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Flex Lewis and Iain Valliere Share Their 2023 Arnold Classic Predictions

Lewis and Valliere both feel Nick Walker is the strongest entrant in the 2023 Arnold Classic.

Phil Blechman
Written by Phil Blechman
Last updated on July 17th, 2023

On the Jan. 27, 2023, episode of Fouad Abiad‘s The Real Bodybuilding podcast, seven-time 212 Olympia champion Flex Lewis and Men’s Open competitor Iain Valliere joined the show. Part of the conversation was their winner predictions for the 2023 Arnold Classic.

IFBB pro Justin Shier joined the podcast to lead the predictions discussion. Before Valliere and Lewis shared who they think will win the second most prestigious show in the sport, a spreadsheet of the other show’s commentators’ picks appeared, including Abiad’s. Abiad’s winner pick is Samson Dauda, beating out runner-up Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay and bronze-medalist Nick Walker. The predictions discussion takes place at the 26:11 mark of the video below and continues at 1:23:23. See if Valliere and Lewis agreed with Abiad’s choices:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kAiBd6W8Rc&ab_channel=FouadAbiadMedia

[Related: Phil Heath, Frank Sepe, and Mike O’Hearn Talk Motivation, Routines, and the Generational Divide In The Fitness Community]

2023 Arnold Classic Predictions

Below are the respective predictions by Lewis and Valliere for the 2023 Arnold Classic:

Flex Lewis’ Picks

  1. Nick Walker
  2. Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay
  3. Andrew Jacked
  4. Samson Dauda
  5. William Bonac
  6. Shaun Clarida
  7. Akim Williams
  8. Justin Rodriguez
  9. Kamal Elgargni
  10. Patrick Williams

Iain Valliere’s Picks

  1. Nick Walker
  2. Samson Dauda
  3. Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay
  4. Shaun Clarida
  5. Andrew Jacked
  6. William Bonac
  7. Justin Rodriguez
  8. Akim Williams
  9. Kamal Elgargni
  10. Patrick Williams

Justin Shier’s Picks

  1. Nick Walker
  2. Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay
  3. Samson Dauda
  4. Shaun Clarida
  5. William Bonac
  6. Andrew Jacked
  7. Akim Williams
  8. Justin Rodriguez
  9. Kamal Elgargni
  10. Patrick Williams

Fouad Abiad’s Picks

  1. Samson Dauda
  2. Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay
  3. Nick Walker
  4. William Bonac
  5. Andrew Jacked
  6. Shaun Clarida
  7. Justin Rodriguez
  8. Akim Williams
  9. Kamal Elgargni
  10. Patrick Williams

[Related: Chris Bumstead Shares His First Leg Day Post 2022 Olympia; Updates on His Injured Biceps]

Lewis believes that Clarida will arguably have the best physique on the stage at the 2023 Arnold Classic but chose his picks as “a realist.” He thinks the judges will reward the other athletes over Clarida because they are naturally larger individuals — Clarida stands five feet, two inches tall, and feels competitors like Jacked and Walker will “swallow” his look on stage when posing next to each other.
 
While Lewis feels Dauda is a strong competitor, he feels Dauda is a year or two of focused training his muscle maturity from being a “completely different monster.” He thinks similarly about Rafael Brandão. All the personalities on the call think Brandão has beautiful aesthetics but lacks the requisite size compared to the other athletes to win the bigger shows.
 
Featured image: @flex_lewis on Instagram
Phil Blechman

About Phil Blechman

Phil is a native New Yorker passionate about storytelling, bodybuilding, and game design. He holds a BFA from Syracuse University.

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