Straight Outta The Lair with Flex Lewis
7x Mr. Olympia 212 Champion Flex Lewis presents Straight Outta The Lair, the podcast that aims to bring you vital information for your life's ambitions, providing valuable insight from interviews of the many many different faces that walk through our doors at The Dragon's Lair Las Vegas and a few from the man himself.
Straight Outta The Lair with Flex Lewis
Evolution of Olympia | Derek Lunsford, Jake Wood, & Dan Solomon | Straight Outta The Lair Podcast
Ever wondered what it takes to elevate bodybuilding to unprecedented heights? Join us in an exclusive conversation with the masterminds behind Mr. Olympia—Jake Wood and Dan Solomon—as well as the reigning champion, Derek Lunsford. Broadcasting from the iconic Resorts World in Las Vegas, we uncover the strategic planning and challenges that have shaped the prestigious competition since 2019, including the pandemic's impact. Jake and Dan offer an insider's perspective on their successful partnership with Resorts World, the honor of receiving the keys to Las Vegas, and their relentless efforts to create an unparalleled experience for bodybuilding fans.
Derek Lunsford shares his awe-inspiring journey from being a USA champion to clinching a top-five Olympia spot in just two months. Hear firsthand how competing against his idols drove him to new heights, the complex transition from the 212 division to the Open division, and the triumph of winning the Mr. Olympia title. Derek opens up about the significant role faith and fatherhood play in his life, offering an authentic glimpse into the personal motivations and challenges that come with being at the pinnacle of bodybuilding.
We delve into the broader culture of bodybuilding, exploring its transformative impact on mental health and personal growth. Learn about the ambitious plans to make the sport more inclusive and accessible, the efforts to enhance the production experience of the Mr. Olympia event, and the intricate process of transforming the Weider offices. With a focus on expanding Olympia's global reach, Jake and Dan discuss potential new venues and partnerships that promise to take the competition to even greater heights. Don't miss this insightful episode filled with inspiring stories and visionary goals for the future of bodybuilding.
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----- Content -----
00:00:00 - Intro
00:08:56 - Evolving as a New Champion
00:20:51 - Building a Legacy in Bodybuilding
00:24:40 - Insights on Bodybuilding Culture
00:30:08 - Building a Bodybuilding Legacy
00:39:30 - Expanding Olympia's Global Reach
00:47:58 - The Olympia Showdown
straight out the lab flex and rock rock.
Speaker 2:We got a special podcast today indeed, here we are at eight lounge. We got the mr olympia team here and it's really exciting to be able to talk to you guys today here at Resorts World.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. Jake Wood, owner of Mr Olympia. Don Solomon, the man that I've known for many years, many stories we're going to be talking about. He is the promoter of Mr Olympia and, to my right, the champ.
Speaker 2:The champ Derek.
Speaker 3:Lunsford In the building.
Speaker 1:Welcome all to the podcast guys. Straight with the lamp.
Speaker 3:Flex, think about all the times I've interviewed you over the years, after those triumphant conquests at the Olympia, those seven Olympia titles. You and I would be backstage and I'd be interviewing you in those moments of victory. And then here we are the tables have completely turned.
Speaker 1:It truly has. I was thinking about this when we were talking about doing the podcast and how the tables have truly turned when now I'm doing interviews with Mr Olympia's and many other athletes and many other champions in their own right again. But it all started from bodybuilding and this is the platform that set my next trajectory off, and I'm very excited now to get everybody in the room because we have a big year. This year we have the 60th, mr olympia, guys, obviously and today the keys to the city. What, first of all, what an achievement to have the keys to las vegas. Tell us about that, guys it's.
Speaker 3:It's quite an honor. I know jake and I. When jake bought the olympia, he and I sat down and we we compared those visions and both of us and j drove the bus. The vision was to take this sport and to bring it to levels that few had even had the courage to do in over the years. And we had a plan in place and we really wanted to connect this sport with newer audiences. We wanted to bring it around the world in a way that it hadn't been transported yet and we were willing to do whatever it took. And if that involved increasing production value, spending more money on stage production, increasing prize money, whatever we had to do to attract more people men, women and children to this lifestyle, we were going to do it. So I know, Jake, I can only speak for myself in this case, but I'd imagine for you, this must be a bit of a culmination of the initial vision.
Speaker 4:It is. There's no doubt, Dan. I remember when you and I first launched this plan, we were sitting up there in Hollywood as a matter of fact, at Yamashiro's restaurant up there. That's right and we laid all this out in 2019. Damn, and we keep rolling. It keeps happening. Of course, 2020 was a little bit of a hiccup.
Speaker 2:I was going to say 2020 had to have put a little bit of a damper on everything right, A big damper yeah.
Speaker 3:It's wild Because, flex, I know you knew Joe Weider, yeah, and we can only look back at how hard Joe worked to get the world to receive and accept bodybuilding right. So here we are in the entertainment capital of the world, las vegas, being celebrated, being recognized, and I'd imagine joe must be incredibly proud of what's happening this weekend absolutely what an achievement from from the two brothers that have taken this sport to where it was.
Speaker 1:Arnold obviously has helped propel that, and now from that and them, generations now we have guys like this who are incredible champions, not just on stage but off stage too. And that's what I want to say too is now we have so many different categories, but every category has an incredible champion that promotes the sport, not, as I said, on stage, but off stage too. But that's a testament to your guys vision and the promotion of how this is growing. And again, now we're in resorts World. This is an incredible place to be hosting the Mr Olympia, the 60th Mr Olympia. So how did you guys link up with Resorts World to get to this magnitude of the Olympia?
Speaker 4:That would be Dan's story there.
