Legendary bodybuilder-turned-actor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has millions of fans across the globe. Many would cherish the opportunity for a conversation with him. Even Mamdouh Mohammed Hassan Elssbiay, a.k.a. Big Ramy, the two-time Mr. Olympia, is overjoyed to have caught this legend’s attention. It seemed like the two had a subtle exchange at the 2023 Arnold Classic stage. It was more gestural than a mere exchange of words. Following the incident, Big Ramy uploaded a video to Instagram that captured the moment.

2022 did not end well for Big Ramy as he lost the Mr. Olympia crown, but so far, it appears that his 2023 is off to a strong start. His physique from the Classic appears to be in contest-winning shape right now. The Austrian’s gestures served as a validation of such claims at times when many in the bodybuilding community are second-guessing Big Ramy’s dominance to have reached a career cul-de-sac.

Big Ramy’s solo appearance made the legend smile and take a stand to record the former’s moments on stage

After 2020, Big Ramy skipped the Arnold Classic for two consecutive years to focus on Mr. Olympia. While he won the Olympia title in 2020 and 2021, he had an unexpected turn of events in 2022. Ramy was hyped to hit the hat trick, but the 295-lb bodybuilder came in 5th. To get back in the game again, Big Ramy is back at the Arnold Classic this year. During his solo performance at the Classic, Mamdouh Elssbiay was able to make the Austrian smile.

When Big Ramy was on the stage flexing his body for the judges and audience, Schwarzenegger stood at the bottom recording the moments on a phone. While recording Ramy, Schwarzenegger couldn’t help but pull off a little smile on his face. Someone in the audience caught this on camera. Sharing that clip on his Instagram, Big Ramy wrote, “Glad to draw a smile on the legend’s face @schwarzenegger.”

As Big Ramy flexed his physique on the Arnold Classic’s stage, netizens took notice of Ramy’s ribbed form. While the loss at the Mr. Olympia last year gave rise to debates circling around his retirement, his recent form at the Classic is enough to put an end to the debates.

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Big Ramy slayed all speculations that were concocting his retirement plans

Big Ramy’s loss at the 2022 Mr. Olympia opened the gates for many debates in the bodybuilding world. Experts were busy analyzing what went wrong for the reigning winner to miss the title by not just one but four spots. Many believed that he could not retain his conditioning. However, bodybuilding veteran Jay Cutler has always believed Ramy has the potential to find his way back to the top.

But the founder of the popular Generation Iron podcast feels that the 2023 Arnold Classic is Ramy’s last chance. Ehsan Farahi believes that if Ramy loses at the Classic, he should quit soon after. Farahi reasoned that if Mamdouh Elssbiay keeps losing one event after the other, then it’ll impact the name he has created for himself till now.

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However, ignoring the discouraging comments from the bodybuilding community, Big Ramy has chosen to focus on the positive elements. For now, he is satisfied with his performance and making the legend smile along the way.