Casual bodybuilders are already familiar with the Olympia and the Arnold Classic, but fans with deep ties to the sport know there’s a third show that could be called the crown jewel of the industry – the Pittsburgh Pro.
The 2023 Pittsburgh Pro took place at the Wyndham Grand Downtown Hotel in Pittsburgh, PA on May 12-13. Olympia President Dan Solomon called the Pittsburgh Pro “one of the greatest traditions in our industry” on his Instagram post about the event.
The contest is promoted by Jim Manion, IFBB Pro League Presidentwho was himself the 1971 Mr. Pittsburgh winner. Manion and Solomon, along with many of bodybuilding’s biggest stars, legends and insiders, were on hand to come together and celebrate the sport they love. all.
Saturday afternoon’s finals thrilled many fans in the hotel because of the open male stars who would pose as guests. This is an event that dates back decades, and memorable moments have taken place during this exhibit, such as Ronnie Coleman giving Jay Cutler a piggyback ride, Phil Heath and Kai Greene sharing the stage, and Kevin Levrone announcing his return for the 2016 Mr. Olympia seven years ago. A year ago, 2021 Olympia 212 champion guest Derek Lunsford posed and made headlines due to the size he put on. This led him to be invited to participate in the Olympia Open. He would place second behind new champion Hadi Choopan.
Lunsford returned to Pittsburgh to psoe once more, and he was joined by Mr. Olympia Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay, Arnold Classic champions Samson Dauda and Nick Walker, second-generation superstar Hunter Labrada and double Olympia 212 champion Shaun Clarida. Solomon and four-time Classic Physique Olympia champion Chris Bumstead greeted fans and spoke about the importance of the Pittsburgh Pro to both of them before the athletes chimed in. During their presentation, Bob Cicherillo introduced Australian Tony Doherty, who had brought a new pro to Pittsburgh, Mike Hulusi, who was allowed to take the stage with the six headliners and go pose to pose. Hulusi was in the final stages of his preparation for the New York Pro, which will take place on May 20, and he looked close to contest form. Imagine your first poses as a pro being part of the sport’s elite at its highest level. Welcome to the IFBB Pro League, Mike.
The guest posers made comparisons as if they were in competition thanks to head judge Steve Weinberger, then they stepped out into the crowd to pose with fans. After several minutes, they took a final bow before leaving the stage for interviews. Fans gave them a standing ovation for their efforts. Manion also looked on with approval and appreciation.
The guest posers were a big part of the show, but it is a competition, after all, and there were six professional contests held between the two days of competition with Olympia qualifications on the line. The stars could also be seen competing in Queues. Two of those contests featured Olympia champions and two others included an Arnold Classic weekend winner. The Ms. Physique Olympia defense Natalia Coelho won her division title, but three-time Bikini Olympia winner Ashley Kaltwasser placed second.
Aimee Delgado. Defending Wellness International champion Kassandra Gillis had just one spot to win the Pittsburgh Wellness Show. That champion would be Gisele Machado. The winner of the Figure show was Cherish Richardson.
Classic physique and male physique shows were also held. Michael Daboul won the Classic Physique title and is now qualified for Olympia 2023, which takes place in Orlando, Florida from November 2-5. As Solomon reminded the fans in attendance, tickets can be purchased at www.mrolympia.com.
The winner of Men’s Physique was Corey Morris, who won his third show in a row. During the interview with Cicherillo, reigning Men’s Physique Olympia winner Erin Banks took to the stage to congratulate Morris and warn him of what awaits him at the Olympia.
“Be at your best because that’s what it’s going to take to beat me, and there aren’t many people who have beaten me.”
Another very important part of this weekend’s events is the amateur contests. The NPC is based in Pittsburgh, so what better way to get introduced to the sport than by competing on the NPC’s hometown stage? Put yourself in the competitors’ trunks for a moment. Combine the feeling of stepping onto the stage with the ability to peer into the audience and see legends such as Rich Gaspari, Hany Rambod, former 212 contestant and Pittsburgh legend Seth Feroce, and other big names you probably follow on social media. . Outside of pro qualifying shows, there’s perhaps no bigger amateur scene than this.
The energy that has been created at the Wyndham Grand Downtown Hotel will be felt long after the stage has been taken down and people have moved on to the New York Pro or other scheduled events. That energy is why the Pittsburgh Pro is one of those shows that all serious bodybuilding fans and competitors need to put on their contest list. The dates for the 2024 competition had not yet been announced, but you can follow @npcifbbpropittsburgh on Instagram to find out when next year’s show is.
