3 Decades of The Olympia | Controversies, Rivalries & Life Lessons | Shawn Ray

[@exile6507]

Can’t deny what a fantastic bodybuilder he was…Not even those “firing range glasses” can take away his legendary status in the sport. 💪🏾😎

[@Matthew01733]

He was, a very tough era to be competing in the Olympia

[@pacocarrion7869]

Somepeople hate Shawn Ray, but Shawn is one of the best bodybuilding in all history, and very inteligent, he always has clear what to think and what to say.

[@chrisballard5743]

Shawn Ray gives some of the best interviews in the industry. Very articulate, honest, paints a very clear picture of what he went through in the sport. And like him or hate him he had one of the top physiques in the sport at one time.

[@Matthew01733]

It was great to get the chance to speak to one of my early BodyBuilding hero’s face to face in Newport beach, 💪🙏

[@sugarshawnray]

Pleasure was mine 💪🏽

[@Venmaylove]

You both deserve a fluffy cat. Here:

[@Hypnos_Official1]

Is right boss to see a proper historian and a fan of the sport

[@VanquishingEvil]

@@sugarshawnray I'm certain it was!

[@JamesWilmoth-wj4cp]

Great interview

[@scottlapointe9682]

Shawn is an important voice for this sport. !!

[@VanquishingEvil]

Bodybuilding is not a sport. It's pageantry.

[@richardbello2262]

Mr.Shawn Ray, In my humble opinion, You have always been a class act, both as a bodybuilder and your professional career, Wishing you good health and plenty of successes.

[@sugarshawnray]

Thank you 🙏🏾

[@Powerup54]

Agreed! Shawn Ray is a amazing human being💪🏿🔥👌🏿

[@vinceandrich4603]

Saw Shawn win the California, competed in the 87 Nationals he won (phenom) and always appreciated the physique and his commitment and impact on the art of bodybuilding.

[@jgamez5023]

My favorite bodybuilder of all time - the man always gave a great performance on stage - my favorite version/posing routine of Shawn Ray was at the 1997 Mr. Olympia. His 1999 Mr. Olympia form was out of this world also !

[@TOSHTON]

Uncrowned Mr. Olympia in my books and a True spokesman of the sport, smart and articulate, a True Champion!

[@ALT3REDB3AST]

I started working out and fell in love with bodybuilding because of Shawn Ray.😄

[@BeastmodeJones316]

Shout out to Shawn Ray. A legend in bodybuilding. 💯💪

[@NaijaBeats12]

Yes indeed....and shout out to you Chris as well. I came across you years ago during your infant stages with Vince. You were definitely one of the early sources of inspiration for me to take weight training seriously. Blessings to you and your family.

[@vegasloveforever2486]

Shawn should have had at least 2 Mr Olympias

[@johnsavage4786]

Now 77 and I am still training hard to become my vision 60 years ago when I also read the same magazines.

[@tmv-777]

One of the more interesting bodybuilders he was and still is. Always enjoy to listen to his stories and perspective.

[@ronaldmccutcheon1329]

I was at the '90 Mr. O in Chicago. Shawn should have won. Lonnie Teper of Ironman Magazine yelled in the lobby after the show, "Shawn Ray won that contest!" I agree. That's not what Lonnie wrote later in the magazine, however...

[@latman1]

I've always liked Shawn for his ability to articulate his views more than just a great physique . Ronnie may have beat him but Shawn looked much better in pictures and poses!

[@TheZgriffin]

Was shocked and pleased to hear him shed more light on Victor Conte. He isnt as important of a figure in bodybuilding but sports in general he still has his toes dipped with SNAC i believe it is.

[@Utoobdewd]

An absolute living legend in Bodybuilding! One of the greatest to ever step in the gym..

[@SauliusStan]

Shawn is the best period

[@tubemoozful]

Ray was an outstanding bb

[@SuperJohnyyy]

Shawn is a great ambassador for the sport , love his glasses

[@AussieBodybuilder]

🤣😂 He's a weirdo

[@2up4down]

Most impressive bodybuilder of all time in my opinion. Greetings from Switzerland.

[@Matthew01733]

🙏💪

[@sugarshawnray]

My man 💪🏽🙏🏾

[@judah6152]

Great interview

[@Matthew01733]

Thank you 🙏

[@KirkieMarine]

Shawn Ray is one eloquent speaker, I believe if his voice was more embraced bodybuilders would be making millions

[@leninmelian2581]

Legend shawn ray.uncrownd mr.olympia 1994 fore me you are mr.olympia

[@wisamsleiman3652]

Shawn ray is spot on😊

[@gymganeshfitindia]

An excellent conversation as expected with the uncrowned Mr.Olympia. The sports most outspoken legend known for his candour and always standing up of what is right and who walks the talk. Mr.Shawn is whom I would call the new-age genre of bodybuilder with the right balance to create mass and symmetry. That inspired many upcoming youngsters in the pursuit of muscle starting in the 90s and into the new millennium and still do so in India. (If I am not wrong I think that even a ShawnRay classic was held in India in 2018.) Also Shawn along with other new age legends like Rich Gaspari, Kevin Levrone, Lee Labrada, etc were the face of many bodybuilding posters that were sold in huge volumes in India and graced the walls of many gyms in India that saw a fitness boom and in bodybuilding as a sport in mid 90s and into the new millennium. Thanks and appreciation to Mr.Ray, Mr.Matthew & Escape Fitness for this knowledge enriching podcast.