Speaker 3:So we were connected. We all share friends, right? That's the beautiful thing about Las Vegas Everybody's connected to everybody. And I was having a casual conversation with my good friend, mark Anthony and I go way back and he and I were talking about different venue possibilities and he had said that I needed to meet his friend, ryan Chastain, who of course, is one of the guys who runs Zouk and does such a great job, and he's a bodybuilder and a bodybuilding fan. So I sat down and talked to Ryan a little bit about the opportunity to open up some dialogue and Ryan deserves a lot of credit because Ryan really worked hard, stepped up and brought everybody to the table and we had some incredibly productive conversations.
Speaker 3:And it's hard to find a home for the Olympia, because the Olympia we ask for a lot. We ask for tens of thousands of room nights in a room block. We ask for a stage venue that can house a world-class production and also seat an adequate number of people. We need convention center space, we need supporting community, volunteerism, all kinds of things. There's so many elements of what we need from a community, from a city, from a host property, and it's hard and we have conversations with many properties around the world and they don't always go anywhere because we'll hit one of those markers and they just can't support it.
Speaker 3:Resorts World stepped up and we love it here because Resorts World is different. A lot of times you do a deal with a venue or a hotel and they hand you the keys, they put you in a room and they say, okay, put on your show and we'll send you a bill. But Resorts World takes it to another level and I really appreciate that. They really get involved. They try to do everything that they can to bring visibility to what we're doing. They do what they can to provide experiential support, make sure that our visitors are getting more for their visit, and they get involved with what we're doing and, as evidenced by the fact that we're sitting right here in Resource World talking to you guys, it's really turned out to be a nice partnership yeah, I would say, coming from the vegas perspective, right, like it's a perfect time for you guys to be coming in and doing this here in vegas specifically.
Speaker 2:Right, like we just had the f1, we just had super bowl, vegas is really geared up, as you said, the the nightlife or the entertainment destination in the united states, and it really has become that with all these giant events, we we got baseball coming right, we got basketball coming this city never had those things. So, bringing Olympia here, the excitement, the entertainment, it's all here, right. And I think doing the partnership, obviously with Resorts World, ron and Ryan and the team, like they really get it and they bring a lot of value to Olympia or other partners that they do bring in and they see that value. And I think it's an amazing year to be doing the 60th and doing it here in Vegas is really exciting. So we'll figure out how we can pump it up too.
Speaker 3:And I got to give you both credit, because one of the reasons why Jake and I were so excited to come here and talk to you guys is you guys are doing such an important thing in terms of spreading the word of fitness and that transformational power of bodybuilding, and I know I'm anxious to hear from Derek on this, because Derek's doing a great job too.
Speaker 3:It's so great to have a champion, to have a iconic seven-time Olympia champion in your cell, flex, who understand the importance of spreading that message and connecting more people to the sport, to this lifestyle. And what you're doing with this show, with other projects you have going on connecting to new communities, whether it's the UFC community or Hollywood or other businesses. That's what we try to do every day. That's what Jake and I focus on. How can we tap into new audiences and grow this thing? And, derek, you're doing an amazing job. And, flex, I got to tell you it's fun. I don't get it doesn't get lost to me seeing you guys here, because I would imagine, flex, this must be frustrating having to sit next to Derek Lunsford because Derek did the thing that you were planning to do as a former 212 champion to win the title.
Speaker 1:You can see Don still got that podcast gene in him.
Speaker 3:I was going to say Shut up, and harass him.
Speaker 1:Listen, I have killed that ego long ago, hence why I'm a lot lighter. But again I look at Derek and I'm so proud of this guy because we've had our battles. We've obviously Derek's been on the show as well, we've had these conversations, but I've seen this young, again, genetically blessed athlete with incredible work, ethic winning the USA and then he was being pushed hard to get into the 212 class and then, of course, the battle the first battle between myself and you was being promoted and we had many battles. But of course, when I stepped away, I got to see this guy then take his first title and, of course, as you said, gone to do something that I would love to have done and hope to have done but didn't. But I got to live through somebody that I truly love and again look at as somebody, as a great champion. So now, as the champ something I never was able to do you got that title, my friend, and if anybody was to get it it would be you, because you do an incredible job.
Speaker 5:But welcome to the show again, derek. Thank you so much, man. I tell you what when I talk to anybody, I tell them that Flex Lewis is the guy that made me train harder than any professional body else, for a couple reasons. You were a great champion. Your physique stands alone. As an up-and-comer, I was still a fan. Like you said, I had a quick rise, going from USA champion all the way up to the top five in Olympia in just less than two months. So I was still a fan of you guys, especially you. You were one of the guys that actually I saw and would watch and was like man, I want to be doing that. So you inspired me from the beginning. But also when we had our rivalry, I was like all right, my idols are now my rivals. I want to beat them and unfortunately, you got that 2018 title, but unfortunately to me. But I thought it was rightfully so. I thought it was great.
Speaker 1:Like I said, you pushed me so hard I really had to level up at that point in my life and in my career because of you. So thank you, my man, and level up you done after that too, because it's all very well being on the 212 stage and making the weight for that, which I know is difficult for you. But then we all got to see the true potential of Derek Lunsford. When that cap was off and again your first year on the Olympia stage, you scared a lot of people and, needless to say, you coming back and then taking that title the next year, derek, just tell us about that journey from the 212 to the Open and that next level you had to tap into.
Speaker 5:Man, it's really been unreal, especially this past year after winning the Mr Olympia title.
Speaker 1:Whew.
Speaker 5:Let me just first say this If I could have wrote my own bodybuilding story, my own bodybuilding career, it wouldn't have been half this good. That's why I always praise my Lord and Savior, jesus Christ, any chance that I get. So I know it was him working through me, living through me. Of course, I had to get up and do my cardio, stick to my diet and train, but he allowed me to go through me. Of course, I had to get up and do my cardio, stick to my diet and train, but he allowed me to go through some challenges. After you stepped away in 2018, I had a rough couple of years where I just wasn't getting that 212 title and people ask me oh, I'm sure you wish you would have done things different. To be honest, no, because I just needed to go through what I went through during that kind of valley, so to speak, in my life to be able to come out of it on the other end and be better, be stronger and realize that God is in control and it's not me. So all praise and glory and honor to him. But I'll tell you what when I was placing second in the 212 to finally winning the 212 in 2021, you don't think, oh, one placing is that big of a difference. Oh no, it is. Being the champion is special. There's only been a few in the history of bodybuilding. In each division, right, that's been the champion. There's a massive difference going from second place to first place.
