On July 24, 2023, Awodibu was featured in an interview by Mr. Olympia announcer Bob Cicherillo. The discussion appeared to take place immediately after the preliminary round of the contest, before the evening’s Finals determined the ultimate results. The athlete expressed disappointment with the physique he presented — an accurate self-assessment, as he would later earn fourth-place in the contest, while a victory could’ve earned him qualification to the 2023 Olympia contest in November in Orlando, FL.

Awodibu entered the 2023 CP as one of the pre-contest favorites but ultimately didn’t even qualify for the podium. When Cicherillo tried to gauge Awodibu’s side of the story, asking him what happened, the athlete didn’t mince words and seemed almost exasperated at falling short of a win.

“What happened out there, man?” Awodibu asked rhetorically. “I mean, [expletive]. I mean, I don’t know. I couldn’t tell you, man. It was a really, really tough prep, man. Especially mentally, and there was a lot on the line for me and a lot of pressure. It was a lot of pressure. And tonight, I was soft, man, I was soft.”

Awodibu clarified that, as a result of a successful muscle-building offseason, he actually weighed more for the 2023 CP than he did in May of 2022 when when he won both the 2022 Indy Pro and, one week later, the 2022 New York Pro. Such significant growth may have inevitably sunk his chances to come out on top in his recent appearance.

“That tightness wasn’t there,” Awodibu explained. “I was a little bit too wet. I just got to figure it out, man. Because I know when I do figure it out, I feel like I’m in a whole different league … Honestly, I’m 10 pounds heavier. I thought it would have been a good thing.”

Awodibu already faced a potentially tall order with competitors like reigning Mr. Olympia champion Hadi Choopan and 2022 runner-up Derek Lunsford standing in his way. Before he can even dream of competing well against both of his peers on bodybuilding’s grandest stage, Awodibu still has to earn his spot at the 2023 Olympia. Despite this 2023 CP setback, Awodibu seems to be staying positive and channeling his failure into a competitive motivation.

He’s looking forward to rebounding and making his mark at the 2023 Texas Pro in August.

“I will figure it out,” Awodibu said. “Because, I know, man, I deserve to be one of the best. When I miss like this, it really hurts because it’s like, this should not be happening. But, you know, it’s bodybuilding. It’s a journey. You learn from these things and you can only get better as long as you keep moving.”

Featured image: @blessing_awodibu on Instagram

The post Blessing Awodibu Reflected On His Disappointing 2023 Chicago Pro Performance appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

One of the headline Chicago Pro winners was Justin Shier in the Men’s Open class. According to his page on NPC News Online, Shier’s win is his first in the IFBB Pro League after competing in the National Physique Committee (NPC) to start his career. Naturally, he will now get his first crack at the Mr. Olympia title while competing against some of bodybuilding’s biggest stars.

2023 Chicago Pro Results

Including Shier, here are the respective winners of every division at the 2023 Chicago Pro.

Men’s Open

1. Justin Shier
2. Jonathan DeLaRosa
3. Stanislas de Longeaux
4. Blessing Awodibu
5. Patrick Moore
6. Eiren Gauley
7. Matt Kouba 
8. Erik Ramirez
9. Emmanuel Longoria
10. Stephen Daniels

212

1. Chris Jones
2. Jason Nguyen
3. Mohamed Embaby
4. Kevin Johnson
5. Yumon Eaton
6. Jordan Janowitz
7. Francisco Mercado Jr.
8. Peter Burmester
9. Ivan Cabrera
10. Devon Causey

Classic Physique

1. Marcus Perry 
2. Matthew Greggo 
3. Krimo Ammari 
4. Dylan Bursey 
5. Tony Coke
6. Gregory Dawson
7. Robert Waterhouse
8. Jerark Toribio Perez
9. Anthony Barbera III
10. Patryk Karpuk

