POLL: Where do you see Kevin Levrone placing?

[KevinSorbo]

I think a lot of people are underestimating Levrone. I definitely believe he can make top 10, and actually top 5.

He has a few things on his side:
-No injuries affecting symmetry
-His crazy genetics
-Full, young physique
-Tight waist..he would be the only one on stage without a gut of some kind
-Clearly responds to supps/training very fast
-The more recent shift in judging towards flow and physique symmetry, and posing (assuming they're judging it now which I believe they are).
-Since he is older, now most likely has thinner skin and more graininess/muscle maturity
-Fan support and marketability (shouldn't be a judging factor but certainly doesn't hurt)


See Instagram for recent vids (wont let me embed)
https://www.instagram.com/kevinlevrone/?hl=en

Remember how good Vince Taylor looked at 50 and still does. And I would guess Levrone - physique and genetic wise - is more than on par with Vince Taylor.


Poses Levrone would dominate would be:

-Side Chest
-Side Tri
-Most Muscular

Ab-Thigh would be strong as well. And his rear lat spread held its own against Dorian and Ronnie. No glaring weaknesses.

But he would have to nail his conditioning. There isn't much room for error and since he hasn't competed in so long, peaking properly could be different or more difficult..



He looks like this and he still has 5 months..

(Screenshot credit to MaximusPlatypus)



That's my thoughts anyways.

[BartPimpson]

As I said in another thread there's still a fairly huge chance that he won't show. Maybe 50%, to put a number on it.

If he does the show, I think there's a 50% chance he's inside the top ten. If he's inside the top 10, there's a 50% chance he'll be inside the first two callouts. If he's inside the first two callouts, there's a 50% chance he'll get directly compared to Phil and Dexter. Conditional on this happening, there's a 50% chance he'll be top 3, another 50% chance he'll be top 2, and a further 50% of winning.

These are my made-up numbers, come back in a few months to neg or rep as appropriate.

[RoroCwalker]

Row B, seat 7.

On a serious note,
His back and legs will place him out of the top 10.

[BartPimpson]

Let me explain where the skepticism is coming from.

1. Even prime Levrone would have struggled to beat Phil. This is contentious, but I stand by it. Levrone never had Phil's conditioning, or Phil's legs, even on his best day.

2. He's old. I can't think of a single 50 year old bodybuilder who placed top 10 at the Olympia - the closest is Vince Taylor, who placed 11th in 2006.

3. His IG photos are honestly not that impressive. Stop looking at them through fanboy beer goggles. Yes, Kevin looks great...for a retired 50 year old. There's countless MP pros who have pics like that. They'd all get smoked on the Olympia stage, and so will Kevin.

4. "Fresh receptors bro!!" didn't help Jay in 2013.

5. "Gear is better now" - thanks for the inside story, Walter White. Seriously, how the hell does anyone know this?

6. "Kevin's about to up the dose/go fullblown!" - absolute conjecture. We have no way of knowing what Kevin's on, or how much he's using. For all we know, his liver might be 100mg away from shutdown.

7. Bodybuilding is not a sport you can easily "come back" to. Arnold in 1970 is a rare exception. Usually when a bodybuilder takes several years off - that's it, they're over. They never recapture what they had before. Gustavo Badell. Ronny Rockel. Alexander Federov. Lou Ferrigno. Sergio Oliva. Reg Park. Bodybuilding comebacks just DO NOT HAPPEN.

8. It will still be incredible if Kevin comes back and places 10th. That will be an awesome achievement for someone in his position. He doesn't have to win the show. You guys are all just trying to buy wine on a beer budget, by hyping him up as a challenge to Phil Heath.

[BrutasMaximus]

If he places in top 10 it would be a miracle. If he had issues with his legs and back when he was close to his prime how in hell will those improve if he has aged 10+ years.

Placing top 10 is a big deal at the O. Not to take anything away from Kevin, he is looking friggin great as it is now! Not sure why he feels the need to jump on stage maybe just misses it, but what ever he brings and what ever place he gets he will no doubt look awesome for a 50+ year old.

[transformerchad]

UM ... If he actually goes all the way and enters and competes , he will be lucky to make Top 10 .

Levrone is not near what he used to look like , yes I get that he explodes when he takes his course of beet juice , but the guy isn't in his early thirties anymore .

