The Mr. Olympia men’s open lineup is already very deep, but fans are always ready for more big names to get onstage in the men’s biggest division. Two names that have come up often in recent years are four-time Classic Physique Olympia champion Chris Bumstead and two-time Olympia 212 winner Shaun Clarida. Clarida has already tested the men’s open waters twice, and he won one of those two contests. Bumstead turned pro as a bodybuilder, but Classic Physique is where he calls home and dominates. Could either man make the move to the open permanently, and if they could, should they?
Tim Wilkins asked both of his Prime Time Muscle co-hosts about this topic, and Chris Cormier was quick to say that he thinks the “Giant Killer” will likely do both the 212 and open more often in the future.
“I think we’re going to see him go back and forth, but when it comes down to the Olympia, I think he wants to get those Olympia (212) titles, but outside of the Olympia, we could see him pop into the open class.”
As for Bumstead, he’d said repeatedly that he has no intentions of leaving Classic Physique. Terrick El Guindy thinks the door isn’t closed completely, but the champ won’t succumb to pressure unless he knows the time is right.
“Chris Bumstead lives life by his own terms. He will not do anything to prove anything to anybody,” he told Wilkins. “He’s not going to be swayed by money or titles. If he does an open bodybuilding show, it’s going to be for fun. He’ll do his best, but I don’t think he’ll do it by our terms.”
The guys had a lot more to discuss in this episode, and you can see it in its entirety at the Olympia TV YouTube channel. Make sure you subscribe so you can catch all new episodes of PTM as well as other shows like The Fit Rockstar Show and Femme Flex Friday as well.