LEGENDARY bodybuilder Breon Ansley has become a household name due to his domination in the Classic Physique Olympia division.
Nicknamed The Black Swan, the former two-time Classic Physique Olympia champion (2017-18) Breon Ansley is not holding anything back in his move up to the 212 division.
Bodybuilder Breon Ansley AKA The Black Swan. Credit: Instagram/@breonma_Instagram/@breonma_
Who is bodybuilder Breon Ansley?
Ansley is one of the most popular names in the bodybuilding world.
Originally from Rowland Heights, California, Ansley is a former two- times Mr. Olympia champ.
The legendary bodybuilder dominated the classic physique division between 2017 to 2018, until he was dethroned by Chris Bumstead in 2019.
Ansley packed on the maximum amount of muscle that he possibly could at this capped weight, yet judges still ranked him behind taller athletes like four-times reigning Olympia Champion Chris Bumstead.
Despite Ansley securing back-to-back Olympia his weight cap of 185 pounds at the height of 5ft 7in, prevented him from gaining more mass while still being eligible to carry on competing in that division.
This automatically put Ansley at an inherent disadvantage against guys like Bumstead, Ramon Queiroz and Urs Kalecinski, all of who are over six feet tall.
As taller competitors are allowed to weigh more than shorter competitors, the only reasonable option left was for Ansley to change divisions.
Making a radical change, Ansley is moving up to the 212 division which will allow him to pack on as much size as possible without worrying about tipping over the 212 weight cutoff.
With no weight cap holding him back anymore, Ansley is not holding anything back and plans to maximise the added size he can put on.
Speaking in an interview, Ansley shared: “I’m going to be able to get sharp, refined by holding onto muscle instead of losing it.
“You thought I was sharp and in fairly great conditioning in Classic, just wait till you see now the sharpness and the lines that I’m going to be able to display in the 212 division.”
When did Breon Ansley start bodybuilding?
Ansley began his amateur career in 2012 and earned his Pro Card the following year by winning the NPC USA Championships.
The champ then quickly rose to the top of the Classic Physique division, winning his first Olympia at the 2017 Olympia.
Ansley kept going and continued to improve as he won both the 2018 Arnold Classic and the 2018 Olympia.
Yet, as the Classic Physique division continued to grow and add up and coming talent and with his 185 pound weight cap, Ansley was dethroned in 2019 by Bumstead.
Bumstead defeated Ansley in 2019 to take the Olympia title and he has not relinquished it since.
Ansley announced that he would be transitioning to the 212 division in 2023, as he shared that he had difficulty meeting the weight limit for the classic physique competitions.
Olympia 2022 was the last appearance for Ansley as a classic physique competitor.
Does Breon Ansley have a rivalry with Chris Bumstead?
Rivalries in sports always add a little extra spice and drama to proceedings and sometimes help to grow interest in the sport.
The rivalry spotlight has well and truly found its way onto the Olympia Classic champions Bumstead and former division kingpin Ansley.
Ever since he was dethroned by Bumstead in 2019, Ansley has vowed to get his title back and his made his intentions crystal clear.
However, Bumstead is not bothered by this one bit, and is in fact, embracing the respectful rivalry.
Speaking on their rivalry in a recent interview, Bumstead said: “I have a lot of fun with it. I think I enjoy it because I understand that if any pressure, any stress that I feel only ever comes from myself in all aspects of my life, my responsibility is fully in myself.
He continued by saying: “I don’t really feel any stress or pressure coming from other people, no matter what they say, and i am extremely grateful for that.”
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