Breon Ansley Bio

Breon Miles Ansley, or The Black Swan, is a highly accomplished American bodybuilder from Rowland Heights, CA. Despite being a natural athlete and receiving a football scholarship at Iowa State, he faced an injury that ended his sports career.

Ansley then ventured into acting in commercials and music videos and even landed minor roles in movies such as 2009’s Fast & Furious.

Related: Vin Diesel Height and Weight

During his early 2000s film appearances, Ansley displayed a well-built physique. However, he began competitive bodybuilding later in life. Now Breon has gained a massive following and is recognized as one of the top athletes in the sport.

Breon Ansley Contest History

Breon Ansley began competing in amateur bodybuilding contests in 2012, despite being in his early 30s. He quickly made a name for himself by winning a national-level contest and earning his pro card at the 2013 NPC Championships. 

In 2014, Breon participated in two IFBB professional contests in the 212 lb bodybuilding category but didn’t perform as well as he had hoped. As a result, he took a two-year break from competing. 

In 2016, Breon returned to the bodybuilding stage and took home 1st place in the newly formed Classic Physique category. This win secured his spot in the prestigious Mr. Olympia contest, where he placed 4th that year. 

But 2017 proved to be Breon’s most successful year as he achieved his biggest bodybuilding win by taking home 1st place in the Mr. Olympia Classic Physique division. He went on to win the championship again in 2018. 

Although Breon has continued competing at a high level since 2018, he was dethroned by the current Classic Physique champion, Chris Bumstead.

Breon Ansley Height and Weight

Breon Ansley is usually listed as 5’7″ in most publications, but there is reason to believe his actual height may be significantly shorter, and I will explain why.

In the IFBB Classic Physique division, weight restrictions are determined by the athletes’ height. Every contestant must have their height and weight measured during check-in for each competition.

This allows us to have insight into the actual heights and weights of bodybuilders.

How Tall Is Breon Ansley?

IFBB rules state that 180 lbs (82 kg) is the weight limit for Classic Physique competitors up to 5’6″ (168cm) tall. In a 2022 YouTube video, Ansley revealed that he cut weight to hit 179 lbs at the official Olympia weigh-in.

This means Breon Ansley must actually be between 5’5″ and 5’6″ (165-168cm) tall based on IFBB height and weight standards.

Breon Ansley Weight

From the IFBB contest weigh-ins, it is evident that Breon Ansley’s minimum pre-contest weight is 179 pounds (81.2 kilograms). However, the bodybuilder’s weight tends to vary widely throughout the year, depending on the training phase.

In a separate video posted on YouTube, Breon reveals to Mike O’Hearn that he needs to shed 40 pounds within 15 weeks before the Mr. Olympia contest. As a result, we can infer that Breon Ansley’s offseason weight is approximately 220 pounds (100 kilograms).

Breon Ansley FAQ

With the recent changes in Breon Ansley’s physique, I’ve heard a lot of speculation about his bodybuilding career and future. So here are some quick answers to common questions.

How many times did Breon Ansley win Mr. Olympia?

Breon Ansley was crowned the champion of the Mr. Olympia Classic Physique division twice in 2017 and 2018. However, he was surpassed by Chris Bumstead in 2019 and currently holds the fourth position behind CBum, Ramon Rocha, and Urs Kaleinski.

Is Breon retiring?

Breon Ansley announced in early 2022 that he would retire from the Classic Physique division, regardless of the outcome of the Mr. Olympia contest that year. Although he had no intention of retiring from bodybuilding.

Is Breon moving to 212 Bodybuilding?

Breon Ansley has expressed interest in competing in the 212-pound Bodybuilding division at the Mr. Olympia contest. However, Ansley has not won a 212 bodybuilding qualifier for the Olympia.

Alternatively, he could get a special invite to participate in 212 Olympia, but that doesn’t seem likely. Currently, Ansley continues to compete in the Classic Physique division.

Are Chris Bumstead and Breon friends?

Breon Ansley and Chris Bumstead have been battling it out on the Olympia stage since 2017 when Chris took 2nd place behind Breon. But since then, CBum has dominated the Classic Physique division.

In a macho sport where testosterone and egos run high, some competitors butt heads. And in 2021, a video surfaced of Ansley and Bumstead exchanging harsh words at a bodybuilding promotion.

However, these two competitors have nothing but respect for one another offstage. In 2022, Ansley even shared some kind words of admiration with Bumstead.