Speaker 5:And then I went from first place in the 212 to second in the Open the following year, which I had no idea I was going to be doing, that I was planning on defending my title. Halfway through the year. I also got sick for a few months. That set me back whenever I decided, ok, I want to go Open. Placing second was a challenge, to be quite honest. That was better than what we expected, despite all the adversity throughout that year. But once I placed second realized, wow, like that, mr olympia title the open division is. There's a reason why it's the pinnacle, it's at the top. There's a big difference and I almost forgot that second to first place. But whenever I finally achieved and walked away with that mr olympia title and that sandow my gosh, my life has completely changed?
Speaker 1:Tell us how some of life has changed since you won the Mr Olympia.
Speaker 5:Where do I even get started? Side note I'm now a father, which is amazing.
Speaker 1:Congratulations, thank you.
Speaker 5:That's the best thing of this year. So she's coming up on six months now and it's great to watch her and be a father just watching her and my wife become a mother too. So outside of that, I've had, I've done some pretty incredible things this year. Not to get political, I had dinner at marlago, which I thought was pretty cool, got invited, um to go have dinner there. When I go to these expos, such as like fibo or I went to korea this year to the expo over there, like the crowds are just crazier and crazier. So the impact that you're're having on the bodybuilding community itself is just exponentially crazier.
Speaker 5:And being a part of this the 60th anniversary, the key to the city being able to speak with the mayor of Las Vegas and Dan Solomon and Jake Wood yourself, like my gosh, I wouldn't be able to do that if I didn't win the Mr Olympia title. So there's a lot of really special, and that's just a few things. There's a lot of really special things that come with being the Mr Olympia, but I will say there's a lot of challenges that come with it too. It's not easy to be Mr Olympia and to carry the torch strong, but I'm telling you what I'm doing, whatever I can, to maximize every opportunity, not just for myself, but as a fan of bodybuilding and having the passion and love for it, I want to see it all grow. I want to see everybody winning.
Speaker 1:You talk about pressure and there's certainly pressure when you come with the territory of being a champion, right? But then add in the fact that you're a new dad as well. Tell us how that has changed your life and the motivation going into the Olympia as a new dad, I think pretty well, too right For me.
Speaker 5:I didn't know what it would be like. I knew I would love my child, no matter what. Praise God that she's healthy, super healthy. And some people could think it could be distracting, but without even trying, there's just this extra gear that you have, that you want to be able to do more and you, just you don't make excuses, you go over and above and you have that. You want to be able to do more and you, just you don't make excuses, you go over and above and you, just you want, you expect more from yourself. So and it's not just about providing, but you just know you can do more. You want more for your child, you want more for your family and just everyone, as I just mentioned, not just my family or myself, but you just realize that you just want to be able to do more and you can do more.
Speaker 4:So it's that extra gear that you have. Derek, I'm going to want to ask you a question. All right, when you're in the middle of your prep, you're feeling horrible. It's 2 am and the diapers need changing. Who's doing that?
Speaker 5:Put the pillow over your head and pretend like you didn't hear it. I remember them days, jack. I pillow over your head and pretend like you didn't hear it. I remember them days, jack. I haven't been there yet. I don't know. We're about to find out. Yeah, my wife is an amazing mother, so she she's typically the one that gets up in the middle of night. I say typically. She is the one that gets up the middle of night and takes care of our daughter, and so she's super supportive of me. Great mother, yeah, so I can imagine that she'll be doing the same thing during prep.
Speaker 1:Dan, obviously you've got one great champion. We've got a lot of athletes that are chasing this man. To my right We've got Hardy Chopper, the champion that. We've got Samson, we've got Andrew Jack, we've got Hunter Labrador. We've got so many names in the hat and all these guys all believe that they can win the Mr Olympia this year. And that's what makes this year so much special, because everybody has that chance. No offense, derek, as this is a competition, but everybody believes in their heart of hearts. But this year is going to be an incredible battle up there, not just in the Open, but multiple different classes.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so the Olympia is 11 divisions, right, and it's the division that Derek competes in, of course is the holy grail of our sport. It's the title that everyone wants, and every person that you just named should feel like they have a chance, because they do. The Hadi Chupan story, to me, is really compelling. I'm a huge fan of Hadi Chupan. I think he is a tremendous bodybuilder and I love the debates between Hadi and Derek and that's what makes this sport amazing and what I appreciate about Derek. And I love the debates between Hottie and Derek, and that's what makes this sport amazing and what I appreciate about Derek, and I'll tell you this right now I appreciate the fact that you embrace the idea that bodybuilding is an art form and everybody looks at art differently. There's been champions in the past that take personal offense when they hear somebody else praise a rival, and I've always thought the absurdity of that. That's what makes this sport amazing, and there were poses where Hadi beat you, and there were poses.
Speaker 4:Oh, wait a minute. No, to be fair.
Speaker 3:But you'd be the first. No, there were poses where Hadi beat you and then there were poses where you beat Hadi, and it was a tremendous battle back and forth. I would not have wanted to be a judge at that table. In the end, the judges did their job. You were the champion and it was a clear and moderately debatable outcome.
Speaker 3:Right, it's not a pure apples and oranges. We've seen apples and oranges in the past. This is not your classic apples and oranges, but it's two gentlemen with very different strengths, and a lot of people say Olympias are one from the back. If that's the case, you're Mr Olympia for a long time, because I don't know that I've seen a back in this sport not named Ronnie Coleman. That's as impressive as yours.
