Less than three weeks out from his highly anticipated return to the Men’s Physique stage, former four time Olympia champion Jeremy Buendia looks like he’s ready to do battle for, what could be, the biggest comeback story in the history of the division. On Wednesday Buendia fired off a warning shot on Instagram when he posted this video of himself hitting a few mandatory poses in the gym after a recent training session, showcasing the small waist and round muscle bellies that made him the most dominant force in the division during his historic title run.
After years of on again off again attempts to reinsert himself back into Men’s Physique equation, Buendia’s latest attempt at a title run, which would notch him his fifth Olympia championship, securing his place as the most decorated athlete in the history of the division, might not have come at a better time.
Heading into the season it seemed as if current two time Olympia, and two time Arnold Classic winner, Erin Banks, was poised to continue his meteoric ascent into the record books, riding a win streak that dated back to March 2022, when he won his first Arnold Classic title less than twelve weeks removed from an electric runner up finish at the 2021 Olympia, where he fell just short on the scorecards to eventual champion Brandon Hendrickson.
However, Banks’ reign of dominance ended abruptly a few weeks ago when he was forced to settle for second place at the Legion Sports Festival to winner Kyron Holden, creating a wave of uncertainty about his ability to successfully defend his title for the second year in a row at this year’s Olympia.
Despite his absence from the competitive scene for the last five years, Buendia, 32, could be poised to take full advantage of the newfound uncertainty at the top of the division if he’s able to regain his championship form and capture his fifth title in a division that barely resembles the one he left behind when he announced his retirement from competitive bodybuilding a half-decade ago.
