VYOTECH Nutritionals is excited to announce that “The Olly Girls” have officially committed to attend the Arnold Fitness Weekend and will be available for personal photographs with fans at the VYOTECH booth. This will be a first time in attendance at the Arnold Expo for the super duo from Beverly Hills. “We’re proud to be able to provide the fitness community an opportunity to meet and mingle with these two celebrities that have gained their fame outside of the fitness sector” says Spiro Kandis, VYOTECH Nutritionals President and Co-founder. “Their presence will provide the every day guy a chance to get close and personal with two of the hottest women in the entertainment industry right now”. “These are elite young Hollywood stars that you won’t find at any other booth”.

Today, The Olly Girls (Holly Huddleston and Molly Shea) are recognized worldwide and currently have the #1 reality show “Sunset Tan” on the E! Television Network. These sexy blonde bombshells are sure to make for an exciting and entertaining weekend February 29-March 2, 2008 in Columbus, Ohio.

VYOTECH Nutritionals are the makers of ORYX “The World’s Perfect Protein” and the new appetite suppressing “Hoodia Shot” all day energy drink. Both of these products will be available for sampling at the Arnold Classic Fitness Expo all three days. VYOTECH Nutritionals has always been known for having the hottest women at their booth and 2008 is no exception.

With the Ironman Pro 4 weeks away, it is looking to be one of the best Ironman men’s bodybuilding show ever. Phil Heath, Toney Freeman, Gustavo Badell, David Henry, Silvio Samuel, Johnnie Jackson, Troy Alves, Desmond Miller, King Kamali, Paco Bautista, Omar Deckard, Moe El Moussawi, Deshaun Grimez, Ray Arde, Will Harris and many others are going to showcase the first pro show of the year.

2008 Show Flyer:

From New Zealand, Moe sent us a few pics of him getting ready for the 2008 Ironman Pro, to be held on February 16 in Los Angeles. Moe plans on getting on the stage at 225 pounds, and at 5″9″, he plans to make excellent progress in his shape since last year. It will be interesting to see Moe compared to a number of other bodybuilders, as he looks quite good at the moment.

It is official. Victor Martinez, the number 2 bodybuilder in the world, and the defending champion of the Arnold Classic, is out. According to reports, he saw the pictures of Phil Heath and just freaked out.

Ok, maybe not. According to Dave Palumbo of Muscular Development, who denied the rumor yesterday, has reported it is true. Victor was injured on Wednesday, January 16th when he was doing some warm-up lunges. A visit to the hospital and a quick MRI showed that Victor will need surgery on his left knee.

Here is the statement by Dave:

On Wednesday January 16th, while doing a set of warm-up lunges at his home gym in New Jersey, 2007 Arnold Classic Champ Victor Martinez fell off balance and felt something “give” in his left knee. The pain wasn’t intense but it forced him to discontinue his workout. Today, he went for an MRI at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City and it was determined that he’ll require surgery to repair the injury. Victor will have one of the top orthopedic surgeons in the country operating on him tomorrow morning; and, if all goes as planned, he should be home by Saturday afternoon. As a result of the injury, Victor will be forced to withdraw from the 2008 Arnold Classic and, instead, will concentrate on the upcoming 2008 Mr. Olympia. Stay tuned for daily updates!

Whoa! Flexonline.com, courtesy of Isaac Hinds, has posted some incredible pictures of Phil Heath five weeks out from the Ironman Pro. Is it ‘game over’ for the rest of the competitors? Some say yes, some are raving over Phil and his incredible look, and when you see the pictures, it does look like the man is a cartoon character. But still, five weeks out looking awesome does not mean anything on the day of the competition. In the background watching and waiting is Toney Freeman, Silvio Samuel, and Gustavo Badell, just to name a few. They promise to make sure that Phil might not get his cake and eat it at the Ironman.

Then comes the Arnold, with Victor Martinez, Dexter Jackson, Melvin Anthony, Branch Warren, and Kai Greene. With Phil being the front-runner at the Ironman, can he even make the top 3 at the Arnold? It is going to be an exciting and most interesting Ironman and Arnold this year. The electricity is in the air.

To check out the pics, go to:

Nasser El Sonbaty has been making some news lately, not so much as anything on the bodybuilding stage, but in what he has been saying. Nasser has been doing quite a number of interviews lately, four of them so far, and telling a great deal of stories that seem to create a lot of controversy. With each interview, the bulletin boards of Getbig seem to come alive with the a multitude of discussions, from if the stories are true, to if the events are true, to his attacks on various people. Now some people may say these interviews are negative, but when asked that question, Nasser simply replied that he is just saying it as it is, and you can take it the way you want. For those of you who think that Nasser is not smart, you are wrong. Nasser speaks five languages, and his English dialect is quite well. But in these interviews, Nasser talks about many things, including Milos Sarcev, Dave Palumbo, Greg Kovacs, competitions, his parents, steroids, Joe Weider and much more.

