The second leg of the IFBB pro tour got underway last week in Jacksonville, Florida, where we saw the professional debuts of both Peter Putnam, who failed to impress, and former Nationals Champ, Stan 'The Man' McQuay, who won his first ever pro contest and qualified right out of the blocks for the Olympia showdown.
And how can we forget the Cinderella story of Daryl Gee, who in the space of three weeks went from trying to win the LA Championships to qualifying for the Olympia. This coming weekend's IFBB Tampa Pro will no doubt have just as much news worthy stories.
In their quest to emulate their fellow countryman's Flex Lewis' success, we will see the 202 debut of two of the UK's top bodybuilders, John Hodgson and Lee Powell, both of whom have had to drop down in contest weight to be ready for this weekend.
But wait a minute; we are not going to stop there. The men's open division in Tampa has no fewer than 30 IFBB professionals who signed on the dotted line to turn up and do battle for one of those 3 coveted Olympia qualification spots along with the thousands of dollars in prize money that is up for grabs.
Throwing their hats into the mix are IFBB veterans Johnnie Jackson, who has not missed an Olympia since he turned pro and Dennis 'The Menace' James who played bridesmaid in each of his August appearances in 2008 being edged out by The X Man, Toney Freeman, who coincidentally will be absent this year. Eddie Abbew, the best built nurse on the planet will be there representing the UK as will local boys Marcus Haley and Bill Wilmore.
With 30 athletes taking the stage and three Olympia qualifications up for grabs although only two are likely to be won as Dennis James is already qualified, you can be sure that everyone will be bringing their A game. The great thing about bodybuilding is that anybody can be beaten by anybody on any given day.
That being said, some of the new 'young guns' are going to be hungry to take some names and start making a reputation for themselves. Guys like Frank McGrath and Fouad Abiad will surely be in the best shape of their lives to make their mark alongside the likes of Dennis James and Johnnie Jackson, and fighting for one of those Olympia spots.
And, if you have been following professional bodybuilding over the last decade or so, you will know that Dennis James has not won a pro show since 2001. He was second here last year and from our conversation a few weeks ago at the California State, he is hungry for the victory here at Tampa!
The 202 division is also looking hot at this year's show. Reigning Olympia Champion, David Henry, is competing and is likely to be the favorite. However, his conditioning is hot and cold and should he slip up in the conditioning department, he could have a battle on his hands from the UK's Lee Powell.
Lee has one of those thick, shredded physiques combined with a Ronnie Rockel style of symmetry. Should he be ready he will definitely be a force to be reckoned with. Tricky Jackson, who was 3rd last week, will surely have pulled out all the stops in his quest for his first pro win.
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