With the crowning of Shawn Rhoden as the new Mr. Olympia in 2018, combined with the fast start to the 2019 IFBB Pro League season, there has been a lot of attention and hype going into the 2019 Olympia Weekend scheduled to take place this coming September. Now that hype has been taken to another level.
In an interview with Dave Palumbo of RxMuscle, Chief Olympia Officer Dan Solomon announced that Kai Greene has been offered a special invite to compete in the lineup that currently includes Rhoden, former champion Dexter Jackson, and Arnold Classic Champion Brandon Curry. Greene, a three-time Arnold Classic champ and three-time Olympia runner-up, hasn’t competed on bodybuilding’s biggest stage since placing second to Phil Heath in 2014.
Greene acknowledged the invite by retweeting the announcement on Twitter, but there is no official word yet on if he’s accepted. He has been offered special invites to compete in the past but declined. With a new champ on top and no official word on Heath’s status as of yet, the “Generation Iron” star may decide that this is the year he returns.
As shown by his posts on social media, Greene has stayed in great shape but also has been quite busy with several projects that take him around the world. Time will only tell is he decides to dawn the trunks one last time to pose down for bodybuilding’s biggest title.
Cutler Named Ambassador
Solomon has shared other news as well recently regarding Las Vegas’ big weekend in September. Four-time Mr. Olympia (and Vegas resident) Jay Cutler was named “Honorary Olympia Ambassador”. There is no details as of yet what he will be doing but there is no doubt the fans will be interested in whatever it is.
It’s been over five years since Cutler was active as an onstage competitor but he still remains one of the biggest and most relevant names in the sport. He knows the business of bodybuilding and is a master of marketing. His expertise in this areas combined with the history and prestige of the Olympia will make this something that makes the weekend an even bigger deal for those who follow the sport and industry.
For more information on these stories as well as other information regarding the Olympia Weekend, go to www.mrolympia.com. Also stay tuned to BarBend. We will share all the news as well as who else qualifies for the Olympia as the 2019 season progresses.
Featured image from @mrolympiallc on Instagram