fell (to seventh). All Mike heard in Germany was how great Urs was.”
Sommerfeld joined Kalecinski in the Olympia top five in 2022, and El Guindy feels the rivalry is even more real now. Cormier shared that he’s spoken to both men, and he had kind words for both champions.
“I think the most upside is with Urs, but the maturity is with Mike, and he’s probably a little bit thicker,” said “The Real Deal.” Wilkins acknowledged Kalecinski’s social media following as well as his fanbase’s presence when he competes onstage.
“When he was at the Olympia last year, his popularity was right up there with C-Bum (Chris Bumstead),” he told El Guindy, who reminded the other hosts that their careers go beyond the stage. Their impact online makes a big difference in their careers as well. Sommerfeld’s posts with favorable comparisons to Kalecinski were another big component in this very real rivalry.
“Obviously he was sending a message to Urs ‘hey, I’m better than you.’”
The next time we could see this rivalry play out in real life is at the 2023 Classic Physique Olympia in Orlando, FL on Nov. 2-5. You can get tickets at www.mrolympia.com. You can also subscribe to Olympia TV’s YouTube channel to see this and all episodes of Prime Time Muscle every week. Don’t forget to follow @prime_time_muscle on Instagram as well.