The bodybuilding community celebrated the Pittsburgh Pro

The bodybuilding community celebrated the Pittsburgh Pro

Casual bodybuilding fans already know the Olympics and Arnold Classic, but those fans who have a deep connection to the sport know that there is a third show that could be considered the crown jewel of the industry - the Pittsburgh Pro.

The 2023 edition of the Pittsburgh Pro took place on May 12th and 13th at the Wyndham Grand Downtown Hotel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Olympic President Dan Solomon called the Pittsburgh Pro “one of our industry’s greatest traditions” in his Instagram post about the event.

The competition is promoted by IFBB Pro League President Jim Manion, who himself won Mr. Pittsburgh in 1971. Both Manion and Solomon, as well as many of the bodybuilding world's biggest stars, legends and insiders, were in attendance to come together and celebrate the sport they all love.

At Saturday afternoon's finale, many fans in the hotel cheered because of the men's open stars who would be posing as guests. This is an event that dates back decades, and there were some memorable moments during this exhibition, such as Ronnie Coleman giving Jay Cutler a piggyback ride, Phil Heath and Kai Greene sharing the stage, and Kevin Levrone announcing his return for Mr. 2016. Olympics seven years ago. A year ago, 2021 Olympic 212 champion Derek Lunsford posed as a guest and made headlines for his size. That led to him being invited to compete in the Open at Olympia. He would finish second behind new champion Hadi Choopan.

Lunsford returned to Pittsburgh to play Psoe once again and he was joined by two-time Mr. Olympia Mamdouh "Big Ramy" Elssbiay, Arnold Classic champions Samson Dauda and Nick Walker, second-generation superstar Hunter Labrada and two-time Olympia 212 champion Shaun Clarida. Solomon and four-time Classic Physique Olympian Chris Bumstead greeted fans and spoke about the importance of the Pittsburgh Pro to both before the athletes competed. When they were introduced, Bob Cicherillo introduced Australian Tony Doherty, who had brought a new professional to Pittsburgh, Mike Hulusi, who was allowed to go on stage with the six headliners and walk pose for pose. Hulusi was in the final stages of his preparation for the New York Pro, which took place on May 20, and he appeared to be almost in competition shape. Imagine your first poses as a professional while at your best among the sport's elite. Welcome to the IFBB Pro League, Mike.

Thanks to head judge Steve Weinberger, the guest posers went through comparisons as if they were competing against each other and then went into the crowd to pose with fans. After a few minutes, they bowed one last time before leaving the stage for interviews. The fans gave a standing ovation for their effort. Manion also looked on with approval and appreciation.

The guest posers were a big part of the show, but it is a competition after all, and between the two days of competition there were six professional competitions with Olympic qualification on the line. Stars were also seen competing against each other in lineups. Two of these competitions featured Olympic champions, and two others featured an Arnold Classic weekend winner. Defending Ms. Physique Olympia champion Natalia Coelho won her division title, but three-time bikini Olympian Ashley Kaltwasser finished second to the winner

Aimee Delgado. Defending Wellness International champion Kassandra Gillis missed out on winning the Pittsburgh Wellness Show by just one spot. That champion would be Gisele Machado. The winner of the Figure show was Cherish Richardson.

There were also Classic Physique and Men’s Physique shows. Michael Daboul captured the Classic Physique title and is now qualified for the 2023 Olympia, taking place November 2-5 in Orlando, Florida. As Solomon reminded fans in attendance, tickets can be purchased at www.mrolympia.com.

The winner of the Men’s Physique category was Corey Morris, who won his third consecutive show. During the interview with Cicherillo, defending Men's Physique Olympia champion Erin Banks took the stage to congratulate Morris and warn him about what awaits him at the Olympia.

“Do your best because that’s what it takes to beat me and there aren’t many people who have beaten me.”

Another very important part of this weekend's events are the amateur competitions. The NPC is based in Pittsburgh. So what better way to get acquainted with the sport than competing on the NPC's hometown stage? Put yourself in the suitcase of your competitors for a moment. Combine the feeling of taking the stage with the opportunity to look out into the audience and see legends like Rich Gaspari, Hany Rambod, former 212 competitor and Pittsburgh legend Seth Feroce, and other big names you probably follow on social media. Outside of the professional qualifying shows, there may not be a bigger amateur stage than this.

The energy created at the Wyndham Grand Downtown Hotel will be felt long after the stage is dismantled and people there have gone to the New York Pro or other events on the schedule. This energy is why the Pittsburgh Pro is one of those shows that all serious bodybuilding fans and competitors need to put on their competition list. Competition dates for 2024 have not yet been announced, but you can follow @npcifbbpropittsburgh on Instagram to find out when the show will take place next year.