The first two contests that come to the mind of many bodybuilding fans are the Mr. Olympia and the Arnold Classic. However, there are other prestigious shows that have a rich history. One of those is the New York Pro. The contest used to be known as the Night of Champions, but after promoter Wayne DeMilia left the IFBB to create his own organization, the leadership of the IFBB Pro League opted to create a new contest. Thus, the New York Pro was born.
Three New York Pro champs have also won the Olympia, and four others have Arnold Classic titles in their trophy cases. Only three men have won the contest twice since it began in 2005. Below are the winners and top finishers in the contest’s 17-year history.
Every New York Pro Winner
- Darrem Charles (2005)
- Phil Heath (2006)
- Branch Warren (2007)
- Kai Greene (2008, 2011)
- Evan Centopani (2009)
- Roelly Winklaar (2010)
- Cedric McMillan (2012)
- Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay (2013, 2014)
- Juan Morel (2015, 2019)
- Dexter Jackson (2016)
- Sergio Oliva Jr. (2017)
- Nathan De Asha (2018)
- Iain Valliere (2020)
- Nick Walker (2021)
- Blessing Awodibu (2022)
- Tonio Burton (2023)
Darrem Charles (2005)
The inaugural New York Pro was met with great anticipation from fans and athletes alike. Several big names jumped into this contest. The man that would ultimately become the first New York Pro champion was Darrem Charles.
This was Charles’ fifth win as a pro, and he won the Toronto Pro later that year. Charles would finish with eight Open wins, one Masters win, and seven victories in the Classic Physique division before calling it a career in 2017.
This contest also saw the debut of a young bodybuilder named Kai Greene, who placed 14th. Spoiler: you’ll see his name again.
- Darrem Charles
- Ahmad Haider
- Victor Martinez
- Craig Richardson
- Capriese Murray
- Chris Cook
- Luke Wood
- Bob Cicherillo
- Paco Bautista
- Mustafa Mohammad
- Onder Adsay
- George Farah
- Miguel Filho
- Kai Greene
- Jason Arntz
[Related: Here’s What Brandon Curry Eats to Fuel his Olympia Prep]
Phil Heath (2006)
Charles had hoped to repeat as champion in 2006, but he had several big name contenders in his way, including Dennis James, David Henry, and King Kamali. However, one man that no one thought would be in the mix was Phil Heath.
“The Gift” had won the Colorado Pro that season, but he wasn’t expected to win this contest at this stage of his career. Still, Heath left with the second pro victory of his rookie season. He didn’t compete again that season, but it was clear that the next big star in the sport had arrived.
- Phil Heath
- Darrem Charles
- Dennis James
- David Henry
- Bill Wilmore
- Shari “King” Kamali
- George Farah
- Rodney St. Cloud
- Jaroslav Horvath
- Pavlo Jablonicky
- Eddie Abbew
- Jason Arntz
- Luke Wood
- Silvio Samuel
- John Hodgson
Branch Warren (2007)
Branch Warren, known for his large legs, had made a name for himself as a notable contender in bodybuilding, but wasn’t yet a superstar in 2007. Warren would go on to place second at the Mr. Olympia two years later, and he scored two Arnold Classic victories in 2011 and 2012. Even though he had won shows before the New York Pro, this event was what many fans consider the point that he took the next step to greatness.
- Branch Warren
- Dennis James
- Dennis Wolf
- Desmond Miller
- Silvio Samuel
- Kai Greene
- Craig Richardson
- Brian Chamberlain
- Shari “King” Kamali
- John Sherman
- Paco Bautista
- John Hodgson
- Frank Roberson
- Leo Ingram
- Milton Holloway
Kai Greene (2008 and 2011)
New York native Kai Greene had put bodybuilding fans and experts on notice that he was on the rise in 2008 when he placed third in the Arnold Classic.
That third-place finish gave him a lot of momentum going into the New York Pro, a contest he had on his bucket list to win. After multiple tries, 2008 was the year that he finally took first place.
2008
- Kai Greene
- Kevin English
- Ronny Rockel
- David Henry
- Craig Richardson
- Ben White
- Martin Kjellstrom
- Leo Ingram
- Paco Bautista
- Charles Dixon
- Roc Shabazz
- Tarek El Satouhi
- Paul Baker
- Joel Stubbs
- Evgeny Mishin
Three years later, Greene had more titles under his belt, including two Arnold Classic victories. He was able to take his second New York Pro title in 2011. Greene is the only man to have won multiple Arnold Classic and New York Pro championships.
2011
- Kai Greene
- Ronny Rockel
- Craig Richardson
- Lionel Beyeke
- Robert Burneika
- Mike Kefalianos
- Khalid Almohsinawi
- Jason Huh
- Roelly Winklaar
- Brandon Curry
- Cedric McMillan
- Louis Joseph
- Alexander Nataf
- David Watson
- Grigory Atoyan
Evan Centopani (2009)
Veterans and rising stars have both won the New York Pro. However, Evan Centopani won the New York Pro as his first pro show. There were only 13 men in the field, but among them were Dennis James, Markus Ruhl, and 2005 winner Charles.