Speaker 3:It is that good when you turn around. It is pretty much unbeatable when you turn around, thank you. Then, when Hadi turns around, he brings some things to those front shots that you don't bring, and that's what makes the sport amazing, and I love the fact that you appreciate that, you embrace that idea and you know that you just have to continue to get better and better. So that way we won't even have these conversations or it won't be up for debate, but the fans in Iran are amazing. They are passionate, they care deeply about the sport, they're some of our most intense followers and and I love it and I cannot wait to see you and Heidi Chopin get, get after it again it's going to be exactly right, though you have to embrace it.
Speaker 5:Like when I look at my competitors now, back when Flex and I were competing, I didn't have that mindset. I can say I came from a wrestling background where it was just I want to beat this guy and of course, we all want to win right, but it's really you versus you. So where does the competition lie in that conversation? Really, it's just holding yourself accountable. Those competitors are doing whatever they can each and every day to make themselves better, and that holds you accountable for you to get better, and so that's why I said thank you to Flex Lewis for making me level up. That's what now Hottie, nick Samson and all the rest of these other guys are doing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's an interesting point and you said it earlier. When your idols become your rivals right and Flex was that for you who are the guys? You could feel that from now, because now you're in the spot right. So now you got all these guys who looked up to you and are gunning for you, but now they're actually going to be competing against you. So do you feel that from these guys, or is that something you feel from them? You feel that competition, like they're coming at you.
Speaker 5:I definitely understand that I have to continue to improve and I want to improve, just as someone who's passionate about bodybuilding and want to be my best. That alone motivates me. But, like I said, the competition simply holds me accountable because I know these guys are working. I know that they are, but, realistically, for me this is a good mindset to have. Once I won the Mr Olympia, the open division, I realized that I just became the first two, that to achieve that, really that weight was lifted off and now I just get to have fun, keep going and thinking and wondering is that ever going to happen? Is gone. So someone may hear that and say, oh boy has he? Does he now feel like he's the champion? He can lay off the the gas pedal? Absolutely not. Yeah, everybody's gunning for you now.
Speaker 2:No way, it's almost like even in some sports like fighting sports, right like when you do become the champ, he can lay off the gas pedal. Absolutely not. Yeah, everybody's gunning for you now. No way. It's almost like even in some sports like fighting sports, right Like when you do become the champ, you actually become better Because you have this aura around you now and you have something there. So did you feel like that, once you became champ, like I'm good now and I'm able to carry this forward To?
Speaker 5:be honest with you, when I first won meaning the night that I won you can see it on my YouTube channel because my guy, trevor here filmed it all as I'm coming backstage off of the stage I think I was in shock, honestly. I think I kept saying what just happened and I just was like total shock. So really, I think it took me a couple of months for it to set in. Like I'm Mr Olympia, I always knew I was knocking on the door. I was one of the top guys in the world, but I'm now the guy carrying the torch and so I think it took me a couple of months to actually let that set in. But now that it has, you know, it actually has strengthened me and given me more confidence to want to go out there and do it again.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. And then you're going into going into the to the next years. Does that put pressure on you because of that as well?
Speaker 5:No, I think the pressure is just what you put on yourself. People can try to put pressure on you, but really it's only if you allow it in. And the pressure that I put on myself is just for me to be my best. I always have, I've always been my worst critic. I've always, even the best day in the gym. I come home I tell my she asked, my wife asked how'd the workout go? I said it was good, but I could have been a little bit better, even my best day. So I think that's just. I think every champion feels that way, but I can sure tell you that's how I am. The only pressure I have is just to beat the version of myself last year and seek my fullest potential.
Speaker 2:You versus you. Yeah, I like it One legacy.
Speaker 1:I want to turn this over to Dan as a promoter what is your legacy and the impact you want to make on the Mr Olympia? I?
Speaker 3:just want to make the sport more accessible. I want people to understand where the pathway is to participate in this lifestyle. I want to show that there are healthy ways to participate in this lifestyle and that there are people out there that are trying to overcome all sorts of things health issues, young people out there that are getting bullied. There are people out there that are getting bullied. There are people out there that are trying to overcome obesity. There's so many stories that live in this space. We focus here on the best bodies in the world guys like Derek, guys who are practically cartoon characters out there in the world. Real life superheroes, right, but the real superheroes to me are the people that you talk to in the gym, or that guy who's in there just getting started and he just finally got the courage to get that gym membership and his family's rooting for him. I love that and how that connects to bodybuilding. Is that what you're doing, derek, inspires that guy? He might never look like you, he might never achieve what you've achieved in that space, but it's that, it's those stories, it's that, it's what you and Chris Bumstead and Jen Dory and all of you guys are doing that are inspiring that person and you're providing inspiration, you're providing motivation, you're providing education and you're lifting people up, and to me, that's what we're trying to achieve Now. As we're doing that, we also want to do whatever we can to create an elevated production experience. We want people who are spending good money, who are getting on airplanes traveling from all around the world, we want them to experience this with sensory overload. We want them to feel things. We want them to have a visceral, powerful experience so that when they leave, they come back year in and year out and we're so proud that's what happens.
Speaker 3:I love meeting people who come to the Olympia for the first time and check that bucket list item in their life. I love seeing the way they respond, their emotional response. I love seeing the athlete who's competed at the Olympia for the first time and what that does for him or her. It's all so powerful and a lot of times we always talk about in order to be great at something, you have to find your juice right. Your juice cannot be getting rich. That can't be your juice. That's not good enough. Your juice cannot be getting rich. That can't be your juice. That's not good enough. Your juice cannot be living in the big house. That's not juice. Juice is when you connect with something more meaningful and it's what drives you and fuels you. And for me, my juice is the life-changing impact that what we do has on so many people. And I know, jake, for you that's why you bought the Olympia, because you wanted to participate in that and I know we've been. We've had a lot of fun doing that together. Let's talk about that story.
