Muscle Sport Magazine

To Dethrone the King

By Ozon Wilson – From the streets of Kingston,  Jamaica, to the Olympia stage in Nevada, Las Vegas, Shawn “Flexatron” Rhoden, the Jamaican Muscle Machine, brings the seven-year reign of the king to an end. Much to the delight of many a fan accross the bodybuilding globe, a new king was crowned at the 2018 Mr. Olympia contest. As we all know, the Mr. Olympia contest, promoted by Robin Chang of Weider/AMI, is the pinnacle of the sport of bodybuilding and this year Rhoden made it to the top of that mountain.

 

Why is this a special time? The Flexatron victory was a testament to sheer dedication, hard work and perseverance. What happens when a man keeps pushing? Making his pro debut in 2010 at the IFBB Dallas Europa Super Show where he finished 16th, Rhoden became a force that quickly could not be ignored. The following year, he would place 3rd in the IFBB Dallas Europa Super Show and 11th at that year’s Olympia, followed by a string of top-10 finishes and victories since then.

RELATED: WELL-DESERVED WIN FOR SHAWN RHODEN

Having long been praised for his physique and landing several top-five finishes at the Olympia, Rhoden could never seem to quite close the deal and get the job done. After falling from 2nd in 2016 to a disappointing 5th place finish at the Mr. O in 2017, the rumblings of the naysayers began to abound. He can’t get it done; he can’t beat Phil Heath.

Rhoden, who had been dealing with a health and medical issue unaware to those of us on the outside, may have been down, but he was far from out. The only thing that matters is the belief one has in themselves. That is the only requirement for succeeding and the work the Jamaican Muscle Machine put in over the course of this past year, is full throttle, all out, bust your ass proof of that. “I’ve done my damned homework,” the words uttered with conviction at this years Olympia press conference by Rhoden. And on a Friday night in Las Vegas, all the world would see that he meant business.

Who saw this coming? Rhoden was not even the talk. However, there was one. One opinion,  one belief that mattered. That of the would be king, Shawn “Flexatron” Rhoden.

 

At the age of 43, when the bodybuilding world speaks of bodybuilders being on the decline, Rhoden finally ascended to the top of the highest mountain in the world of bodybuilding by beating the once-thought unbeatable king and is the new king of the mountain. Salute to the new 2018 Mr. Olympia, Shawn “Flexatron” Rhoden.

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