by Christian Duque
When word got out that Mr. Olympia runner-up and Arnold Classic champion Kai Greene would be guest posing at the Sheru Classic in India it spread like wildfire through the most populous country in the world. Indian men from all over the country clamored and cheered as they would have the chance to see one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time posing in their country. The last few times Kai has toured the nation streets were shut down and screaming throngs of men of all ages lined the sidewalks and side streets cheering for The Predator.
The fans just can’t get enough of Greene. Many will wait patiently in line for photos, autographs, and/or to buy any and all merchandise the champ has for sale. And believe you me some of these hardcore diehards will spend any kind of money. If they can buy t-shirts, protein powders, books, DVD’s, they’ll buy anything and everything. Some of them may not necessarily have a lot of money but they will spend whatever they have because that’s how much they love Greene. Many of these hardcore fans were glued to their computers and phones all those years that Kai battled Phil. Those were some nail biter contests and even though Phil would always prevail, Greene would always push him to the limit. Phil knew all too well that if he rested on his laurel, Greene would be right there waiting to take the Sandow back to Brooklyn. And there were years that a lion’s share of the fans (including some judges) thought that Kai deserved the win. That may not amount to a hill of beans to some because at the end of the day he never got the O, but to others it means the world.
There are a great many bodybuilding fans who believe that Kai is an uncrowned Mr. Olympia. They believe he was a People’s Champion even before the award existed. Each time Kai was announced runner-up you’d hear a tremendous wave of boos from the audience. The people were pissed! They attributed Heath’s win to politics. Others thought it might have to do with the fact that Kai was so eccentric, from his stage antics to his outspoken nature in interviews. Many believed that The Predator was too much of a loose cannon and wouldn’t be as easy to work with as Ronnie, Jay, Dexter or Phil. They believed that the powers that be feared Kai – and maybe they did – but we’ll never know.
The bottom line is that people wanted Kai and those same people are a very loud crowd even today in 2023. Interestingly, many of the people who believed Kai was robbed happen to be outside the United States. Although Kai may not have a single Sandow, if you’d compare the response Kai gets in India versus the one Phil does and if you didn’t know anything about the sport, you’d think Kai was the Mr. O and Phil was the runner-up. If I’m lyin, I’m dyin.
Kai is like the second coming in India.
Kai would get a standing ovation and mass hysteria ensue just for making an appearance. This is the case in places like India, Pakistan, Dubai, and most of Europe. This is why his clothing sells like hotcakes, his books sell lightning fast, and his art is highly sought after. We’re not talking about 2010 or 2016, we’re talking 2023. Very much like Jay Cutler and Ronnie Coleman – and unlike Phil – Kai’s popularity has dramatically increased after leaving the stage. Phil is doing ok, as is Dexter, and many other top names who are either semi-retired or fully-retired. Please don’t misconstrue what I’m saying here. Nonetheless, Kai is getting more famous at a rate that’s comparable only to guys like Jay and Ronnie. That right there is extremely noteworthy and factual. That said, Kai did more than merely make an appearance this past week at the Sheru Classic.
When The Predator took the stage he looked almost identical to the way he looked at that 2016 Arnold Classic – the last contest he competed in before going into this unusual hiatus. It’s unusual because he’s maintained the same size he had when he was one of the top bodybuilders in the world. And it’s not just size. He’s kept the cuts and the separation. Greene still trains to look like a top level bodybuilder even though he no longer competes. He has not competed in nearly seven years.
Who keeps that amount of size and keeps a diet that clean just to do supplement shoots? The answer is no one. He could easily downsize by 20, 30, or even 40lbs and still be marketed as looking very much like he used to. After all he’s not standing on stage next to other top guys, he’s not being judged and/or scored, and if he’s standing alone who’s going to know? The answer is no one, but he would know, and I think Kai is in a place in his life where he’s not doing this for prize money, a title, or a qualification. And that’s also why the fans love him. He’s a bodybuilder folks – that’s who he is – and that’s what he’s all about. People respect that lifelong adherence to the bodybuilding way of life. So when The Predator takes the stage to guest pose he brings the house down.
Mind you there are top pro’s who see guest posing’s as low hanging fruit. They’ll hit the stage with a bad tan, not properly oiled up, and looking like trash. They won’t even pump-up backstage and forget about them coming in shape. I’ve seen top guys guest pose with a beer belly and not a line in their legs, no separation, and not even so much as an idea what, if anything, they’re going to present by way of a speech to the audience. They don’t take the appearance seriously and they’re clock-watching the whole time. If they’re in the hall for thirty minutes from the time they arrive, get into their trunks, pose for five minutes, and spout whatever hot air speech they make off the cuff while walking to the podium, that would be surprising. And what’s even crazier is that not 30 minutes later they’re scouring the venue looking for the promoter wanting their fee – in cash no less. It’s pretty ridiculous and that’s why so many promoters would rather drop dead than pay $10k for that shit show.
If Kai Greene guest poses, however, he promotes his appearance on his hugely popular social media platforms, he takes time to choreograph a routine, he gives a great speech and he meets with the fans before, during, and after the show. He brings real value to the contest and he brings the house down. He also looks awesome and leaves fans wondering why the hell he doesn’t come back. He also gets the media worked up – case in point – with me writing this article for Iron Magazine asking the same question you’re all asking:
WHY DON’T YOU COME BACK, KAI?!?! WHY?!?!
