Who is bodybuilder Victor Martinez?

VICTOR Martinez is a retired professional bodybuilder with a series of champion titles under his belt.

Here's everything you need to know about the 2007 Arnold Classic winner.

Who is bodybuilder Victor Martinez?

Victor Martinez, 50, is a legendary face in the bodybuilding world.

Born on July 29, 1973, in San Francisco de Macoris, Dominican Republic, the retired athlete has continued to stun the world with his incredible physique.

Martinez competed for the International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB) and went on to become the second Dominican bodybuilder to turn professional.

The bodybuilder won the Arnold Classic in 2007 - a highlight of his long and successful career in the sport.

In January 2008, Martínez underwent surgery to repair his left patellar tendon which ruptured while he was performing warm-up lunges.

Due to the severity of the injury, he was unable to compete in either the 2008 Arnold Classic or 2008 Mr Olympia contests.

After almost a year away from training and competition, Martinez came back strong and resumed training with his old friend and strength and condition coach Jakob Panotas.

Martinez was left devastated in 2009 when his sister, Eridania Rodríguez, disappeared from work at a New York skyscraper under mysterious circumstances.

Her body was found four days later inside a ventilation shaft on the floor where she was working.

Joseph Pabon, a handyman working in the building, was convicted of her murder on April 2, 2012.

In 2018, Víctor Martínez collaborated with the NPC Northeast Ametuer division to create the Víctor Martínez Legends championship.

Martínez was co-owner of the Muscle Maker Grill in Edgewater NJ and is the spokesperson for the franchise as a whole.

The pro bodybuilder has two sons, Justin and Jared, and four daughters, Victoria, Zayde, Vivian, and Zoe.

He currently resides in Edgewater, New Jersey.

When did Victor Martinez start bodybuilding?

Martinez's successful career in bodybuilding was launched when he competed in the 1997 National Physique Committee (NPC) New York Metro Championships as a light heavyweight.

He was 24 years old and placed first.

He continued competing in NPC tournaments until 2001 when he competed in his first IFBB tournament, the Night of Champions, where he placed eighth.

Martinez retired from bodybuilding at age 47, after just over two decades in the extreme sport.

Has Victor Martinez competed at Mr Olympia?

His first Mr Olympia came in 2004, where he placed ninth.

But the next year he upped his game and reached fifth place.

In 2006 he came third, and in 2007 he placed second.

 In 2005 Ronnie Coleman predicted that Martínez would be his successor as Mr Olympia, but this position was ultimately held by Jay Cutler in 2006 and 2007, then Dexter Jackson in 2008.

Martinez placed sixth in the 2009 Mr Olympia, eighth in 2010, fourth in 2011, eleventh in 2013, eighth in 2014, ninth in 2015, and eleventh in 2016.