[Iceman1981]

I like Kevin and hope he makes Top 10, but time waits for no one.

If his BDB is anything like it was in 2000, then he has no chance from the back. Here is a pic of Kevin from 2000 Mr. Olympia. His lats completely disappear in the BDB. If Kevin didn't have a great back 14-16 years ago in his 30's, people expect him to have a better back now while he's in his 50's?

[DrMVanNostrand]

Phil, kai, dex, cedric, ramy, rhoden, compton, wolf, winklaar are all better than levrone right now. And branch somehow always gets top 10.

How does anyone think he'll place top 10

[MillerTime07]

Easily to 10.

[SmallShrimp]

if he gets top 10, it will only be because of his name.

He has only 4 months to have a full blown off season.... and with in that time frame, prep for the show....

[porrapaulao]

Phil, kai, dex, cedric, ramy, rhoden, compton, wolf, winklaar are all better than levrone right now. And branch somehow always gets top 10.

How does anyone think he'll place top 10

Kai probably won't compete, Wolf certainly won't.


Branch always gets a gifted top 10, if he can I dont know why Levrone wouldnt too lol

His real competition for the top 10 will be Juan Morel, Essa, Victor Martinez...

[GearHound]

im impressed at how fast hes growing but yeah...i dont think hes getting top 10

[mikieson]

well Wolf and Branch both look horrible to me..so if i were judging Levrone would instantly beat them. Just being pleasing to look at would beat them.

[KevinSorbo]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BFZlyuFH...nlevrone&hl=en

Levrone already looking bigger and better!^

Let me explain where the skepticism is coming from.

1. Even prime Levrone would have struggled to beat Phil. This is contentious, but I stand by it. Levrone never had Phil's conditioning, or Phil's legs, even on his best day. I think if we stood prime Levrone next to Phil we would see Levrone more than holding his own. Ronnie would make almost anyone look small next to him, but even a sub-prime Levrone did not look small next to Ronnie. On the legs and conditioning I agree, the legs will probably be the biggest challenge for Levrone to get back in shape. After 1999 they seemed to lose some size.

2. He's old. I can't think of a single 50 year old bodybuilder who placed top 10 at the Olympia - the closest is Vince Taylor, who placed 11th in 2006. And it wasnt age which really put Vince in 11th place. He looked for the most part the same as in his 40s (fantastic). I dont think Levrone will look like he did in 97-99, but I think he can bring enough of a package to be competitive. Dexter is close to 50 and arguably looked his best last year.

3. His IG photos are honestly not that impressive. Stop looking at them through fanboy beer goggles. Yes, Kevin looks great...for a retired 50 year old. There's countless MP pros who have pics like that. They'd all get smoked on the Olympia stage, and so will Kevin. Remember, he hasnt even begin his prep/growth into a show. Like it or not he will only get better from now until the show. This isn't a fanboy perspective, it is how he has always been and is showing even a noticeable difference in the past couple of weeks.

4. "Fresh receptors bro!!" didn't help Jay in 2013. Yea, Jay only took a year off, which isnt enough for receptors to really become fresh. Jay's injuries and increasing asymmetry are what really didnt help him.

5. "Gear is better now" - thanks for the inside story, Walter White. Seriously, how the hell does anyone know this?
I agree, I know a little bit on this.. gear is for the most part the same as 15 years ago and I doubt he would hop on anything new/different..

6. "Kevin's about to up the dose/go fullblown!" - absolute conjecture. We have no way of knowing what Kevin's on, or how much he's using. For all we know, his liver might be 100mg away from shutdown. Well, multiple first hand accounts state Levrone being 190 pounds not having trained for half a year or more, and 12 weeks later being on the Olympia stage (Palumbo and many others confirm this).

7. Bodybuilding is not a sport you can easily "come back" to. Arnold in 1970 is a rare exception. Usually when a bodybuilder takes several years off - that's it, they're over. They never recapture what they had before. Gustavo Badell. Ronny Rockel. Alexander Federov. Lou Ferrigno. Sergio Oliva. Reg Park. Bodybuilding comebacks just DO NOT HAPPEN.
Yep, usually they dont end up going too well. Levrone however didn't compete until burning out, injuries, gut, palumboism or physique decline took place. He still has a full, 'young looking' physique.

