Photos of Cutler from the Olympia clearly showed swelling and redness in the area and it was reportedly suffered during a photo shoot. The injury was still apparent a few weeks later at the inaugural Sheru Classic in India, at which Cutler again was the runner-up to Heath.

That was back in September. Cutler is scheduled to go under the knife in February and be back in the gym by the end of March. Considering that he has competed only once a year, that should be more than enough time for him to get ready for the 2012 O.

But with the torch already passed to Heath and Cutler being 39 by the time that show rolls around, it would have been a wiser decision to have the procedure done earlier. Muscle tears like this need to be surgically repaired and waiting is not going to change anything for the better.

If Cutler has any chance of regaining the title for the second time (he took it back from Dexter Jackson in 2009), then he is going to need as much time as possible to get there. Losing the last four months cannot be changed, so Cutler had better hope that his recovery goes well without any setbacks. He doesn’t have any wiggle room now and has to be on point at every stage of his preparation.

So when it came down to make the same decision this year, Greene didn’t have to give it too much of a thought judging by his – and his fellow competitor’s –  recent history. Both Phil Heath and Jay Cutler (the last two Mr. Olympia winners, respectively) prepared solely for the O and stayed away from competing until September.

Greene had a lot to prove in 2011 after a lackluster seventh place finish at his maiden Olympia voyage the previous year. He came back strong and dominated the big city stage at the New York Pro, which put him right back into the mix for a top three placing at the Olympia.

That is exactly what happened and Greene is once again in the conversation of dominating bodybuilders. He has already proven himself in Columbus on more than one occasion and he is more than ready to take it a step further.

KAI GREENE – CONTEST HISTORY

Just who walks away from the Jackie Gleason Theater in Miami, Florida this weekend remains to be seen, but it goes without saying that we should all take note of those names and expect to see them in the months and years ahead.

2011 will be the first year that the Men’s and Women’s Physique divisions will be represented at the Nationals.

In its 29th year of existence, the Nationals has had a who’s-who of the sport of bodybuilding come through the ranks. This is an impressive list of the winners and the greatness that many of the men have went on to obtain since turning pro is self-explanatory:

1982: Lee Haney

1983: Bob Paris

1984: Mike Christian

1985: Phil Williams

1986: Gary Strydom

1987: Shawn Ray

1988: Vince Taylor

1989: Troy Zuccolotto

1990: Alq Gurley

1991: Kevin Levrone:

1992: John Sherman

1993: Mike Francois

1994: Paul DeMayo

1995: Don Long

1996: Willie Stallings

1997: Tom Prince

1998: Orville Burke

        1999: Aaron Maddron 

2000: Victor Martinez

2001: Jonnie O. Jackson

2001: Toney Freeman

2003: Mat Duval

2004: Chris Cook

2005: Bill Wilmore

2006: Desmond Miller

2007: Evan Centopani

2008: Ed Nunn

2009: Cedric McMillan

2010: Robert Burneika

The top six resembled the one in Las Vegas in more ways, with Dexter Jackson being the one exception. ‘The Blade’ sat this show out, so Toney Freeman moved up from seventh at the O to sixth here. Kai Greene (third), Victor Martinez (fourth) and Dennis Wolf (fifth) placed the same.

The big names in bodybuilding will now enter a much deserved offseason in anticipation for an action packed 2012. In March, of course, the Arnold Classic takes place and we surely will see the likes of Martinez, Wolf and Freeman. But there will be questions if Greene will compete in Ohio again.  It seems a given that Cutler and Heath will choose to prepare year round for the Olympia.

The final placings at the IFBB Sheru Classic were as follows:

1- Phil Heath

2- Jay Cutler

3- Kai Greene

4- Victor Martinez

5- Dennis Wolf

6- Toney Freeman

7- Michael Kefalianos

8- Alfonso Del Rio Valencia

9- Mohammed Touri

10- Ntuk Sunday

11- Varinder Singh Ghuman

“I’m actually happy right now,” Cutler said with a smile as he congratulated Heath on the win.

Overcome with emotion, Heath reveled in being congratulated by the other nine finalists and then brought up a story when he first met Cutler backstage at a local bodybuilding show. “I was playing college basketball back then…all scrawny and I saw (Cutler) walk by and I thought to myself, ‘That’s one big dude,’” recalled Heath.

Heath becomes the 13th man to win the Sandow and prevented Cutler from joining an elite group with five or more titles (Lee Haney, Dorian Yates, Ron Coleman).

Rounding out the top 10 were Kai Greene, Victor Martinez, Dennis Wolf, Dexter Jackson, Toney Freeman, Brandon Curry, Ronny Rockel and Hidetada Yamagishi.

Nicole Wilkins reclaimed the Figure Olympia title she lost to Erin Stern in 2010, with Stern taking the runner-up spot and Ava Cowan placing third.

OFFICIAL RESULTS – MEN’S OPEN

It’s will be hard to argue if “The Gift” gets the nod, as he is showing improvements from 12 months ago. The same cannot be said of the defending title holder. Cutler appeared to be a little drier in 2010, but a day can make a big difference in bodybuilding. We will see tomorrow night.

Kai Greene, Dexter Jackson, Victor Martinez and Dennis Wolf were also in the first call-out and that should be the top six in no particular order. Greene is a little bloated but looks massive and he should be able to place third. The rest can be interchangeable.

On Saturday evening, we will find out if Cutler can win his fifth Sandow or become the first Olympia champion to be defeated on two separate occasions.

