Is the 2012 Branch Warren better than Nasser was?

[honest]

Judging criteria has changed since nasser competed, Nasser has a far better structure, but would struggle to beat Branch under todays criteria, Branch definately gets more grainy, but hes a blob, Nasser was top shelf till he turned around. 

[johnny1]

Judging criteria has changed since nasser competed, Nasser has a far better structure, but would struggle to beat Branch under todays criteria, Branch definately gets more grainy, but hes a blob, Nasser was top shelf till he turned around. 

Exactly, Nasser from the front has a Much better Structure and a Better flow to it no doubts there, however again....Turn around too the back.....Nasser had Great hamstrings however from the back his problems with Branch would start from the Top.....on down Branchs Tie-ins.....especially the hip/glute/ham tie ins would look out of place next to Branch, Branch is also very THICK and DENCE in the side shots his side chest is as Dence as ANYONE onstage in any era (key word Dence), Todays Criteria IMO would NOT be in Nasser's favor in the 1990s.....could be another story.

[powerbar]

Dense?

[avxo]

Nasser had a very obvious asymmetry in the extraocular muscles. Kind of hard for the judges to ignore.

And now for the obligatory picture:

[Figo]

This is hands down the greatest Arab bodybuilder

No doubt

[hench]

is it? Branch looks smooth and watery

shape wise nasser's back is better.. branch's is more conditioned but doesnt look good..

[bigbobs]

Exactly, Nasser from the front has a Much better Structure and a Better flow to it no doubts there, however again....Turn around too the back.....Nasser had Great hamstrings however from the back his problems with Branch would start from the Top.....on down Branchs Tie-ins.....especially the hip/glute/ham tie ins would look out of place next to Branch, Branch is also very THICK and DENCE in the side shots his side chest is as Dence as ANYONE onstage in any era (key word Dence), Todays Criteria IMO would NOT be in Nasser's favor in the 1990s.....could be another story.

Actually TODAY's criteria would be a HUGE advantage to Nasser whether it was applied during the late 90's or whether Nasser was competing today, because one area Nasser would get nailed by the judges was the "posing" round - he wasn't considered a great poser and would lose lots of points in that area.  Nowdays posing does not count towards your final score, and if such was the case during Nasser's era he would have placed higher because the posing round always held him back, even though with this extra round against him he still placed very well in many shows.

Besides, Branch's back is not great either and his biceps are non-existent in the rear double biceps pose.

[Nirvana]

branch looks like shit. "dencity" "tie ins" "work ethic"  do not justify being 5'7 looking like shit

[Sherief Shalaby]

Actually TODAY's criteria would be a HUGE advantage to Nasser whether it was applied during the late 90's or whether Nasser was competing today, because one area Nasser would get nailed by the judges was the "posing" round - he wasn't considered a great poser and would lose lots of points in that area.  Nowdays posing does not count towards your final score, and if such was the case during Nasser's era he would have placed higher because the posing round always held him back, even though with this extra round against him he still placed very well in many shows.

Besides, Branch's back is not great either and his biceps are non-existent in the rear double biceps pose.

nasser now is 3X at least uncrowned mr. olympia.. i think if the posing round was not counted in his ear he would have been now 5X at least uncrowned mr. olympia and would have won the AC 3 times instead of 1

[Danjo]

Nasser is (was) far better overall....Branch has some good condition and phenomenal mass and thickness but keep in mind he is also 5 ft-nothin..

[honest]

nasser now is 3X at least uncrowned mr. olympia.. i think if the posing round was not counted in his ear he would have been now 5X at least uncrowned mr. olympia and would have won the AC 3 times instead of 1

You wont win nascar with three wheels and you wont win the olympia without a back. Both Heath and Cutler dont have overly strong backs in comparison to Ronnie and Dorian, but it isnt a glaring weakness, I agree with Bobs Nasser at his peak would fair better in some ways when compared to the guys of this era, his back would definatlyhave not looked as weak, but the argument continually put up that Nasser should have won an olympia is a false one, If he was competing today against lower calibre guys such as Jay and Heath and at his peak, who knows, in my opinion, the guys winning today, dont have the structure of the guys who were winning years ago but they also dont have overly obvious weak points.

