There are plenty of names to keep an eye on as the world’s best bodybuilders start prepping for the 2022 Mr. Olympia show in December. You’ve got Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay gunning for a three-peat; the 2019 Mr. O, Brandon Curry, looking to reclaim his crown; and last year’s fourth-place finisher, Hunter Labrada, training to make an impact in the top three.
But according to four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler, there’s one more name fans should keep in mind: Michal Križo Križánek.
Cutler recently visited Gold’s Gym in Venice, CA, where he got to see Križánek in person for the first time and had this to say immediately after witnessing the bodybuilder’s massive physique:
“That kid’s going to do some damage, man. [He’s] doing the Prague Pro, so we’ll see what happens over there — but I imagine he’ll get [his] qualification and be standing with the best in December in Vegas.”
Not a prisoner of the moment, Cutler went on his Cutler Cast podcast a week later and doubled down on his stance, saying Križánek is “100% legit” and that he could be a “big problem” for the rest of the Olympia hopefuls.
[Related: These Are Jay Cutler’s Top 4 Chest-Building Exercises]
Cutler stressed that Križánek had “a great package” when looking at his delts, quads, and overall width. And while Križánek has taken some criticism for a perceived undeveloped back, Cutler said “[it’s] not that bad” in person, and he could be “dangerous” at the O if he puts it all together.
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There’s just one other problem: Križánek hasn’t qualified for the Olympia yet, nor does he have his pro card. According to Cutler, Križánek is going to compete at the upcoming EVLS Prague Amateur show in late August and would potentially follow that up with the 2022 Prague Pro on October 29 in the hopes of an official qualification.
[Related: 4-Time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler on Dirty Bulking Versus Lean Bulking]
Michal Križo Križánek’s Major Bodybuilding Wins
According to BigBodies.com, Križánek has competed in 14 IFBB Elite Pro bodybuilding contests since 2018, and came out on top in all but one of them. This impressive run was highlighted by wins at the 2020 and 2021 Arnold Classic Europe Elite Pro shows and the 2021 Mr. Universe Elite Pro.
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If everything goes to plan, Križánek will be heading to Las Vegas, NV, for the 2022 Mr. Olympia show, which runs from December 16-18, 2022.
Featured Image: @ifbbmichalkrizokrizanek on Instagram