[@Matthew01733]

Many thanks for the kind words 🙏

[@sugarshawnray]

Thank you 🙏🏾

[@great456789]

Shawn always says he retired in 2001. Those of us that were around then know this is not really true. His last show was in 2001. But he planned to compete in 2002. When that year came he said he was too busy with his duties as the athletes’ rep, and that he would be back to compete at the 2003 Olympia. When 2003 came he instead announced he was retiring.

[@sugarshawnray]

Ahhhh, my last contest was 2001 hence Retired 🤡

[@Mark_MN24]

When you have a bodybuilder who knows his stuff. It makes an Awsome podcast especially having the likes of Shawn ray listening to his stories. 💪 🇬🇧

[@hugadogstudio]

Shawn Ray is as great lecturer/raconteur to listen to as he was a physique to look at 😎💪 Calos Cagathos !

[@clarencedavis1]

I met John Brown in Paris at one of his contests and asked about training. He told me straight, ' Train and you will grow '. Didn't understand completely at the time but later on I realized why he told me that. I lived in Europe, he couldn't give me constant supervision. He gave me a nugget of information that got me started on a positive path. I became Mr Hercules 1982 in Amsterdam at age 24. That's as far as I got before stopping. To go further I would have needed to use roids, something I wasn't willing to do. But I was in aw of John Brown too.

[@ciaran8306]

Shawn had a amazing physique that every man on the planet could relate to and wanted to have. This is what bodybuilding should look like. Dorian may have been bigger etc, but Shawn looked far better in my opinion, and from a golden era that was so inspiring!! Modern bodybuilding has lost its sparkle.

[@TheDewosaurus]

Ppl hate but shawn more interesting to hear than other bb’s

[@jasonito23]

I was a primary school teacher for a few years. I taught Spanish but one year they also gave me a special reading class of students who had absolutely no interest in the books we had in our library. (3rd and 4th graders) So I brought in my stack of Flex magazines. I had about 20. The students ate them up and after the semester, the reading director told me that the score of my students were the most improved scores of all the classes. The students loved those Flex magazines.

[@jesusmontoya8633]

I can listen to Shawn Ray talk all day!

[@tjsullivan5119]

Love the glasses, at a moments notice he is ready to get into a paintball war

[@billybarnett2846]

One of the most complete bodybuilders. It baffles me that he never got a Sandow.

[@Boss3Nate]

Flex Wheeler and Shawn Ray having a combined zero Olympia wins is an absolute shame and joke in bodybuilding

[@fastingfeastingbeasting]

Shawn sugar ray calls a spade a spade . One of the best ever physiques ,definitely an uncrowned Mr O . Keep going strong Shawn . Good one Mat . Tq gentlemen .On On !!

[@boriskrizan7447]

Shawn was an amazing bodybuilder

[@LA4HINGIS]

Thanks

[@JamesWilmoth-wj4cp]

Love this interview! Please interview Frank Zane or Boyer Coe

[@michaelr.4878]

I love it when he says, 'fertographer'.

[@TinoDiaz-ir4lm]

Legend

[@tonycostello3872]

I remember his first FLEX magazine cover it was in the 80s he was with this blond girl with huge hair probably 84 or 85

[@Rookie40K]

Great interview!

[@johnlammergeier2890]

I was in a pump up room with Shawn in 1992 in Toronto Canada, He was just after doing the AC and getting busted for anavar or something. I was doing my second ever show, and here I was sitting on a bench oiled up ready to go, and I was watching Shaun only a meter away going through his routine in the mirror. I wonder if he remembers. His body looked like a cartoon.

[@tonycostello3872]

I miss those magazines i had them all FLEX musclemag international IRONMAN muscle&fitness Dan Luries muscle training illustrated great era to be lifting i remember all those guys Lee Haney Gary Strydom Lee Labrada Mike Christian Berry De May Shane Di Mora Eddie Robinson great time the ads photographers i went broke buying those magazines

[@dilligaf2386]

Albert Beccles wtf 56 came second at the Olympia to Lee haney. Well, shorly to do that at 56, you should be appointed the greatest bodybuilder to ever live.

