Mamdouh Elssbiay, also famous as Big Ramy, is an Egyptian IFBB professional bodybuilder. He is the winner of the 2020 and 2021 Mr. Olympia.
This makes him the second Arabian Mr. Olympia competitor and the first non-American to win Mr. Olympia since 1997.
Moreover, Mamdouh is famous for the nickname “Big Ramy” in the bodybuilding world. Happiness spread throughout Mamdouh’s hometown Al-Sebea, Burullus, Kafr El-Sheikh governorate following his win.
Besides Mr. Olmpia, he has won several international competitions, including the New York Pro and Arnold Classic Europe.
Hence, Big Ramy will be remembered as one of the great bodybuilders alongside legends like Jay Cutler and Phil Heath.
This article will discuss Mamdouh Elssbiay’s early life, career, family, controversy, net worth, and other lesser-known facts.
But first, let us look at some facts about Mamdouh.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Mamdouh Elseebiay |
| Date of Birth | September 16, 1984 |
| Birth Place | Al-Seba, Kafr El Sheikh, Egypt |
| Nick Name | Big Ramy |
| Religion | Unknown |
| Nationality | Egyptian |
| Ethnicity | Arab |
| Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
| Age | 39 |
| Height | 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) |
| Weight | 140 kg (off-season), 134kg (competition) |
| Hair | Bald |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Build | Muscular |
| Parents | Unknown |
| Education | Unknown |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Unknown |
| Kids | Two |
| Profession | Professional Bodybuilder |
| Best Win | 2020 and 2021 Mr. Olympia Winner |
| Active Since | 2010 |
| Pro Debut | 2012 Olympia Amateur |
| Net Worth | $10 million |
| Merch | Single Issue Magazine |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Last Update | April, 2024 |
Mamdouh Elssbiay: Early Life & Family
Mamdouh was born in Al-Sebea, Kafr El Sheikh, Egypt, on September 16, 1984.
His father worked as a fisherman, and the family was involved in the fishing business. Mamdouh, alongside his five brothers, used to help their father in the business.
Elssbiay started bodybuilding in high school. At the same time, he was working as a fisherman in Lake Burullus and the Mediterranean.
After graduation, Big Ramy traveled to Kuwait to work in the fish market. But due to his athletic build, he had an opportunity to work as a coach in a gym.
Mamdouh got further opportunities to participate in many regional competitions. He won many of those events and eventually, in 2013, qualified to compete in Mr. Olympia.
He was placed seventh in the competition. After the 2013 Mr. Olympia competition Ramy received many offers to represent countries other than Egypt.
But he refused all offers and insisted on representing his homeland Egypt.
Mamdouh is a private person, and he has always kept his personal life away from the limelight.
Furthermore, there is no information regarding his love life and relationships.
Some online sources have claimed that Elssbiay is married and the father of three daughters. But, unfortunately, we couldn’t find any facts concerning his wife and children.
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Mamdouh Elssbiay: Age, Height & Weight
Big Ramy is 39 years old as of now. His zodiac sign is Virgo.
Moreover, the two-times Mr. Olympia winner stands 5 feet 10 inches tall.
To talk about Elssbiay’s weight, varies from 296 pounds to 310 pounds during off-seasons and competitions.
Mamdouh Elssbiay: Career
Elssbiay commenced his professional bodybuilding career in Kuwait in 2010. He joined Oxygen Gym of Kuwait and gained nearly 200 pounds in one year.
At the 2012 Amateur Olympia in Kuwait, Elssbiay won the overall title just three years after initiating his training. His weight was 286 pounds in the competition.
Later, Mamdouh made his IFFB Pro debut in 2013 and won the New York Pro.
Similarly, he won the 2018 People’s Champ Award due to votes from fans worldwide.
In the 2020 Arnold Classic, he finished in the third position. The same year Big Ramy earned his first Mr. Olympia title.
2021 Mr. Olympia
In 2021 Mr. Olympia, Elssbiay’s weight was 305 pounds before prejudging. Thus, the bulky size and body symmetry were already a plus point.
However, Mr. Olympia’s tournaments are always unpredictable, and there is always an edge while defending champions. That’s why many winners keep repeating.
Since 1965 Mr. Olympia’s titles have been won by only 16 different bodybuilders.
The 2021 Mr. Olympia was held with a live crowd of attendants in Florida.
On October 8, 2021, Olympia newcomers Nick Walker and Hunter Labrada showcased bodies in a competitive prejudging round alongside Brandon Curry and Mamdouh Elssbiay.
The final round competition was between Curry and Elssbiay. Both champions were hanging there to take the most prestigious title to their home.
Eventually, the title went to Mamdouh. However, his family and friends feared that the judges might be biased toward American contestants.
But Big Ramy’s stood more distinguished and eventually won the title.
Celebration Time
Many of Mamdouh’s hometown residents in Egypt celebrated the significant achievement with joy. They even organized a big celebration to celebrate the world champion’s win.
Big Ramy’s siblings mentioned that the key to the hero’s achievements is his mother’s prayers.
Similarly, Elssbiay is also aware that his mother, family, and village people have contributed significantly to what he has achieved.
The crowning of the Egyptian champion with the Mr. Olympia title comes from immense support from the Egyptians.