[Mr Nobody]

It comes down to back comparison otherwise equal.

[dr.chimps]

It comes down to back comparison otherwise equal.

I think Branch just edges Nasser on forearms, too. 

[NarcissisticDeity]

I think Branch just edges Nasser on forearms, too. 

[Mr Nobody]

I think Branch just edges Nasser on forearms, too. 

Damn I missed that we need a forearm mandatory then.

[johnny1]

Actually TODAY's criteria would be a HUGE advantage to Nasser whether it was applied during the late 90's or whether Nasser was competing today, because one area Nasser would get nailed by the judges was the "posing" round - he wasn't considered a great poser and would lose lots of points in that area.  Nowdays posing does not count towards your final score, and if such was the case during Nasser's era he would have placed higher because the posing round always held him back, even though with this extra round against him he still placed very well in many shows.

Besides, Branch's back is not great either and his biceps are non-existent in the rear double biceps pose.

Well no you're missed the point, the bottom line is NOW in 2012 the guys Like Branch who are "Winning" these Larger pro shows are Extremely CONDITIONED FRONT....AND BACK structure be damned as horrible a look as Branch has had for years and years now, Branch is MORE conditioned than Nasser was from the side and Back.... Nasser gets the nod from the front.... as ive said Nasser Def has a Much better Flow to his Physiques a much better FDB, FLS, Ab/thigh, etc etc (if comparing these 2) and the posing aspect would mean very little as a Advantage to Nasser these days, the fact is Nasser from the back and side was Not as Conditioned as Branch was/is this imo would be a bigger liability these days...MORE so than when he was in his prime years in the 1990s Nasser would more than likey beat Branch in the 1990s 9 times out of ten (in his best shape that is or near it) not so now in 2012 with the CURRANT Criteria IMO.

[Sherief Shalaby]

another rare pic. of nasser from 1989.. he was only 23-24 years old here..

[Sherief Shalaby]

2 more..

[bigbobs]

Well no you're missed the point, the bottom line is NOW in 2012 the guys Like Branch who are "Winning" these Larger pro shows are Extremely CONDITIONED FRONT....AND BACK structure be damned as horrible a look as Branch has had for years and years now, Branch is MORE conditioned than Nasser was from the side and Back.... Nasser gets the nod from the front.... as ive said Nasser Def has a Much better Flow to his Physiques a much better FDB, FLS, Ab/thigh, etc etc (if comparing these 2) and the posing aspect would mean very little as a Advantage to Nasser these days, the fact is Nasser from the back and side was Not as Conditioned as Branch was/is this imo would be a bigger liability these days...MORE so than when he was in his prime years in the 1990s Nasser would more than likey beat Branch in the 1990s 9 times out of ten (in his best shape that is or near it) not so now in 2012 with the CURRANT Criteria IMO.

Ever think Branch is winning in 2012 simply because there are not physiques comparative to Nasser's onstage today?  It's not that today's judging criteria doesn't value structure anymore it's simply that today's top competitors don't have great structure. 

[bigbobs]

Amazing, rare pics Sherief! 

Funny how someone said earlier that as an amateur branch was better than Nasser as an amateur lol

[HugeAl]

Stupid question that is only being asked because Groink is butthurt that Nasser didn't want to meet him after he sent Alex begging texts to be allowed to attend the next meeting.

Nasser competed in the most competitive era in all of bodybuilding. There was peak Ronnie, Levrone, Kenny Wheeler, Shawn Ray et al all taking each other on. The quality of those guys would win trophies today. A past his prime Jason (prime Jason always 2nd to Ronnie)would have never won the Mr O when the field was that strong. Even then Nasser got a raw deal but was still one of the very best in the very best era.

Branch is as fortunate as Jason in that the competition is much poorer these days and being a white American is always a big advantage. Being a black American is still a bigger advantage than being a white European though.

I ask you..if Branch Warren wasn't a white Texan and instead had that very physique but was called Mohammed al-Sada and hailed from the middle east, do you honestly believe he would win the Arnold? Really?

Branch is just fortunate to be the right color, in the right country,  at the right time (no real challengers) he cannot even be compared to a great like Nasser while keeping a straight face.