[@TheSmooveguy]

One of the greatest bodybuilders ever and great ambassador for the sport. Definitely robbed a few Sandows in Dorian’s run.

[@VanquishingEvil]

I came here to be reminded that haters will always be haters!

[@TOSHTON]

Indeed!

[@ronaknanda6175]

Shawn Ray The Snake

[@sugarshawnray]

Ssssssss🤣

[@balitzky]

Always good to hear Shawn Ray.

[@tjsullivan5119]

Didn’t know Alan shearer loved bodybuilding

[@Michael-cb5nm]

After the interview, Sean going to replace some drywall with those glasses…

[@AussieBodybuilder]

Why is the odd dude wearing safety glasses 😂😂

[@sugarshawnray]

Lol 😂😂😂😂😂

[@olig7336]

Shawn is razor sharp

[@j-uk2189]

Stand up guy!! 👍🏼

[@ypmm53]

Great interview! This maybe the best Shawn Ray interview I’ve listened to thus far. Shawn has contributed a lot. But he toots his horn a tad bit too much. In addition, many times he has pissed people off not because he speaks the facts but his delivery and most recently his lack of sensitivity. When 2018 Mr Olympia Shawn Rhoden died in 2021, he made disparaging comments. Many of Shawn’s friends let it be known. He later apologized. Still, he sounded like a hater and jealous guy of Rhoden. I still respect Ray accomplishments and physique. He is probably in my top 5 of most favorite or greatest physiques ever.

[@getfitron155]

This dude is LEGIT

[@markrobby7136]

Why American love wearing factory glasses?

[@edmundchoy2992]

Shawn is an uncrowned mr olympia, has one of the best physique ever and speaks well....but the uncanny need to keep giving credit to himself and subtly putting his peers down is cringe worthy.

[@sugarshawnray]

Because i did it by myself without an army of people helping me and still had success! Today, these guys don’t even know what to eat from one meal to the next unless they check with their trainer who never competed! Most don’t even know what their next contest is unless they ask their coach! Hope this helps you see the vast difference between me & them

[@detonator2112]

Shawn was a great bodybuilder. But as a casual bb fan I never understood his delusions that he won all those Olympias against Yates. When you see the footage from those competitions you'll see how friggin' huge and how GRANITE RIPPED Yates was. Pictures don't do his condition justice. Shawn simply couldn't match his size and condition. Sure he was probably more symmetric but Yates was simply much more impressive. Not hating Shawn at all but he should let that crap go already.

[@geoffhampton9155]

"All those Olympias". No, he mainly points out the controversy of him losing in 1994 and 1996, 1994 is really the one he believes he should've won because Yates was off. Dorian even admitted it. But don't say all those Olympias, that's over exaggerating.

[@sugarshawnray]

You must of not heard me correctly. “I” was never the one saying I should have won, a lot of other people did and believe I should have. So there’s that 😘 Thanks for listening 💪🏽

[@venusoflatassimus3584]

Hey is it you! You definitely are Mr Olympia in my book..every line up you were the most defined most detailed and of course pleasing to the eyes ​@sugarshawnray

[@detonator2112]

They also say that Nasser clearly won the 1997 and Dorian looked like sh*t. I just watched footage from the show and man Yates looked good in that too. Let's not just rely on the pictures but watch the actual shows. Sure he had that torn bicep but other than that he was amazing. Of course not as good as 1993 and I agree it was a bit controversial but people exaggerate that Nasser got a clear win. He did not. Watch the footage.

[@Chocolatesauce._]

Shawn beat him in literally every aspect except size and density💀they were both conditioned Shawn was arguably more contitioned Dorian jus had oldman muscle which gives the grainy look but if u look at the back poses Shawn literally had striated glutes, neatly separated delts, detailed back and arms and a crazy Christmas tree n standing next to Dorian all of that stands out even more. From the front it’s not even close Shawn ran away with it, he only loses the front n rear lat spreads and from the side I would’ve given those both to Kevin levrone. So Shawn should’ve won 3 mandatories then Dorian n Kevin 2 each then factor in the posing routines and who’s got the least amount of flaws…Shawns the 94MrO n it honestly shouldn’t even be a debate

[@boosnakejones]

I hate the usage of “manifest” in this day & age. Why didn’t he manifest a Mr. O win then?

[@sugarshawnray]

Its a sport of Subjectivity, Opinions. Look up the definition of 🤡

[@boosnakejones]

@@sugarshawnrayit says Clown: see; sugarshawnray

[@Elfrontu_1972]

Shawn Ray takes a little thought and runs with it. Most people hate been told the truth, and he was hated and still is by many in the industry of bodybuilding. But the guy is highly educated in all aspects. I like listen to him, and how he articulate his ideas. And yes, I’m a fan of him! 🦾🦾🦾

[@PaulBodyBuilder]

Hi

[@chaldean3941]

Why does he wear those glasses?