I don’t know about you, but I’ve written off Big Ramy ever stepping back on stage. In fact, I’d go as far as to say he’s the new Kai Greene of the industry. Sure, Kai was recently spotted doing a guest-posing at a show where he was painted like some sort of zebra or something (it was weird), but other than that, he’s been MIA for quite some time now after teasing the industry for years of a return to the Olympia stage.
We witnessed Phil Heath put a whooping on Kai at every show. Sure, there were some close scorecards, but in the end, Kai has never won the Olympia and taken home a Sandow.
So, where are we today with Big Ramy? Sure, he was a previous Mr. Olympia champion, but where has he been? It seems like every year, we’ve gotten a glimpse of hope that he’s going to come back, only to find out he’s going to skip.
The last time we saw Big Ramy on an Olympia stage was back in 2022. He won both the 2020 and 2021 titles but then fell back to fifth place at his latest showing.
As one of the biggest guys on stage, it’s a shame we don’t see him giving the younger guys a run for their money. It would be awesome to see him up there with these new guys and see how they all compare. But, I don’t think we’ll ever witness that — EVER.
In this article, we are going to dive deeper into Big Ramy and his disappearance and perhaps explain (through my opinion) what’s going on behind the scenes.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to treat or diagnose any condition. It is recommended that you speak with your doctor before starting any exercise program, making changes to your nutrition, or adding any supplements to your current routine.
Has Big Ramy Retired?
In my opinion, Big Ramy is the new Kai Greene of the bodybuilding industry. Kai has never come out and announced his retirement, and for several years, he kept hinting on social media about a comeback and attempt to win the Olympia. After several years of Kai teasing the fans, they’ve given up on him — essentially removing him from their memory. You can only take so many lies before no one believes you anymore.
I feel as if Big Ramy is in the same boat. After back-to-back wins at the Olympia, it was disappointing to see Ramy fall back to fifth place. That’s not to take anything away from the other competitors who placed above him, but it was quite a shock.
Personally, I don’t think Big Ramy has ever mentally recovered from dropping back so far in the pack. I think he knew his days were numbered and that improving his physique was not going to be an easy feat — especially with the neurological challenges he was going through.
This actually leads us into what I feel is going on behind the scenes with Big Ramy and why we haven’t seen a physique update in a very long time.
What’s Going on with Big Ramy?
At the 2022 Olympia, it was clear that Big Ramy was suffering from some atrophy. His physique was undeniably off and different from previous years, and it caused many fans to question if he was okay.
Big Ramy has mentioned he’s had some issues with nerve damage not allowing his muscles to fire, and it’s causing the atrophy we’ve witnessed through his photos and in person at the Olympia. He reported that he was undergoing various treatments, such as stem cell treatment, to try and reverse the issues going on with his nerves.
Back in 2023, Big Ramy told Bob Cicherillo that he was suffering from some injuries that he needed to fix and heal. Were they different from his nerve issue? We’re not sure.
However, I don’t believe Big Ramy will ever step on stage again. Once a nerve is damaged, it’s an uphill battle from there on out, and being that bodybuilding involves the look and aesthetics of the muscles and body. I’m not so sure Big Ramy can ever fully recover enough to be a threat on the Olympia stage ever again.
Add in the fact that he’s 39 years old, and we can all understand that Father Time doesn’t care if your goal is to win the Mr. Olympia competition or not, he’s coming for all of us.
So, where does Big Ramy go from here?
Honestly, Big Ramy doesn’t need bodybuilding anymore. He’s a celebrity in Egypt and is involved in several businesses that occupy his time and bring in revenue.
One of his businesses is a supplement brand built off of Big Ramy Labs called Red Rex. Truthfully, I never had high hopes for this brand. I believe he was trying to cash in on being Mr. Olympia and build a brand off of that, but with his absence from the sport, the brand also seems to have disappeared.
Looking at the Big Ramy Labs website, 7 out of his 20 products are out of stock (at least at the time of writing this article). While I can’t predict what’s going on behind the scenes, my guess is they’re dissolving the company and simply selling through old inventory they’re sitting on.
In the end, I wish nothing but the best for Big Ramy. I think he should come out and tell his fans that he’s done competing, but then again, doing that may completely destroy his supplement company. But as a bodybuilding fan, it’s sad to see multiple years of Big Ramy not giving updates, not communicating with his fans, and ultimately not stepping on stage.