The figure competition is also on tap, where Nicole Wilkins-Lee and Erin Stern have chiseled out a great rivalry. Here is the full line-up:

FIGURE

Alea Suarez
Alicia Harris
Ann Titone
Ava Cowan
Candice Keene
Candice John
Chelsea Morgenstern
Cheryl Brown
Courtney West
Darlene Escano
Deena Walsh
Ella Horton
Erin Stern
Felicia Romero
Gennifer Strobo
Heather Dees
Holly Beck
Jami DeBernard
Jelena Abbou
Krissy Chin
Kristen Nagrani
Larissa Reis
Latisha Wilder
Michele Mayberry
Monica Specking
Natalie Waples
Nicole Wilkins
Raechelle Chase
Teresa Anthony

Centopani was victorious that evening in Manhattan and did not enter a contest again until the FLEX Pro Championships earlier this year, where he once again stood in the winner’s circle. He then entered his first Arnold Classic and placed a very respectable fourth in a stacked line-up.

Contemplating the Mr. Olympia, Centopani took many things into consideration. His wife is expecting their first child and he is having a house built, so the Connecticut native decided to wait until next year. “Earlier in the year I was thinking that I wanted to do the Olympia and now that things are coming up, with everything going on with the house and the baby seven weeks from now, and I’m looking at where I’ll have to be getting ready for the Olympia, I think maybe it would be in my best interest probably to wait one more time and come in strong at the (2012) Arnold and know that I’m going to go from there into the Olympia,” he said in a recent video clip on Muscular Development.

If Centopani did go to Las Vegas this year, he probably would not have had an easy time of it. With the likes of Jay Cutler, Phil Heath, Branch Warren, Kai Greene and Dennis Wolf up there, there’s a good chance that he would have not made the top six. That doesn’t mean the field will be any easier in 2012, but the youngster is giving himself a better chance by keeping it to the two major contests in the calendar year.

This will give him ample time to work on some weaker points, such as his chest. By possessing such mass and symmetry, a Sandow or two is certainly not an impossibility for Centopani.

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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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‘The Predator’ fell from fourth place in his inaugural Olympia the year before to a disappointing seventh and the two-time Arnold Classic champion took a beating from the critics. In their defense, the Brooklyn, New York native did come in out of shape and had a distended midsection that was noticeable by everyone, including the judges.

Greene sat out this year’s Arnold – a strange decision but one that makes sense in some ways – to concentrate on the O. He seemed to peak earlier in the year since 2009 at the Arnold but now has changed his strategy to get it together six months later. If he knows that he has one shot every 12 months to do some damage, then it would seem wise to move up and go after the big prize.

having already dominated in Columbus, Greene’s career will be completed with at least one Olympia win. But that seemed as unlikely as Barry Bonds eventually being inducted into the Hall of Fame last September. Perhaps the best thing that could have happened to Greene was the shock of a bad showing on bodybuilding’s biggest stage.

There is a lot of pressure on him as far as quieting the critics and putting himself back on the map. Greene’s name has hardly been mentioned and no one is expecting him to be a factor at the Orleans Arena. But he can pull off a stunner and break into the top three by putting together a presentation like the one in Ohio the night he won his first Arnold.

The line-up for the O is stacked with Cutler, Phil Heath, Dennis Wolf, Branch Warren, Ronny Rockel and so many others, so Greene has his work cut out for him. His work ethic has come into question but that would seem ridiculous when you see Greene at his best. He has arguably the best back in the sport and brings a flair that is unmatched to the stage. Greene needs at least a top six placing to get back into the pack but anyone who counts him out of the top three this early has obviously forgotten how much of a difference he made not too long ago.

KAI GREENE’S CONTEST HISTORY

2005 New York Pro – 14th

2006 Iron Man Pro – NP

2006 a Ray Colorado Pro – 14th

2007 New York Pro – 6th

2007 Keystone Pro – 3rd

2007 Colorado Pro – 1st

2008 Arnold Classic – 3rd

2008 New York Pro – 1st

2009 Arnold Classic – 1st

2009 Australian Pro Grand Prix – 1st

2009 Mr. Olympia – 4th

2010 Arnold Classic – 1st

2010 Australian Pro Grand Prix – 1st

2010 Mr. Olympia – 7th

Rockel has brought an incredible proportioned physique to the stage but had been stuck below the top three. His diminutive stature was the obvious reason why he would hear his name called after the likes of Branch Warren, Jay Cutler, Dennis Wolf and Phil Heath but that is something out of his control.

Rockel stuck to his game plan and it was a general consensus within the industry that he finally received his due. Now the question arises is how he can springboard the victory into a better placing in September at the Orleans Arena.

The line-up will be tough, as usual, but even more so now that Warren can come in flexing his first Arnold win. After finishing second and third, respectively, at the 2009 and 2010 Olympias, ‘Quadrasaurus’ is more than just a mere threat to Cutler’s reign. Speaking of the two-time defending champion, he will need to be knocked out to be dethroned and that doesn’t seem likely. Cutler learned from his mistakes in 2008 when Dexter Jackson swiped the Sandow from him and he has been in top condition ever since.

Last year, Heath took the stage looking amazing but still couldn’t defeat his close friend Cutler. ‘The Gift’ bowed out of the Arnold to concentrate on the Olympia and will need every advantage just to be the runner-up again. The ‘Big Bad Wolf’ has been on a tear since the last O and will be a tough out and Kai Greene will slip under the radar after a poor showing in Las Vegas. That may play right into his hands and ‘The Predator’ cannot be overlooked as a possible top six finisher.

So even though ‘The Rock’ can come into bodybuilding’s most prestigious show on a high note, he will have to peak again just to stand pat.

2011 IFBB Mr. Europe rand Prix Results:

1 – Ronny Rockel

2 – Roelly Winklaar

3 – Flex Lewis

4 – Robert Priotrkowitz

5 – Toney Freeman

6 – Essa Obiad

7 – Sergey Shelestov

8 – Thomas Bengali

9 – Alvin Small

10 – Marcos Chacon