Right here’s what to learn about “The Actual Deal.”
Final up to date on January fifth, 2025
2023 Mr. Olympia Derek Lunsford is making ready for his Arnold Classic debut in 2025, which will likely be held from Feb. 28 by way of March 1, 2025, in Columbus, OH. This will likely be Lunsford’s first competitors since inserting third on the 2024 Mr. Olympia contest in Las Vegas, NV, and his first since his former coach, Hany Rambod, retired.
Lunsford has recruited one other bodybuilding legend as his new coach, Chris Cormier. Cormier, generally known as “The Actual Deal,” is greatest recognized by fashionable followers as a media persona, analyst, and coach. Followers of a earlier technology might keep in mind Cormer greatest as a prime bodybuilding star who captivated followers together with his mixture of form, dimension, and posing. Cormier was additionally one of the vital profitable athletes off the stage, due to being featured on a number of journal covers and sponsored by numerous complement corporations.
Cormier positioned as excessive as third on the Mr. Olympia contest in 1999 and was runner-up on the Arnold Classic six consecutive occasions. He was one of the vital common professional bodybuilders on the circuit all through a lot of the Nineteen Nineties and 2000s.
Cormier confronted off in opposition to legends comparable to Dorian Yates, Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler, Flex Wheeler, Shawn Ray, Kevin Levrone, and plenty of others. From 1994 to 2007, Cormier had 11 wins, most notably 4 Iron Man Professional championships. He graced the Olympia stage 10 occasions. The one athlete Cormier by no means beat was Yates. Cormier’s professional present historical past, as documented by Muscle Reminiscence, is beneath:
Chris Cormier’s Professional Bodybuilding Outcomes
1994
- Arnold Traditional – IFBB, 4th
- Grand Prix France – IFBB, seventh
- Grand Prix Germany – IFBB, sixth
- Ironman Professional Invitational – IFBB, 2nd
- Olympia – IFBB, sixth
1995
- Grand Prix England – IFBB, fifth
- Grand Prix France – IFBB, fifth
- Grand Prix Germany – IFBB, 4th
- Grand Prix Russia – IFBB, fifth
- Grand Prix Spain – IFBB, 4th
- Grand Prix Ukraine – IFBB, 4th
- Evening of Champions – IFBB, 4th
- Olympia – IFBB, sixth
1996
- Grand Prix Czech Republic – IFBB, eighth
- Grand Prix England – IFBB, eighth
- Grand Prix Germany – IFBB, seventh
- Grand Prix Russia – IFBB, eighth
- Grand Prix Spain – IFBB, eighth
- Grand Prix Switzerland – IFBB, eighth
- Olympia – IFBB, seventh
1997
- Canada Professional Cup – IFBB, third
- Grand Prix Czech Republic – IFBB, 2nd
- Grand Prix England – IFBB, 2nd
- Grand Prix Finland – IFBB, 2nd
- Grand Prix Germany – IFBB, sixth
- Grand Prix Hungary – IFBB, eighth
- Grand Prix Russia – IFBB, 4th
- Grand Prix Spain – IFBB, sixth
- Evening of Champions – IFBB, Winner
- Olympia – IFBB, eighth
- Toronto Professional – IFBB, third
1998
- Arnold Traditional – IFBB, fifth
- Grand Prix Finland – IFBB, 4th
- Grand Prix Germany – IFBB, 4th
- Olympia – IFBB, sixth
1999
- Arnold Traditional – IFBB, third
- Ironman Professional Invitational – IFBB, Winner
- Olympia – IFBB, third
2000
- Arnold Traditional – IFBB, 2nd
- Ironman Professional Invitational – IFBB, Winner
2001
- Arnold Traditional – IFBB, 2nd
- Grand Prix Australia – IFBB, Winner
- Grand Prix England – IFBB, 2nd
- Grand Prix Hungary – IFBB, 2nd
- Grand Prix New Zealand – IFBB, 2nd
- Ironman Professional Invitational – IFBB, Winner
- Olympia – IFBB, fifth
- San Francisco Professional – IFBB, Winner
2002
- Arnold Traditional – IFBB, 2nd
- Grand Prix Australia – IFBB, Winner
- Grand Prix Austria – IFBB, Winner
- Grand Prix England – IFBB, third
- Grand Prix Holland – IFBB, 2nd
- Ironman Professional Invitational – IFBB, Winner
- Olympia – IFBB, third
- San Francisco Professional – IFBB, 2nd
- Present of Power Professional Championships – IFBB, third
2003
- Arnold Traditional – IFBB, 2nd
- Grand Prix Australia – IFBB, Winner
- San Francisco Professional – IFBB, 2nd
- Present of Power Professional Championships – IFBB, seventh
2004
- Arnold Traditional – IFBB, 2nd
- Grand Prix Australia – IFBB, 2nd
- Grand Prix England – IFBB, 2nd
- Grand Prix Holland – IFBB, 2nd
- Olympia – IFBB, seventh
2005
- Arnold Traditional – IFBB, 2nd
- Grand Prix Australia – IFBB, 2nd
- Olympia – IFBB, thirteenth
- San Francisco Professional – IFBB, Winner
2007
- Atlantic Metropolis Professional – IFBB, sixth
- Montreal Professional Championships – IFBB, 4th
Coach and Mentor
Following his retirement, Cormier has taken on a number of roles to remain concerned with the game, together with as an analyst and media persona contributing to varied exhibits comparable to The Menace Podcast and Prime Time Bodybuilding. He started coaching current-era stars within the gymnasium and with their posing, together with two-time Mr. Olympia Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay, two-time Traditional Physique Olympia winner Breon Ansley, and Sergio Oliva Jr.
How Will They Do Collectively?
Lunsford and Rambod labored collectively all through the previous’s total professional profession. Working with another person will likely be a giant change, however Cormier isn’t any stranger to coaching and competing at a excessive stage.
We noticed how the brand new relationship may go when Lunsford trained legs with Cormier in considered one of their early periods. Based mostly on that session, the duo might have a vibrant future collectively. If it really works out as Lunsford hopes, he’ll win $500,000 and reclaim the title that Cormier by no means received on the 2025 Mr. Olympia.
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