Men’s Physique

1. Drew Cullen
2. Nick Koeu
3. Kirmani Victor
4. Alonzo Jefferson
5. Jahvair Mullings
6. Benjamin Iverson
7. Montae Bailey
8. Alexander Toplyn 
9. Joaquim Camps Angel 
10. Alexander Rogers

Women’s Bodybuilding

1. Kristina Mendoza
2. Jessica E. Martin
3. Melissa Teich
4. Kyna Squarey
5. Wendy Sanchez
6. Maria Monica Vega

Bikini

1. Savannah Dolezal
2. Lizzie Martinez
3. Adair Libbrecht
4. Ashley Hampton
5. Katiuska Gintili
6. Fallon A. Wainwright
7. Liana Giannamore
8. Mary Ann Parks 
9. Kateryna Kauffmann
10. Tatiana Lanovenko

Figure

1. Autumn Cleveland
2. Adela Ondrejovicova
3. Shanice Abrams
4. Edith Driver
5. Danielle Rose
6. Nelly Gonzalez
7. Ashley Radiance Fuller
8. Lena Johannesen
9. Erica Freneey
10. Ayra Bahar

Women’s Physique

1. Danielle LaMartina
2. Nadia Vandal
3. Marie Berouskova
4. Justyna Rudnicka
5. Natalie Juron
6. Marika Jones
7. Marissa Jinkoji
8. Vallie Eden
9. Diana Schnaidt
10. Lisa Kudrey

Fitness

1. Jodi Boam
2. Noemie Champagne-Cloutier
3. Sara Kovach
4. Annaleise Varga
5. Anna Fomina
6. Aurika Tyrgale
7. Layla Mikayla

Wellness

1. Danai Theodoropoulou
2. Amy Li
3. Daniela Deiana
4. Quintaysia Goodley
5. Maria Paulette
6. Edna Ferreira de Souza
7. Kat Williams
8. Keana Burr
9. Charnice Bain

This is not the last step for any athletes still seeking a 2023 Olympia berth. The 2023 Texas Pro and the 2023 Tampa Pro present themselves as the next opportunities in a grand bodybuilding journey.

Featured image: @justin_shier on Instagram

The post 2023 Chicago Pro Results — Justin Shier Victorious appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

“We’re locked in on Chicago [right now]. 7 weeks.”

Awodibu will be making his first contest appearance of the 2023 season. He’s coming off of a breakthrough 2022 campaign that saw him score his first two wins in the Indy Pro and New York Pro on back-to-back shows. He also qualified for the 2022 Mr. Olympia contest as a result of those wins. 

His last appearance onstage was at that Mr. Olympia show in Las Vegas, NV on Dec. 14-16, 2022, which was his debut in the sport’s most prestigious contest. Awodibu finished that show outside of the top 15. The champion of that show was Hadi Choopan. All competitors placed below 15th are simply marked as tied for 16th.

Away from the stage, Awodibu has developed a large international fanbase thanks to his videos, training, confidence, and charisma when he’s at shows or posting on social media.

He garnered a lot of that attention when he was promoting himself for the 2021 New York Pro at the expense of fellow rising star Nick Walker, who was also competing in that contest. Walker would win the show, while Awodibu placed sixth. After taking an extended offseason, he returned in 2022 with a bigger physique and better posing, which helped him score his two victories that season.

He was expected to compete at the 2023 Arnold Classic in Columbus, OH in early March, but Awodibu withdrew from the contest shortly after he was announced, citing a need to rest from the 2022 competitive schedule. 

As of this writing, it’s unknown which other athletes will be competing in the Chicago Pro. If Awodibu doesn’t win the show, he will have to compete again if he wishes to qualify for the 2023 Olympia in Orlando, FL on the weekend of Nov. 2-5, 2023. Only show winners can qualify for the Olympia in the 2023 season. The deadline for qualifying is Oct. 9, 2023.

Featured Image: @blessing_awodibu on Instagram

The post Blessing Awodibu Set to Compete in 2023 Chicago Pro  appeared first on Breaking Muscle.