Many didn’t like Centopani’s chances, but he was confident. The 2007 NPC Nationals winner earned pro victory number one. Centopani won two more shows in his career — the 2011 Flex Pro, and the 2013 Tampa Pro.
- Evan Centopani
- Dennis James
- Markus Ruhl
- Silvio Samuel
- Hidetada Yamagishi
- Tarek El Satouhi
- Darrem Charles
- Evgeny Mishin
- Sergey Shelestov
- Ben White
- Mike Kefelianos
- Paco Bautista
- Eduard Von Amsterdam
Roelly Winklaar (2010)
Roelly Winklaar turned professional by winning the 2009 Arnold Amateur contest. By this point, the New York Pro was the clear third “major” bodybuilding contest, and several athletes wanted to be able to call themselves a champion, including Hidetada Yamagishi, Dennis Wolf, and Toney Freeman.
However, Winklaar had made his best appearance yet at this contest and clinched his first pro win. He went on to finish the season by placing 14th at the Olympia.
- Roelly Winklaar
- Hidetada Yamagishi
- Dennis Wolf
- Toney Freeman
- Erik Fankhouser
- Evgeny Mishin
- Ben Pakulski
- Johnnie Jackson
- Marius Dohne
- Jeff Long
- Sergey Shelestov
- Daniele Seccarecci
- Mike Van Wyck
- Manuel Romero
- Cesar Mendible
[Related: Hidetada Yamagishi Says He’s Retired From Competitive Bodybuilding]
Cedric McMillan (2012)
The 2012 contest was stacked with contenders like Steve Kuclo, Johnnie Jackson, and Juan Morel. One competitor that was building a growing fanbase was Cedric McMillan. The full-time United States Army service member had won the 2011 Orlando Show of Champions, and he was expected to place well in the 2012 New York Pro as well.
This first-place victory was the only show McMillan had that year, but he would go on to win other titles, including the 2017 Arnold Classic.
- Cedric McMillan
- Johnnie Jackson
- Steve Kuclo
- Juan Morel
- Jon DeLaRosa
- Vaughn Ettienne
- Tomas Bures
- Mohammad Touri
- Jeff Long
- Sean Allan
- Wendell Floys
Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay (2013 and 2014)
McMillan and 2007 Arnold Classic winner Victor Martinez were the favorites to win the 2013 contest, but they ran into a big obstacle — Big Ramy. 2012 Amateur Olympia winner Mamdouh Elssbiay traveled from Egypt to make his pro debut and took his first pro win.
Elssbiay successfully defended his title the next year. He hasn’t competed in the contest again since his second victory, but he now has two Sandow Trophies to match his New York wins.
2013
- Mamdouh Elssbiay
- Victor Martinez
- Juan Morel
- Jon DeLaRosa
- Clarence DeVis
- Anthoneil Champaigne
- Marcus Haley
- Keith Williams
- Constantinos Demetrious
- Pablo Ayala
- An Nguyen
- Cedric McMillan
- Daniel Toth
- Antoine Vaillant
2014
- Mamdouh Elssbiay
- Juan Morel
- Jon DeLaRosa
- Lionel Beyeke
- Maxx Charles
- Daniel Toth
- Mike Kefalianos
- Marius Dohne
- Constantinos Demetrious
- Sergey Shelestov
- Akim Williams
- Jeff Beckham
- Henri Pierre Ano
- Eboni Wilson
- Saiid Tejan-Kamara
Juan Morel (2015 and 2019)
Juan Morel is from the New York area, and winning this contest was a goal for him. After three previous tries, he finally stood in first place in 2015. He also defeated one of his mentors in this contest. Martinez was the runner-up, and Maxx Charles rounded out the top three.
Morel added a second New York Pro title in 2019. He also won the Arnold South America contest and the Japan Pro that season.
2015
- Juan Morel
- Victor Martinez
- Maxx Charles
- Henri Pierre Ano
- Grigori Atoyan
- Clarence DeVis
- Alex Federov
- Pablo Ayala Zayas
- Derek Upshaw
- Daniel Toth
- Juan Carlos Graham
2019
- Juan Morel
- Akim Williams
- Milan Sadek
- Jon DeLaRosa
- Justin Rodriguez
- Tim Budsheim
- Josh Wade
- James Hollingshead
- Justin Maki
- Robin Strand
- Joe Mackey
- Andrew Hudson
- Chris Didomenico
- Quincy Winklaar
- Mark Arthur Dautrauche
Dexter Jackson (2016)
There were very few things that Dexter “The Blade” Jackson hadn’t done in his career by 2016, but he had actually never won the New York Pro. In 2016, he became the first former Olympia winner to win the New York Pro. Jackson is still the only man to have won the Olympia, Arnold Classic, Masters Olympia, and New York Pro.