Speaker 1:Tell us how this came about, Jake, how you purchased the Olympia, and again take on what Dan just said.
Speaker 4:First of all, what Dan just said there. He and I overlap a great deal on that because we've talked so much about it over the years. But how did the deal come about? I can't tell you the truth.
Speaker 3:Maybe later yeah one of these days, jake, we should write a book about the assembly of the olympia acquisition, the things that went into it because, jake, it's really a story that can be told in a business school, but that's another day for another show. Yeah, yeah, there's a a story that can be told in a business school, but that's another day for another show.
Speaker 4:Yeah, it's a true story. It really involves some personal items about other people that are not myself. But for me the dream really began so many years ago out in the middle of the San Fernando Valley. I didn't live too terribly far away from the Weider offices and I used to ride my bike by there quite a bit and I was a 15-year- a 15 year old, 16 year old kid going man, I want to work there one day and I tried applying for a job. It wasn't going to work out for many different reasons and I never got hired. Yeah, and I thought, yeah, I'll be back. And one day the opportunity came around to buy it.
Speaker 1:You came back all right, good yeah you came back.
Speaker 1:That's crazy, that's. Yeah, I had no clue how you took over this, but I'm very glad that you did again. If that story comes out in the future, I'd love to hear. But again, I'm very happy, obviously as many of the champions, that you've taken it over and you have teamed up together, uh, with dan, to take this to that next level. I've seen this grow tremendously and a couple of points that you mentioned earlier, dan. You're talking about the experience. You're talking about production. What is this Olympia and how is this Olympia different to any others?
Speaker 3:The theater here at Resorts World allows us to do a lot of things visually, with sound, with lighting, with just overall stage creativity. We're able to do some things, and it's funny because one of the areas that we struggle with as producers of the show and our producer is Tamer Al-Gindi. He does a great job with us and you can't please everybody.
Speaker 3:You can't, please everybody, you can't. And it's very difficult because we really focus on creating something visual that the people who are sitting in the building, who have spent a lot of money on tickets, feel something and they leave there feeling like they just witnessed some bodybuilding version of a rock concert. Now, granted, we want to respect the sport, we want to make the physiques present with visual clarity and all that, and we understand that a guy like Derek and you guys don't spend all year building a physique to have it not seen with the clarity that you deserve. However, we walk this line because we want to create something visually and experiential for the attendee. Now, the problem is, you have the people in the building. They respond to something, and then you have the folks watching at home on TV or pay-per-view and it looks different there, that's true. You have the sight lines from the judging table. They expect something different. You have the photographers, and those things are not always the same.
Speaker 3:It is impossible to make everyone happy, just like when you build a physique.
Speaker 3:Right, you can say, okay, I'm going to go hard on the condition, or I'm going to go hard on the size, or I can try to find a middle ground that's going to please the guy who cares of the judge, who cares about aesthetics and cares about whatever it is.
Speaker 3:It's the same dilemma that we fall in and each year we try to tweak it, we try to improve it, but we have accepted that when you are in the business of mass consumption, where you produce something that millions consume, you are never going to make everyone happy. And the 10% of the people who are the least happy are the ones you're going to hear it from. The 90% of the people who loved it, who spend money, who buy tickets every year, who watch it on pay-per-view, who love everything about the Olympia experience. You're not going to hear from them. You're going to hear about the guy who said the lights were overwhelming. The contrast wasn't right. Right, the lines on the physique didn't present. That's who you're going to hear from, and we understand and we respect those opinions and we do want to make this enjoyable for everybody, but it is not easy.
Speaker 4:Fact the matter is, the olympia is over in a night. Okay, the people that were there, they're only there for one night. How many hours and videotape photographs. They live forever. Yeah, yeah, yeah, so yeah. So it's an interesting relationship there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, something that you said earlier that resonated with me, and just the health and wellness industry in general has just blown up and we're seeing that obviously these guys, they're the idols, and I grew up looking at muscle and fitness magazine with Jay Cutler and all these guys and I think that, like in our country, even we have a mental health problem and I, for me, being in the gym was my therapy and I think that's true for a lot of people out there, right? Not just athletes who are trying to compete, but you're inspiring people just to get into the gym, get some mental health, get that workout done. Do you feel that Like cause? You're really inspiring people to better their lives? So I think that's an important thing to touch on For sure.
Speaker 5:Actually, how I fell into bodybuilding was, I mentioned earlier, I had a wrestling background where I went to college to wrestle for a short period of time and I realized very quickly that wrestling probably wasn't going to pay the bills in the future. I probably wouldn't have a career in that. So I thought, okay, let's continue to go to school and get my degree which I did get, a business degree but I just I didn't really enjoy anything. I was serving tables and the only thing I realized at that time that was consistent in my life, that I loved and was passionate about, uh, was going to the gym. Yeah, and quite frankly, I didn't even know what bodybuilding was. I'd never even heard of the Mr Olympia, jay Cutler, anybody like that. I just loved being in the gym. And, long story short, some of the guys in the gym real jacked guys. Man, who are these guys? Are they football players? Surely not. There's no football team around here. Okay, they're not fighters. They're too muscular to be a solid fighter. What do they do? Who are they? They said well, we're bodybuilders. What do you mean, your bodybuilders? We compete in bodybuilding. What are you talking about? Oh, npc, mr Olympia, ipb probably. Oh, there's like competitive bodybuilding.
Speaker 5:I thought about it.
Speaker 5:I was like man, I'm just.
Speaker 5:I have not the greatest discipline in my life at this time and I had no real future in mind other than, like I said, going to school and hoping one day I'd figure it out.