Ashraf Sobhi, Egyptian Youth and Sports Minister, promised to honor Mamdouh. Later, the committee organized a worthy ceremony for the title and name and honoring the Egyptian flag.
Mamdouh Elssbiay: Achievements
Some of his major professional wins and achievements are;
-
- Winner of the 2012 Kuwait Golden Cup
- Rank 8 in 2013 Mr. Olympia
- Winner of the 2014 New York Pro Championship
- Fifth place in 2015 Mr. Olympia
- Second place in the 2015 EVLS Prague Pro
- Fourth place in 2016 Mr. Olympia
- First, in 2016 IFBB Kuwait Pro
- Second place in the 2016 EVLS-Prague Pro
- First place in the 2017 Arnold Classic Europe-IFBB
- Sixth place in 2018 Mr. Olympia
- First place in 2020 Mr. Olympia
- First Place in 2021 Mr. Olympia
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Mamdouh, Trapped in a Controversy
Big Ramy was surrounded by controversy regarding PED consumption allegations not too long ago.
And it is believed that one of his former trainers had leaked Elssbiay’s steroid cycles when he was bulking up and training at the Oxygen Gym to prepare for the competitions.
The 5 feet 10 inches bodybuilder increased his weight from 180 pounds to 280 pounds in a span of two years. To come out that huge and bulky was unimaginable.
Moreover, these are all rumors, and nothing has been proven yet. But some sources still believe that Big Ramy’s sudden transformation was unusual, and he indeed had taken steroids.
Similarly, people also think Mamdouh is not just bulky but unnaturally huge, whereas it is a fact that Mamdouh possesses a growth gut.
Mamdouh Elssbiay: Marriage and Kids
Well, nothing much could be gathered about his past affairs and relationships. But we got something to inform you.
Mamdouh is a married man and has two kids. He tied the knot after having an affair for many years. The ceremony was conducted in the middle of very few close ones and relatives. His family lives in Kuwait as of now.
Mamdouh Elssbiay: Net Worth
As a bodybuilder, Mamdouh’s talent and hard work have earned him a lot of money and fame. Hence, he is on the Top 20 Richest Bodybuilders list as per wiki.ng.com.
As of 2022, Mamdouh Elssbiay’s net worth is around $10 million.
He accumulated a remarkable fortune altogether as a professional trainer, fitness trainer, entrepreneur, and Mr. Olmpia winner.
Elssbiay also received a significant payoff of $400,000 after winning Arnold Classic. In addition, his bodybuilding career netted him millions of dollars.
He is also the brand ambassador of different protein syrups and supplements.
Mamdouh Elssbiay: Workout Routine & Diet Plan
Likewise, Big Ramy is engaged in intense workout training and a balanced diet plan for an extended period to achieve an ideal body.
He has been putting tons of effort into the workout to get that championship with the help of trainer Ahmad Alawi.
Generally, he works on legs, chest, arms, and back workouts to develop well-defined muscles.
Besides his five-day-long workout plan is Chest day, Leg day, Delt day, Back day, and Arms day.
In this way, he works on each body part at a time, which results in an incredible physique.
Diet & Nurture
A proper diet is as important as exercise to get perfect results. Thus, his diet plan consists of calories and macronutrients such as carbohydrates, protein, and fiber.
In order to maintain a proper physique, Mamdouh needs to eat a lot of food throughout the day.
In a day, the Egyptian bodybuilder consumes eight meals. His meals are egg whites, rice, chicken breast, sweet potato, protein shake, salmon, etc.
He then cuts down before the competition to get as lean as possible.
Besides exercise and meals, Mamdouh takes requirable supplements, and protein shakes.
Social Media Presence
Mamdouh is active on social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter.
On Instagram, he has 3.8 million followers.
After crowing the title of Mr. Olympia for the second straight year, Mamdouh thanked his fans via Instagram. He wrote,
“(The trophy) is home, and it will remain here for a very long time. Thank you to all of my fans around the world. I made it because of your love and support.”
Team GAT pic.twitter.com/e2lNjGTpSC
— Mamdouh Elssbiay (@O2BigRamy) September 15, 2013
Similarly, Big Ramy has over 9.6k followers on Twitter. But, he has not been that active on Twitter since 2014.
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Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
Why did not Mamdouh Elssbiay participate in the 2020 Europa Pro Building Championships?
Mamdouh tested positive for Covid-19 in October 2020, which prevented him from participating in the competition.
Is Mamdouh Elssbiay an Actor Also?
Recently Elssbiay played the role of bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie named “BIGGER.”
In short, the movie is about the founders of the Mr. Olympia Tournament.
Similarly, he has been featured in Hamlet Pheroun and Generation Iron 2.
What are Mamdouh’s “Big Ramy” and Elssbiay’s famous quotes?
Following are some of the famous Big Ramy’s quotes;
“Other people’s opinion of you does not have to become your reality. Just don’t listen.”
“You have to be strong and courageous and know that you can do anything you put your mind to.”
Why is Mamdouh Elssbiay Called Big Ramy?
Elssbiay is Egyptian Arabic, and the meaning of Ramy in Arabic is “loving.”
Moreover, People might call him Big Ramy because of his loving personality but hulky physique.