To read the interviews, courtesy of bodybuilding.com, click below. All four parts (interviews) are there.

Once in a while, I like to profile various magazines that I have seen. One which I just received is the January issue of Southern Muscle Plus Magazine, January 2008 issue.  This magazine caters to the bodybuildng, figure and fitness competition and athletes of the Southern States of the United States, and features various contests, plus los of information.This issue includees the latest NPC rule changles, Girl Talk, features and pictures on the Florida State, Louisiana State, Gulf Coast and other competition, and much more. Shannon Dey, who is the Advertising Coordinator of the magazine and also the NPC Chairperson in Florida for Figure and Fitness.

Here is what the magazine looks like.

The NO-HOLDS-BARRED hit competition series returns to prime-time television, with hosts Hulk Hogan and Laila Ali!  We are looking for weekend warrior types that are BIG, bad, and athletic. If you think you have the heart, skills, and desire to COMPETE then we want to see you at THE GLADIATOR ARENA! NBC has relaunched the classic competition series “American Gladiators” and is currently auditioning CONTENDERS and GLADIATORS for NEXT SEASON!

OPEN CALL: Saturday, January, 26, 2008/Time and Location: TBD
Los Angeles

OPEN CALL: Saturday, February 2, 2008/Time and Location: TBD
Denver, CO
Chicago, IL
Austin, TX

OPEN CALL: Saturday, February 9, 2008/Time and Location: TBD
New York City, NY
Scottsdale, AZ
Orlando, FL

For more information on how to apply to be either a contestant or a gladiator, click below

http://www.nbc.com/American_Gladiators/casting/index.shtml

“IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Hidetada Yamagishi was formally charged on January 8th in Los Angeles Superior Court with nine counts of steroid possession and distribution including five counts of “possession or purchase of controlled substance;” one count of “transport of controlled substance into state for sale;” and three counts of “possession of a prescription drug without a prescription.” His next court date will be on January 23, 2007. He will remain incarcerated at North County Correctional Facility until then under U.S. immigration hold on $180,000 bail……….”

Thanks to MuscleTime for the information.

Updated for the start of 2008, the RAS statistics are the rankings the many use around the internet world to see how is their favorite pro bodybuilding is doing compared to others.

Jay Cutler still leads the list, followed closely by Victor Martinez and Dexter Jackson, with Dennis Wolf right at their heels. For the complete list, click below for your enjoyement.

 http://www.getbig.com/ranking/prorankm.htm

Bodybuilding.com Announces Free All-Access Webcast Double-Header
Bodybuilding.com, the Internet’s most- visited bodybuilding and fitness site and largest retailer of nutritional supplements, has announced a free all-access webcast double-header featuring the 2008 Iron Man Pro and the Arnold Classic. Bodybuilding.com will broadcast live coverage on-stage and backstage at both events. Viewers will enjoy pre-show coverage, videos and interviews with the pros, in-depth profiles, exclusive offers from the Bodybuilding.com Store, contest blogs, and more!

The IFBB Iron Man Pro is the biggest and longest-running IFBB professional bodybuilding event on the West Coast. It is the only pro show in Los Angeles, the Mecca of bodybuilding. The top 3 finalists will qualify to compete in the next Mr. Olympia.

The Arnold Classic is an annual bodybuilding, fitness and figure competition (named after Arnold Schwarzenegger). It is the most lucrative competition in bodybuilding, with a number of large prizes. Most notably, the first place winner receives $100,000 cash, a Hummer vehicle, a Rolex watch, and some serious bragging rights for the year.

The 2008 Iron Man Pro will be webcast live Saturday, February 16th from the L.A. Convention Center in Los Angeles, CA. Men’s pre-judging will start at 9:30 am PST, and the Men’s Final/Women’s Figure Final will start at 6:00 pm PST.

The 2008 Arnold Classic will be webcast live from Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium in Columbus, Ohio. You can watch the Ms. International, Fitness International and Figure International at 6:30 pm EST on Friday, February 29th. Tune in the next day, Saturday, March 1st at 11:30 am EST for men’s pre-judging and again at 6:30 pm EST for the Men’s Finals.

“The Iron Man Pro and the Arnold Classic are two of my favorite events. I’m very excited that we are able to webcast them live on the Internet for free, so that fans from all around the world can experience them”, says Bodybuilding.com CEO, Ryan DeLuca.

We asked IFBB pro bodybuilder A.D. Cherry how he felt upon learning that he was invited to the 2008 Arnold Classic. Here is his response:

I really feel great! I feel like this is an acceptance and and an opportunity to show my look and physique on the pro stage. I couldn’t ask for much more. I have never even been to Columbus before. This whole experience is just going to be great. I woke up today, the day after I learned I was invited, and said ‘I just cant believe it!’. I am really excited, happy and fired up. That is the motivation you need to get ready for this show.

