![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.ironmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/flex-lewis-mr-olympia.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
by Matt Weik<\/em><\/p>\n I\u2019m going to get a ton of hate for this article, but it is what it is. This is my opinion, and just like assholes, we all have one. I first want to say that I have the utmost respect for Flex Lewis. This article is not a knock at him or any type of \u201chate\u201d in any sense of the word. However, what I\u2019m about to say is going to probably cause a massive reaction either in one direction or the other. You\u2019re either in the camp where you feel Flex Lewis has every right to walk into the Men\u2019s Open Olympia after winning seven 212 titles, or you\u2019re in the camp where you feel he should have to qualify just like everyone else. <\/p>\n Here\u2019s my opinion.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t need to tell you that Flex Lewis is one of the best bodybuilders to ever live \u2014 his 212 Olympia titles solidify that spot in history. That said, after \u201cretiring\u201d from the 212 division and hinting at a return to the Men\u2019s Open division, no one thought it would be several years later.<\/p>\n The Olympia has had its ups and downs over the years, and every year they try to out-do the prior (which they have seemed to be able to accomplish with Dan Solomon at the helm of it all). In 2020, Flex was offered a special invite to compete in the Men\u2019s Open Olympia, which everyone was excited for. It was an opportunity to see how he would do when thrown into a bigger bodybuilding class. Unfortunately, his shoulder had different plans, and he never stamped his ticket to jump on stage that year.<\/p>\n Everyone then thought Flex Lewis would appear at the 2021 Olympia (myself included). Well, that didn\u2019t happen either as Flex decided to put his focus in other areas rather than stepping on stage.<\/p>\n That all said, Flex never lost his drive or passion for the stage, and I don\u2019t believe for a second that his intention to step in a Men\u2019s Open show has ever wavered. Personally, I really thought we would see Flex jump into the Arnold Classic (any of the previous years). I felt like it would be a good \u201cwarm-up\u201d to what could take place at the Olympia and allow him to \u201csize up\u201d the competition and see where he needed to improve to hang with the bigger guys.<\/p>\n Flex always seemed to fight his body when it came to the 212 division. In a sense, he almost needed to downsize in order to make weight. The Men\u2019s Open division only seemed like the next best place for him so that he could allow his body to continue to grow. <\/p>\n If you\u2019ve followed Flex in the off-season, he\u2019s a giant. And not a blob of a giant. I\u2019m talking a massive man with mounds of impressive muscle. It\u2019s clear that Flex feels right at home, and his body is responding nicely to the training and additional mass. However, I\u2019m not sure if the Olympia should be his first show.<\/p>\n Now, for the million-dollar question\u2026 Should Flex Lewis have to qualify for the Men\u2019s Open Olympia? Dan Solomon, please don\u2019t shoot me, but I don\u2019t think he should get another special invitation.<\/p>\n While I hate to compare Flex with Kai, we\u2019ve been hearing about a comeback for years now and have yet to see Flex on an Open stage. There are professional bodybuilders on both sides of the debate who have chimed in with whether or not they believe it\u2019s fair to allow him to hop into the Men\u2019s Open Olympia without having to qualify, just like everyone else. <\/p>\n When you look back in history, there have been top bodybuilders who never won a show for the year nor qualified for the Olympia and therefore had to sit out. Should they have been given a special invite just because of their name? Some may argue that the answer is yes, others no.<\/p>\n Again, I\u2019m a huge Flex Lewis fan and feel he\u2019s everything good in the sport of bodybuilding, but I don\u2019t believe he deserves a special invite (again). In my opinion, and at this stage, I think he should have to qualify.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nFlex Lewis Has Accomplished Almost Everything in Bodybuilding<\/h4>\n
Should Flex Have to Qualify?<\/h4>\n