by Christian Duque
Shaun Clarida is $16,000 richer and has gained one other open bodybuilding title for his mantle. This victory makes him eligible to compete on the 2026 Mr. Olympia, nevertheless it additionally speaks to some extent pushed by former Olympia High 6 legend Lee Priest who doesn’t imagine there ought to be a 212 Bodybuilding Division to start with. We’ll discuss in regards to the 2025 IFBB Professional League Japan Professional that Clarida gained, additional cementing his place as The Big Killer. Some followers have floated the concept Shaun will compete on the open Olympia in 2026 after which retire – a notion I discover to be preposterous; nevertheless, we’ll speak about all of it on this action-packed article proper right here at IronMag!
For starters, I’d wish to congratulate my good friend Shaun Clarida on one other large win for his already spectacular resume. Not too way back, Shaun was very a lot an underdog. I can nonetheless bear in mind a time when even suggesting Shaun may very well be High 3 on the 212 Olympia Showdown was met with disbelief. There have been lengthy photographs, after which there was Shaun. It’s not that Shaun didn’t have an excellent physique, it’s simply that he was on the smaller finish of an already small division.
The 212 is for guys which are often so much lighter but additionally so much shorter than the open contenders. Shaun by no means touched 200 lbs and the very fact is he was not thought of anyone that may very well be a prime man, simply eliminated him from many predictions. Anytime his title got here up in dialog a number of instances it was met with both disbelief or he would instantly get written off. When he began putting within the cash, folks began to take discover. However then the query of him successful grew to become virtually like a no-go. Then he began successful however then the thought of him competing within the open was virtually laughable to most. Then when he beat guys that had been over 100 kilos heavier in prime type, folks began to heat as much as the concept he may very well be an open bodybuilding contender for main titles.
Clarida is a bodybuilder that has overcome super adversity and has all the time come out on prime. He’s identified for ridiculous situation, super muscularity, and actually working onerous on no matter stage he steps foot on. It is because he’s anyone that doesn’t take no for a solution. He’s additionally not anyone that rests on his laurels. Even when he gained his two Olympia titles, he was all the time fascinated by the longer term. He was by no means one for procrastinating and he positively by no means complained. Subsequently congratulations are in retailer.
The 2025 Japan Professional was no cakewalk. Shaun’s major competitors got here from Florian Antoine Gilles Poirson, who actually hit the stage all methods go. Florian actually works the stage and has been identified to get excessive marks from the judges for his very detail-oriented presentation of the muscle. He additionally is far greater than Shaun (as was everybody else) however measurement doesn’t matter to a man often known as The Big Killer. One other man who acquired a number of consideration from the media was Joan Pradells. Many thought that if anybody would cease The Big Killer within the land of the rising solar, it might have been Pradells.
Me, personally, I didn’t suppose anybody was going to cease Shaun if he got here in situation. I get it, Shaun isn’t going to win any peak contests and he’s on the lighter finish – even of the 212 – however his mastery of the necessary poses permits him to actually flip the tables on the competitors. He is aware of the place to face, what sides to indicate, and though the mandatories name for strict adherence, GK is aware of learn how to outangle the competitors with out falling into the goofing-off class like poor Andrew Jacked did at this previous Mr. O.
With Clarida you get a really harmful competitor who is aware of what to not do, however learn how to do it when the time is correct. It’s not dishonest, it’s known as understanding the game just like the again of your hand. It’s how a man that provides up quite a few inches and as a lot as 100lbs can nonetheless draw extra eyes than the mass giants who suppose they will trounce on him.
The Japan Professional had some strong expertise, however Shaun was higher. fifth place finisher Marc Hector appeared superb and a case might be made that 4th and fifth may have switched order. That mentioned, Jan Turek appeared very sharp, particularly from the facet poses. I feel everybody within the High 5 deserved to be there and the promoter gave the followers an excellent present to observe.