This year, I had my first Christmas at my house, with my son and girlfriend, and we had the full Christmas dinner, turkey, stuffing and potatoes. The next evening, we went to the owner of Gold’s Gym Modesto for dinner, and now I am in some serious training, and I have eight weeks to get ready. I am going to do exactly what I did for the NPC Nationals, except to shoot for being 5lbs heavier with the same conditioning, but a little better.

I am focusing on bringing up my chest, and also the overall size of my legs. I want them to be thicker, and really striated then ever before. Wow, it will be exciting to be up on the Arnold stage with a great set of competitors, and I am looking forward to it. You got to have some new faces up on the Arnold stage, and I am going to work really hard to bring a good routine and presentation. It is an honor to be invited.

A.D. Cherry after winning his class at NPC Nationals.

20th Annual Arnold Classic Competitors List

After countless days of waiting, here is the competitors who will be in the 2008 Arnold Classic competitions.

Men’s Competitors

Melvin Anthony
Gustavo Badell
Adorthus Cherry
Toney Freeman
Kai Greene
Deshaun Grimez
Phil Heath
David Henry
Dexter Jackson
Johnnie Jackson
Victor Martinez
Desmond Miller
Ronny Rockel
Silvio Samuel
Branch Warren
Hidetada Yamagishi

Fitness International Competitors

Regiane Da Silva
Tina Durkin
Bethany Gainey
Tracey Greenwood
Oksana Grishina
Jen Hendershott
Kimberly Klein
Julie Lohre
Tanya Merryman
Mindi O’brien
Julie Palmer
Stacy Simons

Figure International Competitors

Sonia Adcock
Gina Aliotti
Paola Almerico
Catherine Andersen
Natalie Benson
Monica Brant-Peckham
Amy Fry
Bernadette Galvan
Jennifer Gates
Deborah Leung
Juliana Malacarne
Kristal Richardson
Chastity Slone
Brenda Marie Smith
Briana Tindall
Valerie Waugaman
Latisha Wilder
Nicole Wilkins

Ms. International Competitors

Lisa Aukland
Tracy Beckham
Dayana Cadeau
Tazzie Columb
Iris Floyd Kyle
Kristy Hawkins
Rosemary Jennings
Debi Laszewski
Mah-Ann Mendoza
Colette Nelson
Yaxeni Oriquen
Betty Pariso
Brenda Raganot
Annie Rivieccio
Antoinette Thompson
Betty Viana-Adkins

“Pro Bodybuilding Weekly” the radio voice of professional bodybuilding, announces a new addition to the IFBB Contest Schedule. “The Pro Bodybuilding Weekly Championships” will debut in Tampa, Florida on August 9th. One of the premier locations on the 2008 IFBB schedule, the contest will take place on Florida’s west coast, just off the Gulf of Mexico. IFBB Pro League Chairman Jim Manion states, “Tampa has always been a hot bed for NPC bodybuilding and I’m looking forward to the first IFBB professional bodybuilding event held there in 2008,”

Under the direction of promoter Tim Gardner, The “Pro Bodybuilding Weekly Championships” will be the year’s only IFBB bodybuilding event staged in the Southeast region of the United States. The event will bring professional bodybuilding back to the State of Florida for the first time in 5 years.

PBW’s creator Dan Solomon explains, “The creation of the PBW Bodybuilding Championships is a great way for us to give something back to an industry that has helped us popularize bodybuilding talk radio.” Solomon continues, “The State of Florida has produced countless world class bodybuilders. We are excited to team up with one of the area’s top promoters, Tim Gardner, to bring pro bodybuilding back to the region. We expect to have an impressive lineup for this event.”

The “PBW Championships” will be held on August 9th at the prestigious Downtown Tampa Performing Arts Center, on the banks of the Hillsborough River located near the historic Ybor City district (The Marriott Waterside is the official host hotel). Event updates will be provided during the weekly PBW broadcasts and online at the PBW broadcast center – www.BodybuildingRadio.com

Presented by MuscleTech, PBW returns in January for its 4th season along with its 100th broadcast. The 2007 broadcast schedule included appearances by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Triple H, Jay Cutler, Ronnie Coleman, Jim Manion, Franco Columbu, Reg Park and a long list of bodybuilding celebrities. Bodybuilding’s #1 rated multi-media production can be replayed on-demand courtesy of Bodybuilding.com. For direct inquiries about the IFBB Pro Bodybuilding Weekly Championships, contact Tim Gardner at TGFlex@aol.com

The IFBB Houston Pro show, for bodybuilding, fitness and figure, was added to the official IFBB 2008 Contest schedule.  These contests will occur of the 2008 July 4th weekend, and are promoted by Lee Thompson, and Khalid Tibari.

 Here is the link for all of the 2008 IFBB pro bodybuilding, figure and fitness contests, updated as of December 23rd.

http://www.getbig.com/info/ifbb/ifbb-schedule2008.htm