Speaker 5:So I thought to myself okay, to give me structure, to give me something to focus on in my life, a goal to achieve and go for every day. I'm going to commit to doing a bodybuilding show and, mind you too, I thought maybe, like the UFC, the fighting, the MMA route might have been appealing to me being a wrestler at the time. But I thought, before I commit to getting my face punched in for years and years, let me try this bodybuilding thing, because I'm in the gym training every day anyway, I'm cutting weight for wrestling, so I know how to diet hard and suffer and sacrifice. And so it just competing in my first show mainly was for me to just get out of my funk. Give me foundation, give me discipline, give me a goal to achieve and going off what Dan said earlier about the first time competitor, the NPC competitor, those are some of my greatest bodybuilding memories.
Speaker 2:You're doing what you love, right? Like you followed something you couldn't figure out. Now I'm doing exactly what I love and you're going to pay me for it.
Speaker 5:And at that time I was an amateur. I was competing at NPC and I was weighing 150, 160 pounds, so no way was I going to beat a Flex Lewis or a Phil Heath at the time, or nothing. I had some sort of ignorant confidence is what I like to call it that maybe one day I would get there. If I dedicated myself like I did, to wrestling, to bodybuilding, maybe I could get there one day. So I did have some belief that one day it might happen. Faith, yes, amen, brother, and but at the time, really, it's just. I can remember that those were some of the greatest memories that my friends and family would come to the show and we would go out and have a cheat meal and maybe cheesecake factory after the show, after finals. So those are memories that I'll just, I'll never, ever forget. Those are some of the greatest memories I've had in bodybuilding.
Speaker 1:I know you are the champ, Derek. What are your goals and aspirations whilst competing and then retiring? Have you got anything you want to do when you're done with the sport?
Speaker 5:I took a play out of your book, my man, I'm building a gym right now over in the Tampa Clearwater area. So I remember when you had the Dragon's Lair before the Dragon's Lair, when it was just a private training facility for yourself and some friends, and so at first that was my idea, that I just wanted to get something for me, and then I realized that I want to be competing for years and years, as long as I possibly can. I want to be doing this. I feel like I'm just getting started. I know I can continue to improve. I plan to be here for a while, so in that meantime I do want to keep it more exclusive, to where the gym isn't getting crazy packed with tons of people and you're bringing the right atmosphere there.
Speaker 5:But I realized, too, there will be a day that this comes to an end.
Speaker 5:The right atmosphere there, but I realized, too, there will be a day that this comes to an end and I really and what I mean by that is the competitive side of bodybuilding and I just I have so much passion and love for bodybuilding that I really see myself in this sport for my entire life and I want to truly give back to the next wave of guys coming and I feel that with my experience I can really help mentor and push the next wave of guys. So I feel that with my experience I can really help mentor and push the next wave of guys. So I hope that people will eventually come to Florida, to Tampa Clearwater area, and I can help push them in the gym and kind of mentor them on how to to stay focused and stay right in this sport, because at some point it's not as physical as it is mental. So being able to give back in that way is something I look forward to many years down the road when I'm done competing.
Speaker 2:The mental aspect, if I could, because we work out together at the gym and whatnot, and he pushes me a bit, but he's always telling me he's, bro, like back when I was competing, I wouldn't even be able to sit here with you like this. You'd think I was a straight up asshole, and he's just. I was a straight up asshole, and he's just. I was a completely different person. Do you have that switch where you're the different person? Oh, nice.
Speaker 5:No, bro, I wish I could say no, man, I'm the same easygoing person all year. Yeah, no, no, no, there definitely is a switch that flips and it's go time. Yeah, we're 15 weeks out as soon as I get back home from this trip tomorrow. It's go time. Yeah, for the olympia. We're 15 weeks out as soon as I get back home from this trip tomorrow. It's go time. There is no beats that are missed. It's really a crazy mindset. Like you put everything you need to do first, everything you need to do as far as cardio, meals, training, rest, therapies, all that stuff, the posing all of that day in, day out, months and months, everything else takes a back seat.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you just have to but does that become harder now that you're a dad?
Speaker 5:right, because now you have this other factor in life and motivation yeah like I said earlier, I feel like it gives me that extra gear to not complain, and certainly done it for me. Yeah, it just kind of gives that extra kick of no, I can do more, and it's it the love you have for do you?
Speaker 2:I have, no, I haven't had a kid. But everybody who around me, all the men around me who've, you know, even the guys who, like you, would never think that they would have the kid guys, are like this is the best thing that's ever happened. You need to start having kids right away, like all of them, just change you live through me as well, right, yeah?
Speaker 5:definitely it's the greatest man and, like I said, that's why I said before I knew I would love my child, but I didn't realize when she was born how much I would truly love my child, and you can't explain it. It's not something you try for, it just is what it is. Yeah, and so I, like I said earlier, this is my first time prepping with a child, being a father, but I I think it's just going to give me even more motivation like that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's wild when you think about it, he got the title of mr olympia and dad.
Speaker 2:Yeah in a few weeks. Yeah, it's awesome back to back it's wild I know two championships back unbelievable.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and congratulations. In the gym I heard whispers, but I wanted you to tell me, so this is now going to be semi-open to the public.
Speaker 5:Yeah, at least until towards the end of the year it's going to be semi-open to the public. Yeah, at least until towards the end of the year it's going to be just private for me and everything. Oh just, is this the place we?
Speaker 1:go Private only because you are going to become your camera guy's up there. You're going to become Derek Lunsford and people are going to be like I don't know if I'm going to train you anymore, but that's what you need you nothing but a church-like atmosphere. And every time I walked into that gym I had control of everything I bought my training partners in. I had every dial on point for me to win and defend that title and the fact you're doing that right now. I know chris bumstead's done the same thing too. Not the public gyms a distraction, because I've trained in public gyms up until I decided open mind. But then, to get that one percent out to you, don't look back and go. Man, did I not train as hard because I went to the gym and I spoke to people, because I was the champ? Or can I keep the champion mentality and when I go out into public and become that guy and enjoy it and then when I need to train, I can turn that switch, as you said?
