-- Make your top 4 in Rio prediction here --
Join in another round of the 2014 RX “Season of the Experts” and see what our panel of bodybuilding experts has to say about 10 of the upcoming IFBB-pro shows and the competitor’s abilities to place in on the top 10-list.
The panel will analyze and judge the competitors physiques and make a prediction where they think the athletes will place among a group of 10. The experts will compete against each other and will have their own scorecard. After the show they will win points for every correct answer and this will be registered and counted together.
Between the shows we will see how the experts stand in their point rankings and hopefully at the end of 2014 we will have our own "Season of the Expert’s winner.
May the best man win!
Palumbo’s Picks
1.William Bonak
Has proven that he’s a force to be reckoned with after placing 
2nd (behind Shawn Rhoden) at the IFBB Australian Grand Prix this past March. He’s got oodles of mass and his structure and muscle tie-ins are reminiscent of Kai Greene. While he’s a little on the short side, I think he’ll match up very well with Jon Delarosa, and, in my opinion, he’ll have just enough freaky factor to push him to the front of the pack.
2.Jon Delarosa
impressed the heck out of me (and everyone else in attendance) at the IFBB Orlando Europa Show of Champions where he placed a solid 2nd behind winner Justin Compton. I’ve seen recent photos of Delarosa and he’s even freakier looking than he was 2 weeks ago. He’s fuller and nasty hard; and with Chris Aceto helping him, this will be his best showing yet. If Bonac is off his peak (even in the slightest), Delarosa will go home the champ.
3.Juan Morel
He impressed the bodybuilding world in 2013 with a strong 3rd place finish behind Big Rami and Victor Martinez at the New York Pro. Then he challenged Evan Centopani at the IFBB Tampa Pro where he had to settle for 2nd. But Morel’s strongest attribute is his consistency and ability to make dramatic improvements from year to year. If Morel comes in 5-6lbs bigger (with the same conditioning as last year), we’re gonna see a very competitive Arnold Brazil. Can Morel take out Bonak and Delarosa? Absolutely! Will he do it in Rio this coming Saturday? I feel his legs might still be his weak link and going up against shorter guys with massive quads, Morel is gonna have his hands full.
4.Steve Kuclo
He took out a shredded and massive Essa Obiad at last year’s IFBB Dallas Europa Super Show to earn his first pro victory. While Kuclo has a great look, super wide structure, and great stage charisma, he’s got noticeable “holes” in his physique. He still has yet to display the grainy hard conditioning of a Morel or Centopani and that seems to be his greatest vulnerability in competition. I think Kuclo will up his game in Brazil and I expect him to be very competitive in this lineup. If Morel comes in a little off his game, look for Kuclo to snag that 3rd place position.
5.Lionel Beyeke
Did compete 7 times in 2013 and I’m sure that took a huge toll on his body. Wisely, he skipped the early shows in 2014 and I have a feeling that’s gonna work to his advantage. Beyeke’s structure and shape is so gifted that even when he’s at his worse, he’s still no worse than top 10. When he’s at his best, he’s virtually unbeatable. Unfortunately for Beyeke, we’ve never seen him nail his peak. If he’s 100% in Brazil, we may have a new champion. More than likely, he’ll be around 90-95% and that should easily be good enough for a top 5 finish.
6.Fred Smalls
7.Toney Freeman
8.Ed Nunn
9. Marius Dohne
10.Baito Abbaspour
-- Make your top 4 in Rio prediction here --
Aceto’s Picks
1. Jon Delarosa
Jon is coming off a very strong finish at the Europa against Justin Compton whom, I feel if he 
were here, would easily win this show. I think Delarosa is now too round for some of the guys. His quarter turns will beat all these guys and he can hang or win every shot minus the most muscular.
2. Juan Morel
Juan has height width and detail. I just think he will end up looking too tall for Delarosa. Juan doesn't have the quads or delts and arms that Compton has so I am guessing here that in comparisons to Jon. Jon will get by him
3. William Bonac
If I put Delarosa's in first I have to put Bonac in second or third Why? He's great. Superb muscle density may allow him to get by even Delarosa. That said, I think Jon " opens up" more in the front and back shots. Bonac's pure "Bertil Fox" on a small frame look will get him in the first call.
