(Jim Manion responds in update below!) Could The Rock be changing the bodybuilding game?

For many years now professional Bodybuilders have competed in the IFBB for the prestige and honor of competition. So many individuals have come and gone in the industry yet have little to show from it other than hard work and some impressive stage photos.





That’s to say, there hasn’t been a great deal of money in professional bodybuilding.

While many have seen the potential for growth in professional bodybuilding, nothing has really changed as far as the pay scale is concerned.

That is, until now.

Apparently Hollywood superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is setting up to turn competitive bodybuilding on it’s head. Not only is The Rock putting on his own bodybuilding show in 2020, rumor has it that the show will be bigger than the Olympia and that the prize money will be tremendously increased.

This move has come as a bit of a shock for some in the bodybuilding industry, but really it should come as no surprise. The Rock alongside his production company Seven Bucks Productions has already tested out the market with their foray into the Olympia for the last few years. Seven Bucks Productions was actually in charge of promoting the 2017 Olympia and The Rock even made a special appearance at the show back in 2016, receiving a special icon award.

It’s clear that The Rock saw the potential for big things in bodybuilding and he’s going to try his hand at his own show.

So what does this mean for the Olympia? The Olympia brand is so strong that it would never go away. The prestige of winning the Olympia is after all still a highly coveted bench mark. But should The Rock’s show provide enough winnings to competitors there should be no doubt that it will eventually become the hottest ticket in bodybuilding.

The video below courtesy of Ivan Bodybuilding mentions more details about The Rock and his potential new bodybuilding show in 2020.

In response to these recent revelations, IFBB President Jim Manion gives a response on the status rumors that have been circulating regarding the Olympia being “overshadowed”.



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Managing Editor at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.