Speaker 5:definitely. That's why I'm going to keep it more private while I'm competing, like we'll have members, but it's going to be like being able to control the atmosphere, like invite only yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1:I know there's a lot of niceness in the air, don, I'm going to stir the pot, uh-oh. What has Hadi Chopan got to do to beat Derek Lunsford this?
Speaker 3:year, my days of answering questions? No, they're not.
Speaker 1:They're on my podcast.
Speaker 3:I actually miss the days when I was paid to give those opinions.
Speaker 1:I'm not paying you enough to do that?
Speaker 3:No, but to be honest with you, it's going to be tough.
Speaker 4:It's going to be tough for Hadi to take the title, he first needs to get in the country.
Speaker 3:Yeah, he's got to get here. But I know what that battle means to the fans and to see you guys go at it. It's everything you could want in a rivalry. It's respectful, it's built on two differing types of physiques, two of the hardest workers in the sport, two people, two athletes who are at the top of their game, and that's what makes this so compelling. You guys are both in your competitive prime at the same time and this battle is going to be amazing. There's something else I want to throw out to you. You asked me earlier about Resorts World and the relationship.
Speaker 1:I want to talk about all that after that. Yeah, no problem.
Speaker 3:Yeah, one of the things that we get to do here, which is amazing. So the tickets for the Saturday night Olympia finals they sold out in two and a half days. Two and a half days, meaning days meaning congratulations and a lot of events talk about sellouts. Right the day of the show they'll say oh yeah, we were sold out. We're sold out with months to go. You cannot buy a ticket to saturday night what are we on timeline right now?
Speaker 1:how many weeks out?
Speaker 5:we're 15 weeks. You should know this.
Speaker 1:I always defer to the athlete. So this was what I know. A few weeks ago that this was announced, month done, so basically 20 weeks out it was sold out now the reason why I mentioned this.
Speaker 3:It's actually bad news for some, but there's some really good news happening. So the hottest club in Vegas is Zouk. Zouk is the spot and of course it's right. Here at Resorts World, zouk is going to host we're doing something that's never happened before the official Olympia watch party on Saturday night, and this isn't just going to be a room with a TV in it.
Speaker 3:You guys know what goes on in Zouk. Zouk is badass and there's visuals everywhere, there's screens everywhere and we're going to pump in the live, real-time sound. They're not going to be in Zouk watching the pay-per-view and hearing that. They're going to experience the raw footage, live as it happens, of the call-outs and the action on the stage, with full bar service and everything you could want, surrounded by the most beautiful people in the world and the best energy and hardcore bodybuilding fans and fitness enthusiasts. And it's going to be the official watch party and it's going to be at Zouk and tickets are going to go on sale for that soon and it is going to be amazing. We were just in there. We just walked the property and did some promo there and we saw the configuration and I'll be honest with you and I'm not just saying this the experience at the Zouk watch party might actually prove to be better, in terms of overall enjoyment, than being in the building. It's going to be amazing.
Speaker 1:The acoustics alone are incredible and obviously you've got to have the Nelson. Sorry Jack.
Speaker 4:I was just going to say, Zouk adds in another 2,500 people to watch the show for us.
Speaker 2:Wow, and all the bells and whistles right.
Speaker 4:They've got the lasers and the explosions and all these crazy things.
Speaker 2:It's going to lasers and the explosions and all these crazy things. It'd be awesome.
Speaker 3:We're hoping we can get you guys there. Pop in, see the fans, and that's what's going to happen throughout the night. If you're at the Zouk watch party, you're going to see celebrities like you guys there, you're going to see industry insiders, you're going to see legends there, and then you're going to see a couple thousand of the most hardcore fans in the world who, instead of paying $1,000 plus for a VIP package to watch the show if you weren't able to get one, go in there. Tickets are going to be pretty inexpensive. Go in there and just be a part of an incredible party and watch history being made at the official watch party. So we're starting to get the word out for that and I think people are going to really love it.
Speaker 5:Yeah, you got to be pumped up. I know that's like the one and only an only downfall to being on stage. I know you missed this and now I can enjoy all this stuff.
Speaker 1:I know you guys got a hard stop so I want to ask a quick couple of questions. Obviously, the Olympia this year is going to have so much more bells and whistles. Can you add anything that we've missed out, that you'd like to fill in with the fans, any fan experiences, and outside of the Expo that's going on?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so the Expo this year is going to be upgraded quite a bit, so we're adding a lot more square footage to the Expo. Oh, wow, we are adding, the first time ever, the Olympia Combat Zone, which is going to be a whole upper level at the Las Vegas Convention Center, which is going to provide a showcase for everything from bare-knuckle fighting and all sorts of mixed martial arts and other combat sports and just a whole myriad of things that will cater to the combat community, the martial arts community. There's going to be many disciplines. Dr Goldman's getting involved and he's bringing a lot of his martial arts disciplines with him, so it's going to be a real showcase for all things in the combat sports world and that's going to give our event a whole different dimension.
Speaker 3:But you mentioned earlier about bringing all these different industries together. Now, of course, it's known that in the fitness industry, the endemic brands, the categories, are supplementation, apparel and equipment. But the great news for us is Jake and I have worked so hard to go beyond that and our sponsors, our big sponsors, our companies that are in categories that go beyond that and that's what we're really working to grow. We have our three main sponsors, respectively are based in um, brazil, korea, and now a great new relationship that we're forming in germany. So that's what we're loving.
Speaker 4:We're connecting the whole world to this sport and I think you're going to feel that when you come to the event this year, it's amazing, jake, and that's been one of our goals from the very beginning, going way back from 2019, when we're first talking about it is how do we spread it throughout the world? Make it for everybody, ignore borders? We're there for the people, yeah, and that's still what we're trying to do.
Speaker 1:I'd like to ask both of you a question, whether you split up the answer or not. If I was able to give you a magic wand right now, where would you like to see the Olympia in the next couple of years?
Speaker 3:Where would we like to see it? Jake? We talk about this all the time. I have some very bold ambitions. I'll let you go first on this one, jake.
