Big Ramy: Inside the life of bodybuilder Mamdouh Elssbiay

AS ONE of the world's top bodybuilders, Big Ramy has been wowing fans for years.

The larger than life athlete has risen to the top of his sport, but shocked fans when it was revealed he wouldn't be competing at Mr Olympia 2024.

Born in Egypt on September 16, 1984, into a family of fishermen, Big Ramy - real name Mamdouh Mohammed Hassan Elssbiay - worked that trade until he arrived in Kuwait with his brothers.

In between fishing runs, he would hit the gym to stay in shape.

In 2009 at the age of 25, Ramy began to seriously pursue bodybuilding and built his hulking physique.

Although it was a late start, he remarkably morphed into one of the world’s best bodybuilders three years later.

Ramy has continued to go from strength to strength,, picking up world titles and millions of fans along the way.

Becoming Big Ramy

Dennis James, a former pro bodybuilder who previously coached Big Ramy, gave a glimpse into his strict routine.

He told The Barbell magazine: “A typical day for Ramy is that he wakes up, goes downstairs and does cardio, showers, then he works the pro shop for about 10 hours a day, trains that night, and then goes to sleep."

Since his rise to fame, he has graced some of the biggest bodybuilding magazines and is one of the most talked about individuals in the game.

He also endorses several brands and companies such as protein shakes and other supplements.

German American Technologies signed the star in 2013 and he is supported by KO Squad.

Ramy has a huge Instagram following on his popular handle @big_ramy, where he boasts over 5million fans.

Egyptian roots

The bodybuilder was born near Baltim City in northern Egypt, but later moved to Kuwait.

It was in Kuwait that he joined the world-famous Oxygen gym, where Ramy met his mentor Bader Boodai.

After dedicating his life to bodybuilding in exchange for a job at the gym, he became a world champion within a matter of years.

Ramy weighs in

At his biggest in the "off-season" - the period of time bodybuilders bulk-up to gain extra muscle - Big Ramy tips the scales at a colossal 330lbs.

Trimming down to a lean 295lbs when he competes, the Egyptian is almost always the biggest bodybuilder on stage.

Amazingly, when he first started training in Oxygen gym in 2010 he weighed just 200lbs.

But the champion's incredible genetics were on show for all to see, as he ballooned up to a huge 280lbs within a year.

Winning Mr Olympia

The Mr Olympia competition is the Super Bowl of bodybuilding, and has built the legacy of famous bodybuilders including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronnie Coleman.

After a number of years with disappointing finishes, Big Ramy finally became the best in the world in 2020.

He repeated his win in 2021, but was defeated the following year by Hadi Choopan.

After missing out on the 2022 title, he posted a long video on Instagram, in which he spoke about the results and his future plans.

In the clip, he said: "I promise you guys I will do my best to get back again stronger than ever. 

"I don't promise to win or to lose, I respect other people. But I will say I will do my best like I have done my whole life to be number one again."

However, he hasn't returned to the competition since, as he didn't compete in 2023.

This was then followed a year later, when Olympia President Dan Solomon said that Big Ramy would not be taking part in Mr Olympia 2024.

He didn't give a reason, nor has the bodybuilder explained his absence