The Texas native returned home and was scheduled for surgery at Baylor Hospital. He should recover and back on stage in 2012.

This comes as a shock as Warren was one of the few expected to give defending champion Jay Cutler a run for his money. Warren stood in the winner’s circle in March at the prestigious Arnold Classic and has placed third and second, respectively, at the last two Olympias.

Source: http://forums.musculardevelopment.com/showthread.php/115257-Branch-Warren-OUT-OF-OLYMPIA-with-torn-quad-tendon.-Will-recover-to-defend-Arnold-title-in-2012

Last September, Greene had a bloated midsection and fell out of the top six. He then decided to not defend his Arnold title and use the New York Pro as a warm up for the Olympia. When asked by emcee Bob Cicherillo if he can in fact unseat Jay Cutler in Las Vegas, Greene was coy and joked with an ambiguous answer. “I’d like to thank my entire team,” he said with a laugh and a smile. But come September, this will be anything but funny.

Cutler has won four of the last five Olympias and will be a tough out. Phil Heath was a close second to Greene at the 2010 Arnold and gave his buddy Cutler a run for his money six months later. ‘The Gift’ is not going anywhere and has had a full year – like Cutler – to prepare for the O. Branch Warren won the Arnold and has finished in the top three two years in a row in Vegas.

What all of that means is that Greene will need to be in his best shape just to break into the top three. Sure, he can accomplish that but may need to wait until Cutler hangs up the posing trunks before adding a Sandow to his trophy case.

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Armbrust was unable to compete in the Ms. International at the Arnold Classic in March due to injury and was on schedule with her training after recovering. When she was on MuscleSport Radio this summer, Armbrust stated that she was 100 percent and training hard for the O. But whatever occurred between then and now was serious enough for her to decide to forego what is her most important contest to date.

Iris Kyle is a true champion and surely would have welcomed the challenge that Armbrust surely would have brought, but now her sights must set on Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia, who finished second behind Kyle at the Arnold. Kyle has won five out of the last six Ms. Olympias, and the one exception came in 2005 when Oriquen-Garcia defeated her.

There is a big drop-off in the competitors list after these two women. Lisa Aukland and Betty Pariso have also qualified and are not competing, with speculation that either one or both will shortly announce their retirement. Perhaps a dark horse such as Zoa Linsey can sneak up on the competition and impress the judges. There is definitely room in the top six here.

It will certainly not be the same contest without Armbrust.

Ms. Olympia Qualified Competitors (NC=Not competing)

1. Sheila Bleck (USA)
2. Helen Bouchard (Canada)
3. Brigita Brezovac (Slovenia)
4. Dayana Cadeau (Canada)
5. Tina Chandler (USA)
6. Heather Foster (USA)
7. Iris Kyle (USA)
8. Debi Laszewski (USA)
9. Cathy LeFrancois (Canada)
10. Zoa Linsey (Canada)
11. Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia (Venezuela)
NC. Heather Armbrust (USA)
NC. Lisa Aukland (USA)
NC. Betty Pariso (USA)

As bodybuilding fans all know by now, Badell took home the winner’s purse of $18,000 at the AC and now has set himself up for another run at the Olympia, where he finished in the top 10 last year. “The Freakin’ Rican” was not a surprise and anyone who feels that he was did not do their homework.

Badell has 11 years experience on the pro circuit and has won two shows (2005 Iron Man Pro, 2006 San Francisco Pro). In 2008, he finished second at the Iron Man, sixth at the Arnold Classic and 10th at the Olympia. He came into this year’s Arnold a little off and placed 11th but had plenty of time to prepare for this contest and obviously used it well.

In case you need further convincing, this is a guy who placed third at two consecutive Olympias only five short years ago.

At 5’8″ and 240 pounds, Badell had the size to get more than noticed. He came in condition and took the top spot against some quality competition in Hidetada Yamagishi, Troy Alves, Melvin Anthony and Leo Ingram.

• 1991 Junior Caribbean Championships, overall winner
• 1997 Caribbean Championships, overall winner (received pro card)
• 1997 World Amateur Championships Heavyweight, 10th
• 1998 Grand Prix Germany, 9th
• 1999 Grand Prix England, 17th
• 1999 Night of Champions, Did Not Place
• 1999 [[World Pro Championships, 14th
• 2000 Ironman Pro Invitational, 18th
• 2000 Night of Champions, Did Not Place
• 2000 Toronto Pro Invitational, Did Not Place

• 2000 World Pro Championships, 11th
• 2001 Grand Prix England, Did Not Place
• 2001 Ironman Pro Invitational, 16th
• 2001 San Francisco Pro Invitational, 11th
• 2002 Ironman Pro Invitational, 13th
• 2002 Night of Champions, 10th
• 2002 Mr. Olympia, 24th
• 2002 Southwest Pro Cup, 6th
• 2002 Toronto Pro Invitational, 3rd
• 2004 Arnold Classic, 7th
• 2004 Ironman Pro Invitational, 3rd
• 2004 San Francisco Pro Invitational, 4th

• 2004 Show of Strength Pro Championship, 3rd
• 2004 Mr. Olympia, 3rd
• 2005 Arnold Classic, 3rd
• 2005 Ironman Pro Invitational, 1st
• 2005 Mr. Olympia, 3rd
• 2006 Arnold Classic, 4th
• 2006 San Francisco Pro Invitational, 1st
• 2006 Mr. Olympia, 6th
• 2007 Arnold Classic, 4th
• 2007 Mr. Olympia 8th
• 2008 Ironman Pro Invitational, 2nd
• 2008 Arnold Classic, 6th
• 2008 Mr Olympia, 10th
• 2009 Arnold Classic, 11th
• 2009 Atlantic City Pro, 1st

In 2008, Badell, 36, finished second at the Iron Man Pro, sixth at the Arnold Classic and 10th at the Olympia. So far this year, he has only competed once and placed 11th at the Arnold. This is a man who won the Iron Man in ’05 and the San Francisco Pro in ’06. Badell has also finished third at the 2004 and 2005 Mr. Olympias, so he has done well against the big boys in his career.

In his 11th year competing, the 5’8″, 240-pound Badell may not have many chances left at winning quality shows such as the Atlantic City. His experience and size will be pluses for him against a line-up that he should be able to handle. He must come in to the contest in top condition and having since March to prepare, there is no excuse if he does not.

2009 Atlantic City Pro IFBB Championships
Friday & Saturday, September 11&12th
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Promoted by
Stokley Palmer & Ron Goldstein

Men’s Open

1 Almohsinawi, Khalid (Netherlands)

2 Anthony, Melvin (USA)

3 Apperson, Lee (USA)

6 Chacon, Marcos (SPAIN)

7 Cohen, Simon (UNITED KINGDOM)

8 Dexter, Oscar (Tahiti)

15 Ojex, Bola (Nigeria)

16 Pelletier, Jocelyn (Canada)

17 Piotrkowicz, Robert (Poland)

23 Alves, Troy