- Dexter Jackson
- Roelly Winklaar
- Victor Martinez
- Maxx Charles
- Steve Kuclo
- Juan Morel
- Nathan De Asha
- Jon DeLaRosa
- Jeff Beckham
- Brian Yersky
- Mike Kefalianos
- Blair Mone
- Rudy Richards
- Derek Upshaw
- Pablo Ayala Zayas
Sergio Oliva Jr. (2017)
In the 1990’s, Chicago’s own Sergio Oliva Jr. was making his pro debut on the New York Pro stage, and he was going up against two hometown favorites — Morel and Jon DeLaRosa.
While the local athletes wanted to defend their home turf, Oliva Jr. left with the title and ring that come with winning the show. DeLaRosa came in second place, and Morel placed third.
- Sergio Oliva Jr.
- Jon DeLaRosa
- Juan Morel
- Luis Rodriguez
- Akim Williams
- Sasan Heirati
- Jeff Beckham
- Marek Olejniczak
- Marc Arthur Dautruche
- Tomas Kaspar
- Derek Upshaw
Nathan De Asha (2018)
Going into 2018, the only non-Americans to win the New York Pro were Winklaar and Elssbiay. Nathan De Asha changed that when the British star won the contest. He also won the California Pro that year and placed 8th in the 2018 Olympia, which was championed by the late Shawn Rhoden.
- Nathan De Asha
- Juan Morel
- Justin Rodriguez
- Josh Wade
- Jon DeLaRosa
- Rafael Brandao
- Milan Sadek
- Lionel Beyeke
- Maxx Charles
- Akim Williams
- Eddie Bracamontes
- Brad Rowe
- Patrick Moore
- Manuel Romero
- Dorian Haywood
[Related: Bodybuilders Brett Wilkin and Iain Valliere Tackle a Heavy Quad-Focused Workout]
Iain Valliere (2020)
The pandemic had a hard impact on the world. Bodybuilding had to adjust as a result. The contest was moved to Tampa, FL and was rescheduled from May to September.
Morel didn’t compete for the first time since 2012. Since he was the defending champion, a new winner was guaranteed. Iain Valliere scored the victory over Justin Rodriguez, who placed second. Valliere used the momentum from the win to gain a seventh place finish at the Olympia that year, which was won by Elssbiay.
- Iain Valliere
- Justin Rodriguez
- Jon DeLaRosa
- Hassan Mostafa
- Maxx Charles
- Patrick Moore
- Antoine Vaillant
- Quinton Eriya
- Dwayne Walker
- Phil Clahar
- Dobromir Delev
- Kenneth Jackson
- Dorian Haywood
- Camilo Diaz Garzon
- Jorge Reyes
Nick Walker (2021)
The New York Pro returned to Tampa in 2021. New bodybuilders Nick Walker and Blessing Awodibu had several exchanges on social media about who was going to beat the other, and it led to the show getting a lot of attention.
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By the time prejudging was over, Walker was the favorite and won the show with straight first place votes. Justin Rodriguez placed second. Awodibu placed sixth. Walker went on to win the 2021 Arnold Classic, and took fifth in the Olympia two weeks later.
- Nick Walker
- Justin Rodriguez
- Hassan Mostafa
- Dorian Haywood
- Mohamed El-Emam
- Blessing Awodibu
- An Nguyen
- Morgan Aste
- Roy Evans
- Camilo Diaz Garzon
Blessing Awodibu (2022)
The 2022 competition took place just one week after the Indy Pro in Indianapolis, IN. Blessing Awodibu took home first place in that contest and came to the New York Pro ready to dominate. Sure enough, from prejudging to the last posedown of the night, Awodibu had the contest in the proverbial bag.
- Blessing Awodibu
- Andrea Presti
- Maxx Charles
- Theo Leguerrier
- Justin Rodriguez
- Emir Omeragic
- Dorian Haywood
- Slavoj Bednar
- Douglas Fruchey
- Mariusz Tomczuk
sc name=”jump” anchor=”tonio-burton”]Tonio Burton (2023)
At the 2022 Olympia, Tonio Burton finished outside the top 15. He showed up to the stage at the New York Pro with a lot to prove. He was bigger and more symmetrical than he had been at the Olympia, and it showed. Burton took home the victory and earned his opportunity to compete at the Olympia once again, in search of redemption. He wound up cracking the top-10 for an eighth place finish.
- Tonio Burton
- Stuart Sutherland
- Josef Kveton
- Joe Seeman
- Eric Wood
- Maxx Charles
- Nathan Spear
- Robin Strand
- Brent Swansen
- Mike Hulusi
Who Will Win the 2024 New York Pro?
The 2024 New York Pro is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 18, 2024 in Teaneck, NJ. Based on the history of this contest, the winner has a great chance of establishing himself as a big name in bodybuilding, and the win can serve as a launching pad to a promising career ahead.
Featured Image: @nick_walker @w_wittmannphoto @kaigreene / Instagram