Speaker 4:I would love for it to still be here, right here at Resorts World. I think that they can be a fantastic partner. Sometime we might want to travel with it a little bit.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 4:And, of course, one thing that's a dream is the sphere, the MSG Sphere Come on Jack.
Speaker 2:That's going to be great man. Come on Jack. The UFC is doing their first thing there. I might have to make a comeback.
Speaker 1:I might have to make a comeback for that Sphere.
Speaker 2:So it's opening the door. It's actually opening the door for that. With the UFC doing their first event there this Mexican Independence Day weekend. That's going to really open that door.
Speaker 4:I yeah, that could be very interesting, but I do know that it is a huge upfront investment just in all of your artwork and videography and everything to actually make use of what you have there.
Speaker 2:It's pricey, it's pricey, not in Vegas, I know all about this stuff. But Olympia is big enough that you can have that conversation with them. It's still another step above us. We're talking 20, the it seats in there.
Speaker 4:Yeah, we're also talking probably 10 million dollars. Yeah, just to get you in the door there that's the goal right, so at least that's there but we want to travel too. There's all kinds of great places around brazil. We wouldn't do it every single year, but maybe every fourth year, fifth year, something like that. Take it out somewhere, because the emerging markets are not here where we're sitting, and this is the best market. It's the biggest market today, but it's not the emerging market.
Speaker 3:So I've seen the popularity of the Olympia reach heights that we never even had the courage to dream of. I see the way tickets sell. I see the pace at which they sell. I see the consumer's willingness to make big commitments to be at the Olympia, and I see it and I measure it and I watch it very closely. It is my opinion that at some point it might not be next year, it might not even be in a few years but at some point it might not be next year, it might not even be in a few years, but at some point we're going to hold the Olympia in a stadium. I think we can get there.
Speaker 3:I'm so convinced and confident in our ability to sell tickets and bring large crowds to what we do. When I watch WrestleMania every year and they hold it in stadiums and I see what they do I look at that and I feel like, yes, there are practical obstacles. You want to put a bodybuilding show in an inside venue, you want to protect the climate, all that sort of thing. But I am convinced that at some point just the same way Joe Weider predicted back in the 1940s that the world would become, would embrace the idea of strength training and fitness and people looked at him like he had two heads, like he had crazy, because back then athletes looked like babe ruth and there were no strength trainers and there were no gyms and there were no supplement companies. People thought he was crazy. But I'm going to take it one step further.
Speaker 1:I'm crazy enough to think that at some point in time we'll have this in a stadium and we'll sell 50 60 000 tickets look at dana white, done with the ufc he's a big dreamer everybody called him crazy to take on a failing business that had mixed martial arts and have people from all over the world fighting each other and nobody's laughing right now, right?
Speaker 2:I have personal friends with Dana.
Speaker 1:He is the best promoter and obviously in Las Vegas he makes dreams come true and, as you guys know, I've seen the same thing. You have to be called crazy, dan, to be a big dreamer. I was called crazy to jump on a plane and come to the United States, sleep on a sofa for a few and a half and I was able to succeed and achieve my dream. So I think anybody who calls you crazy I feel is a compliment. And keep on being crazy, dan, keep on reaching.
Speaker 2:I see it, I definitely see it in stadiums. And just speaking of the UFC specifically, right Like they've branched out now. Now they're doing events, more worldly events, because they're in the same mindset of trying to really expand into global right. So they've started doing those type events. I think that in the future and doing these traveling Olympias would be really amazing in these other sectors of the world for sure.
Speaker 1:Rock. I was in Brazil for the Arnold, just Ehafa and let me tell you that fan base is I have never, ever been to a country that has a fan base that has middle-aged women screaming for Flex Lewis. Have you ever been to Welch? I don't even get that bit.
Speaker 1:What an incredible market. But there's many more and bodybuilding, as you guys said, now is global and thanks to, to, to sponsors who are investing in the olympia, they they get into see their logo on that stage, go back to respective countries and promote the fitness injuries in itself. But I know you guys have a hard stop, you know, um, in wrapping this up, where you're for an historic event, where keys to the city and you guys are going to be doing your political thing, kissing babies, shaking hands. But I just want to say, guys, from a previous champion, I'm sitting next to the current champion, owner of the Miss Olympia promoter, extraordinaire Dan Solomon. I appreciate you guys for this time, this opportunity, and I'm looking forward to seeing this year's Olympia and us being part of it on whatever level they can give us Rock, yes sir, can't wait.
Speaker 1:Can't wait to see you guys. Guys, stop the great work.
Speaker 3:You guys are killing it and we're honored to be with you. So thanks for having us.
Speaker 1:Is there any sign-off guys you want to do direct to the fans?
Speaker 2:No, I just appreciate your support and I would say get your tickets to the Olympia, but they're sold out, so Congratulations. This is a big key indicator.
Speaker 1:And one thing as a person who loves marketing I've sat next to somebody who lives this life I truly feel you and Hardy have such a Rocky movie going on right now.
Speaker 2:It's such a Rocky IV Apollo and USA Rocky IV.
Speaker 1:It is an incredible story. You guys are one for one and this is going down to this year. And again, Derek, this is a movie, my friend. And I'm looking forward to it. Dan, sorry, it's a nail-biter.
Speaker 3:No, it is. It's Rocky IV. Is it Drago versus Rocky IV? I don't know. In fact, I don't even know if it's fair to call how Did you Fan Drago, because how Did you Fan? And you guys you train in impressive facilities and you guys both carry that same blue-collar approach, so it's probably not a great comparison. But you're right, this is befitting of a movie and that's why we're making one about this year's Olympia.
Speaker 1:And that's a whole other story for another show. But, gents, I appreciate you guys. I know we've run out of time. I could have asked much more questions, but the time that we had, I truly appreciate it From me and Rock guys, straight out of there, we are out.