For individuals who couldn’t be on the contest, seeing the protection was additionally a deal with. Pictures and movies simply don’t lie. Nobody on the inter webs has sounded off that GK didn’t deserve the win. We didn’t see that on the now well-known Reno Sports activities Fest the place Shaun bested a really spectacular Sergio Oliva Jr and a large Regan Grimes some years in the past, both. There, Grimes towered over Clarida and outweighed him considerably, however he was simply no match. And as a lot as guys like Florian, Joan, and Jan appeared, they fell quick in Japan like Grimes and Oliva did in Reno did in Japan. It is because a shorter, lighter man can beat a taller, heavier man in bodybuilding. And that’s as a result of it’s neither a peak or weight contest.
This takes us to the purpose pushed by Lee Priest concerning the way forward for The 212 as a division. Ought to it’s scrapped? I imply if guys like Shaun can win open exhibits, then it stands to cause that there’s no want for a second professional bodybuilding division, proper? Properly, not so quick. Again in Lee’s day there was no 212. Nonetheless, he was capable of get High 6 within the open. And again in these days, the Open was much more conditioned and so much greater than it’s in the present day. Am I saying bodybuilding was higher then? Properly, it was a distinct period and it was tougher – sure. That mentioned, Lee was the exception. Guys like him, perhaps Cover, and perhaps David Henry may have pulled one thing like that off, however I’d argue a lot of the others at that peak and weight couldn’t. That’s, in fact, a debatable level.
Most of what we speak about in physique-based sports activities is subjective. That mentioned, I’d argue that The 212 (like The 202 earlier than it) serves an vital perform for guys who’re considerably lighter than the open guys and want a spot to compete. A lot of the 212 guys couldn’t see the form of success Shaun does. However why not?
I don’t know why not, I simply do. Guys like Shaun are genetic freaks, however they’re additionally workhorses. So the query is “who needs it extra?” If that’s the query, I don’t actually have a solution for you. I get the place Lee is coming from and I don’t have any counterpoints that will completely win the talk, however whereas The 212 is right here, I feel guys like Shaun will dominate.
Sadly, nevertheless, it’s not a division that’s doing too nicely. The Arnold removed it when Flex Lewis retired and has by no means introduced it again. The prize cash – even on the O – pales considerably compared to the open, though it’s a bodybuilding division. The 212 affords a number of guys that will in any other case not have a shot within the open to compete, a spot the place they will at the very least conceivably have a shot. The issue is, what number of followers truly wish to see that? And what number of promoters wish to supply a division that’s quite boring to observe? Lee isn’t saying one thing that a number of us aren’t considering. The High 5 of the 212 Olympia Showdown is an actual present to catch! The remainder of the division is considerably dying on the vine.
So will Shaun do the open Olympia in 2026 or the 212 Olympia Showdown? Can he do each? I feel that it’s too untimely to debate this and I extremely doubt the champ will make his choice identified this early, both. Greater than doubtless, nevertheless, I see him attempting for his third 212 Olympia title. If I had been him, I’d go that route as an alternative of probably going for High 6 within the open.
Will Shaun retire in 2026? That’s simply foolish to me. Why would a man who’s successful open bodybuilding exhibits in opposition to prime guys like Jan Turek and Marc Hector, retire? If he retires, that’s one factor, however he’s not previous, he’s not injured, and he’s successful OPEN exhibits whereas technically a 212 man. I feel the slightest suggestion of retirement is nothing in need of clickbait by these large shops. They want the hits they usually’ll do absolutely anything for shock worth. There’s no cause for Shaun to even ponder retirement.
So what did you consider the 2025 IFBB Professional League Japan Professional? What do you suppose Shaun will do sooner or later? As all the time, thanks for studying my article, right here, at IronMag. I stay up for studying your suggestions within the feedback. Please you’ll want to copy and paste a hyperlink to this text on all of your social media feeds. It’s assured to generate vigorous dialog.
