by Christian Duque
Rubiel Mosquera aka Neckzilla appears like one thing out of a comic book ebook and he’s lighting up the professional circuit not like something I’ve ever seen. Only a few weeks in the past this man wasn’t even a professional. Now he’s a professional and he’s made critical harm on the professional circuit. Only one look and also you’re left questioning the place his neck ends and the place it begins. Should you cherished the freaks, then you definately’re going to like this man. He’s a throwback to guys like Markus Ruhl and Paul Dillett, however along with his stage of conditioning, he can stand with the perfect of the perfect.
Not solely has this Columbian phenom pushed the mesomorph card to absolutely the restrict he’s getting in contrast with the likes of Samson Dauda! That’s fairly insane contemplating the ink on this man’s professional card hasn’t even dried but and he’s being included in the identical dialog as a defending Arnold Basic champion and a Prime 3 Olympian. And it’s not a fantasy comparability or a subject to go the time amongst muscleheads on a message board, both. These guys truly went toe to toe in open competitors. Furthermore, Dauda didn’t precisely greatest the rising star, and that too has been grounds for some fairly energetic discussions.
It is vitally very uncommon for an novice competitor to show skilled after which flip round and accomplish that properly at a professional competitors like we simply have seen with Neckzilla. The truth that only one present into his professional profession he already has a particular nickname and this quantity of buzz makes it as to the place any promoter goes to wish to have him of their lineup.
On the finish of the day we can’t ignore the ten,000 lb elephant within the room. It is vitally necessary to promote tickets on the door and to promote pay-per-view packages. These days it appears everybody needs world class productions for buy on-line however only a few promoters are seeing the numbers to justify the funding. Furthermore at a time when many companies are submitting for chapter safety it’s changing into more and more tough for contests to promote sales space house. Corporations don’t wish to take a shower and lose out on the chance to maneuver merchandise when there are merely only a few members of the viewers accessible to buy something. Competitions have to suppose exterior of the field they usually want opponents whose very presence goes to herald the followers. Extra followers means extra cubicles they’ll promote and which means more cash they’ll hold on the finish of the night time. In any case, contest promotion may be very a lot a enterprise primarily and a pastime secondarily. You’ll be able to’t pay the payments with ardour, however you possibly can pay the payments with cash.
The underside line is that Neckzilla is already changing into a drive to be reckoned with. Numerous opponents have gotten very uneasy at the truth that he’s incomes so many accolades and profitable over so many followers with little or no time within the sport.
Now right here’s the massive query and that’s – will he be capable of do what he did at his professional debut at a number of the greater competitions? Would it not be justified for him to get an Arnold Basic invitation when he’s barely been a professional for simply a few months?
I’ve to be sincere with you, the invitational committee has to consider the {dollars} and cents concerned in placing on a contest whose prize cash final yr was $300,000 and which subsequent yr could also be equal to that or much more. The one factor they by no means wish to expertise once more in Columbus Ohio is that the second largest bodybuilding present solely has six opponents. The present that’s second solely to the Olympia and it virtually didn’t occur in 2023. They should actually carry it in 2024 to have the ability to rival a contest often called the Tremendous Bowl of Bodybuilding.
There have been years the place the occasion in Columbus was as large because the occasion in Vegas. Final yr in fact was not considered one of them. Might we see Neckzilla on the 2024 Arnold Basic? Solely Time Will Inform.
I’ll let you know I’d not be shocked to see his identify on the invite checklist regardless that many veteran opponents can be up in arms that he can be given this monumental present so early on.
Other people are speaking about whether or not or not we’ll see Neckzilla on the 2024 Mr Olympia? Might he qualify? And if he certified the place would he place?
The actual fact of the matter is he’s changing into a fan favourite in a short time and he may doubtlessly win the individuals’s award subsequent yr in Las Vegas. If we see Mosquera battling with the most important guys within the sport on the most important stage – all bets are off. Think about seeing Neckzilla battling it out with a revamped Massive Ramy, a revamped Nick Walker, and guys like Hadi and Derek. That might be the sort of showdown that each fan of mass monsters and genetic freaks would kill to see. Even when Neckzilla didn’t win, if he was not less than within the dialog, that may be blockbuster!! Gangbusters!! It will be the most important bodybuilding present that you might ever think about! I don’t even know find out how to describe it!
I imply it’s important to understand that though the game of bodybuilding relies on aesthetics and symmetry most followers may care much less about all that. They don’t wish to see little frail bodybuilders with lovely muscle bellies. They wish to see veins, slabs on slabs of muscle, and guys that look as cartoonish as doable. They could not have lovely physiques however who cares about that to on a regular basis followers?!?! They wish to see the wow issue. They don’t care if bodybuilding doesn’t grow to be a mainstream sport. They’re not right here to develop the game or see it within the Olympics. They know that the freaks use gear they usually know that a number of the freaks are actually human pincushions. They may care much less about that. They need the freak issue and Neckzilla delivers on that 110%.
The massive query is just not going to be whether or not or not Neckzilla will be capable of rise to the highest of the game relatively the query might be how lengthy will it take? When you’ve got a bodybuilder that’s significantly dedicated and listens to the judges, that bodybuilder can go all the best way to the highest.
Furthermore, Columbia is a hotbed for the game as is Brazil, Europe and Asia. Although bodybuilding appears to be centered in the USA, I’d argue that the game is way extra well-liked all over the world than it’s right here. The identical approach that Massive Ramy and Hadi set the Arab world on fireplace once they received the Olympia, I think that Mosquera would do the identical for Latin America.
Now we have by no means seen a Latin American champion. There have been some fairly shut calls with Victor Martinez and Gustavo Badell, however there has by no means truly been a Spanish-speaking Mr Olympia – not less than not because the late nice Sergio Oliva again within the late Sixties. That was 50+ Years In the past!! This might be an absolute bonanza for each nation from Mexico to Chile and Argentina all the best way over to Spain. The game would come alive if it had a Latin American as Mr Olympia.
Now in fact that is extraordinarily untimely as a result of we’re speaking a few man who actually simply acquired his professional card lower than a month in the past however nonetheless the probabilities round this one specific competitor are mainly limitless.
As somebody that loves media and loves advertising I can let you know I can consider any variety of campaigns centered round Neckzilla. That is nice for the game by way of growing an actual buzz that may be sustained not only for a number of weeks and even a few months however for years to come back. This man might be the subsequent Markus Ruhl or he might be the subsequent Dorian Yates or Ronnie Coleman. Once more we’re not simply speaking a few man with slabs of muscle; Mosquera has some form, he does have some symmetry and he has conditioning on his facet. Nevertheless, the neck appears fairly gnarly and I don’t know if that’s going to throw a monkey wrench into his Olympia aspirations. Nonetheless so long as he’s this well-liked and this dedicated and pushed the sky’s the restrict for him.
How far do you see Neckzilla going? Do you suppose loads of that is untimely hype or do you suppose this specific competitor warrants the entire consideration?
Solely time will inform what he does on the professional circuit however from what I’ve seen so far loads of guys must be completely mortified to share a stage with Neckzilla!
