Mr. Olympia 2022: Latest Event Schedule and Info on Past Winners

The biggest event in professional bodybuilding is back, as the 2022 Mr. Olympia is already underway in Las Vegas.

Reigning (and back-to-back) champion Mamdouh "Big Ramy" Elssbiay is looking to repeat after defeating 2019 champion and 2022 Arnold Classic champ Brandon Curry in each of the last two finals. The task won't be easy, though, as Curry is back to challenge Elssbiay once again—along with a group of determined competitors.

This year's list of top challengers includes 2021 fourth-place finisher Hunter Labrada, 2022 Arnold Classic runner-up William Bonac and 2021 Olympia third-place finisher Hadi Choopan.

However, it's Curry—who won this year's Arnold—who poses the biggest threat to Elssbiay's bid for the record books. His status as a former Mr. Olympia can't be dismissed, though it's worth noting that Bonac gave him a run in Columbus back in the spring.

From Muscle & Fitness: "Curry and Bonac had to go through two complete comparisons before a winner could be determined."

However, four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler believes that Elssbiay should be considered the favorite.

"I think Ramy is going to repeat," Cutler said on YouTube (h/t Phil Blechman of BarBend).

Pre-judging for the Mr. Olympia began on Friday evening, with Elssbiay, Curry, Choopan, Samson Dauda, Derek Lunsford and Nick Walker earning spots in the final callout.

"Their on-stage orientation shifted, but it was clear that these six athletes were the ones competing for the O going into Saturday finals. Notably, Elssbiay posed on the fringes of the final callout," Roger Lockridge of BarBend wrote.

How will the rest of the event unfold? We'll find out when the finals take place at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casin on Saturday evening.

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Remaining Event Schedule for Saturday, December 17

Beginning at 7 p.m. ET, Finals for:

• Mr. Olympia
• Men's Physique Olympia
• Bikini Olympia
  
• Classic Physique Olympia

Full schedule can be found on the Mr. Olympia Official Site.

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Past Winners and Preview

We've already noted that Elssbiay is coming off of back-to-back wins and is looking to three-peat. This is notable, as another win would see him tie with bodybuilding legends Frank Zane and Sergio Oliva with three titles.

Zane and Oliva are tied for seventh on the all-time wins list, one spot behind Cutler—who won four titles in five years between 2006 and 2010. Dorian Yates holds six Mr. Olympia crowns, while Arnold Schwarzenegger is tied with Heath with seven.

Heath's last win came in 2017, a year before Shawn Rhoden's lone win and two years before Curry's.

Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman top the all-time winner's list with eight Mr. Olympia titles apiece.

At 38 years old, Big Ramy probably doesn't have a chance of catching Haney and Coleman, but he has time to put himself in revered bodybuilding company.

Naturally, Curry is intent on spoiling Elssbiay's plans. He believes that he's put in the work necessary to dethrone the champ and reclaim his place as Mr. Olympia.

"I was able to put more time in this year, and I think it's going to pay off," Curry said during the Olympia press conference.

Big Ramy, though, (unsurprisingly) predicts that he'll reign supreme once again. In an Instagram post (h/t Vishnu Mohan of Sportskeeda), he predicted himself to take first, with Choopan, Curry and Bonac finishing second through fourth, respectively.

"I'm sharpening my weapons to defend my title in Las Vegas!" Elssbiay wrote in the post.

It would be unwise to count out the likes of Walker and Choopan, with the latter finishing third in two of the last three competitions. Yet this largely feels like it's going to be a posedown between Elssbiay and Curry for the right to hoist the Sandow Trophy.