{"id":32705,"date":"2026-10-27T20:55:42","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T20:55:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldbodybuildingnews.com\/?p=32705"},"modified":"2026-10-27T20:55:42","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T20:55:42","slug":"shawn-ray-shocks-everyone-lunsford-isnt-cut-out-for-the-title","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldbodybuildingnews.com\/?p=32705","title":{"rendered":"Shawn Ray shocks everyone: Lunsford isnt cut out for the title!"},"content":{"rendered":"


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While most fans and experts assume that this year\u2019s battle for the Sandow Trophy will boil down to a showdown between defending champion Derek Lunsford and the massive Nick Walker, veteran Shawn Ray strongly disagrees with this scenario. In his recent assessment from mid-September, he described this year\u2019s field of competitors as \u201ccompletely wide open\u201d and added a prediction that\u2019s sure to give fans of both favorites goosebumps.<\/p>\n

Ray simply isn\u2019t afraid to go against the grain. In his view, entirely different names could be standing on the podium in Las Vegas this year.<\/p>\n

Lunsford Has Reached His Limit<\/h2>\n

The most controversial part of Ray\u2019s statement was directed at defending champion Derek Lunsford. Ray believes that Lunsford\u2019s potential for gaining mass has been definitively exhausted and that any further attempt to bulk up will only harm him.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI think Derek is already absolutely at his maximum. He can\u2019t do anything more with his frame,\u201d<\/i> <\/strong>Raystated <\/strong>uncompromisingly. \u201cIf I were in his shoes, I\u2019d focus exclusively on fine-tuning my form and conditioning. In fact, I\u2019d step on stage even lighter. If he tries to gain even two kilos this year, he\u2019s done for. He\u2019ll just end up looking like a box.\u201d<\/i><\/strong><\/small><\/p>\n

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Ray advised Lunsford to take inspiration from the legendary Ronnie Coleman at the 2001 Arnold Classic, when he competed at a significantly lower weight but with an absolutely brutal, razor-sharp physique and a defined waist.<\/p>\n

\"Derek<\/p>\n

So who will dominate the stage?<\/h2>\n

While Walker and Lunsford (and, according to him, the excellent Martin Fitzwater) could easily end up outside the top two this year, Ray favors the massive, tall competitors.<\/p>\n

In his words, this year\u2019s competition<\/b> is \u201cone that only Andrew Jacked can lose.\u201d<\/b> Ray suggested that if giants like Andrew Jacked and Samson Dauda were to face off for the top two spots, the judges would hardly be able to place a \u201cshorter\u201d competitor like Lunsford between them. He believes that a situation similar to 1997 could return, when the stage was dominated exclusively by the tallest competitors.<\/p>\n

Four-time champion Jay Cutler, on the other hand, doesn\u2019t quite agree with this prediction; he continues to believe that Nick Walker has everything it takes to win the coveted title. We\u2019ll see how this mystery plays out September 24\u201327!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Extreme definition requires the best tools<\/h2>\n

As Shawn Ray pointed out, at the very end, it\u2019s no longer about gaining more muscle mass, but about achieving absolute definition and the most \u201cpeeled\u201d look possible. Getting your body into a condition where the skin is as thin as paper and even the smallest details are visible puts an enormous strain on your body. Without a smart approach, you risk losing mass and appearing dull and flat on stage.<\/p>\n

For the final phase of fat burning, when the body is desperately clinging to every remaining calorie, it\u2019s smart to incorporate a powerful thermogenic fat burner<\/b><\/a>. Not only will it speed up your metabolism, but it will also provide the missing energy when you\u2019re running on fumes. To ensure not a single drop of water remains under the skin\u2014which would obscure muscle definition\u2014top athletes rely on natural diuretics<\/b><\/a> in the final days. And, of course, throughout the entire cutting phase, it\u2019s essential to consume the purest form of protein\u2014 100% whey protein isolate (WPI)<\/b><\/a>\u2014which ensures that, even with a massive calorie deficit, you won\u2019t lose the muscle mass you\u2019ve worked so hard to build.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t let the details ruin your form\u2014show off the results you\u2019ve worked so hard to achieve!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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