8. It will still be incredible if Kevin comes back and places 10th. That will be an awesome achievement for someone in his position. He doesn't have to win the show. You guys are all just trying to buy wine on a beer budget, by hyping him up as a challenge to Phil Heath. As much as I'd love (and still hope) for him to challenge Heath, I agree that it's a stretch. But I don't want to say impossible.

Responses in bold^

[KevinSorbo]

if he gets top 10, it will only be because of his name.

He has only 4 months to have a full blown off season.... and with in that time frame, prep for the show....

He's gone from 180/190 pounds to being on the Olympia stage within 12 weeks before. That's tight but he's already around 250 at 4 months out, he has enough time.

[yzrider400f]

his back is gonna look silly next to philly

kevin always has gained points from the back. his definite weakness. from the front and side kevin is absolutely amazing, but the back was never on-par with the rest of the line up and I suspect that will still be the case

[Loctus]

People actually thinking he will compete... smh

[KevinSorbo]

[ig]http/pics.musculardevelopment.com/photos/transferred/_PB23779wtmk_DURZWPOWEL.JPG[/img]


his back is gonna look silly next to philly

kevin always has gained points from the back. his definite weakness. from the front and side kevin is absolutely amazing, but the back was never on-par with the rest of the line up and I suspect that will still be the case

His back double bi was a weakness, but not his rear lat spread. Easily beating DOriand and FLex here.. I imagine his hams from the back may be a weakness compared to the top guys.

People actually thinking he will compete... smh

Well, for him to back out now would be a pretty big let down and him announcing it on stage with Manion is about as solid a commitment as we can get. He would lose more than gain by backing out now imo.

[Ezy10z]

The way he announced his comeback I think there's no way he could change his mind unless was seriously injured during his prep. He's well known for making huge gains in a short period of time but I think the next 6 weeks will really show what he can do or how big he might potentially get for the Olympia. Either way his official comeback and his direct involvement with the sport again has created a lot of excitement in the bodybuilding community.

[Unbiasedfan]

His back double bi was a weakness, but not his rear lat spread. Easily beating DOriand and FLex here.. I imagine his hams from the back may be a weakness compared to the top guys.

Well, for him to back out now would be a pretty big let down and him announcing it on stage with Manion is about as solid a commitment as we can get. He would lose more than gain by backing out now imo.

We all know how many times he has said he would compete before. And each time he brought something new to make it more credible. The MO is the same, so naturally a forfeit is expected.

The 90's and early 2000's levrone would have no issues would the lat spread in today's line up, imo. His width would probably make up for his lack of detail, compared to someone like phil.

Also i believe that pic is 97 where dorian wasn't his usual self. However, phil's pic is from 2010 or 2011, and we all know he doesn't look like that anymore.

[ProWrestleFan]

If he shows, and looks good, I'd say Top 5 with potential politics.

[KevinSorbo]

Update via Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGDB61bn...nlevrone&hl=en


Looking big, but I cant wait to see the gym footage..I hope he's filming as much as possible for a comeback series/movie, I'm sure he is.

[deathmetal1992]

Clicked on top 5 but that might be a little optimistic, only if a few top dogs come in off. 6th-8th is pretty realistic in my opinion.

[NVious]

I see his best at top 8, his worst at 14.

I'll guess 10 as a bit of a gift.

[Salden]

He"ll be placing somewhere 8-14.,,
Which is good.

[KevinSorbo]

Anyone wanting to change their vote? Less than 3 weeks out now.

People actually thinking he will compete... smh

Smh @ you now

[Loctus]

Anyone wanting to change their vote? Less than 3 weeks out now.



Smh @ you now

We'll see.

And if he does step on stage thinking he will place anything other than 16th is delusional.

[BartPimpson]

We'll see.

And if he does step on stage thinking he will place anything other than 16th is delusional.

Why were you banned?

[Loctus]

Why were you banned?

It was self-imposed to keep me away from distractions over summer, had stuff to do back in time for ****-talking before da O

[KevinSorbo]

We'll see.

And if he does step on stage thinking he will place anything other than 16th is delusional.

Being completely certain of a placing - or lack of placing in your case - is delusional. Saying Levrone will certainly not place top 10 or top 15 is as idiotic as saying he will certainly win. Saying that its possible for him to place well or win if he comes in shape and close to his old self is reasonable and I've given the many points to back it as well.