4. Lionel Beyeke
Beyeke hard as nails wins. Off a bit he slides. He's hard but not hard like the three I think will come in above him. When he comes out on stage in prejudging I am sure I will think he will win due to the shape and mass but as you quarter turn him, hes just not as good as we think.
5. Steve Kuclo
He Should be in good condition. Juan Morel and Jon will expose his lack of back detail and back thickness and Bonac will out freakazise him. Still has a young looking body though made a great showing last year in Texas
-- Make your top 4 in Rio prediction here --
Hansen’s Picks
1. Steve Kuclo
Kuclo has everything it takes to be a top contender - structure, size, shape, height and proportions. He is young with a good frame and oodles of potential. Even when he was slightly off last year at the Dallas Europa show, he still beat a harder Essa Obiad. If he added some good quality size in the off season and he shows up ripped and full, he can come out ahead in this very tough line-up. A win here will put him as a potential top six Olympia competitor and he can definitely do it. It all depends on the package he brings onstage.
2. William Bonec
Bonec is the surprise bodybuilder of the year after his strong second place finish to Shawn Roden at the Australia Grand Prix. His combination of thickness and conditioning will be too much for the rest of the competitors to overcome. His only shortcoming is his height and slightly narrow shoulders and this could prove his undoing next to Kuclo. However, he should still be a very strong second place if he comes in the same condition as the Australia show.
3. Jonathan De LaRosa
De la Rosa made great improvements over the off season also and he was markedly improved at the Orlando Europa. He should be even sharper here and he could possibly place even further up the ladder. I think the height and proportions of Kuclo and the incredible thickness of Bonec will be too much for him but he should be no lower than third place.
4. Juan Morel
Morel is another genetically gifted bodybuilder with the height and muscle mass to place at the very top. He is still growing and his super fast metabolism requires lots of calories and heavy training to add the muscle mass he needs to keep moving up. He potentially could win this show but his recent guest posing pictures one week out from this contest show him a little off condition so I’m predicting a placing out of the top three. Perhaps he can shed the water and come in ripped and full but this might be a tall order considering the long flight to Brazil and the adjustments that need to be made in such a short time period.
5. Lionel Beyenke
Another potential winner is Beyenke who showed great improvements last year after working with Dennis James for a few months at the end of the contest season. At the 2013 Olympia, Lionel could have placed much higher due to his excellent conditioning and full muscle bellies. As he has gotten leaner, he seems to have lost that crazy muscle fullness and size he presented before when he was too smooth. He will not be one of the bigger guys but he should definitely be in the top five and could move up in the placings depending on the conditioning he displays and how full and impressive he looks.
6. Toney Freeman
Although Freeman looked much smaller and “older” at the Olympia last year, recent online pics show a full and hard Toney getting ready to compete in Brazil. I’m going to go out on a limb and predict a high placing for Freeman although he looked like a shadow of his former self last year.
7. Fred Smalls
Fred looked great taking third at the Orlando Europa but he will be facing much 
tougher competition at this show. With his great posing ability, he will be the star of the show again and his improved muscle mass and balance should place him just out of the top five if he can come in even harder than he was in Orlando.
8. Baito Abbaspour
Analysis: Abbaspour is a freak who beat out Beyenke last year at the Nordic Pro. He has outstanding leg development and a very good upper body. He could easily sneak into the top five in this line-up if one of the competitors listed above misses his peak. He is not as well known as the American bodybuilders and this could hurt him but he also has the potential to do much better because he has an outstanding physique.
9. Ed Nunn
Analysis: Ed has excellent shape with a tiny waist and big arms and flaring quads. He is often overlooked and could place even higher but he needs more mass and size in his torso to compete with the top guys. If he nails his condition and comes in both ripped and full, he should easily make the top ten.
10. Robert Piotrkowicz
Analysis: Robert doesn’t have the greatest shape (too blocky) but he can usually be relied on to show up in very good condition and his thick and ripped muscle mass should make him good enough to make the top 10.
-- Make your top 4 in Rio prediction here --
