Larry Wheels Goes After Sam Sulek After Winning Pro Card

[Kayce]

Larry Wheels recently earned his IFBB Pro card at the 2025 Musclecontest Bullman Qualifier in Dublin, then immediately called out Sam Sulek on Instagram. This clash highlights the contrast between Wheels' decade-long journey marked by mental health struggles and Sulek's rapid rise to fame through social media. Sulek responded respectfully to the callout, acknowledging Wheels' accomplishments. This tension reveals how bodybuilding's landscape now balances competitive achievements against online influence.

The Public Confrontation: What Larry Wheels Actually Said​

The newly-minted IFBB Pro Larry "Wheels" Williams didn't waste time making waves in the professional bodybuilding community. After securing his pro card at the 2025 Musclecontest Bullman Qualifier in Dublin, Wheels immediately took to Instagram to call out fellow IFBB newcomer Sam Sulek.

This bold move came after Wheels' well-documented struggle with mental health challenges and steroid use impacts, which had previously led to his announced retirement in 2024. His confrontation with Sulek generated immediate attention, though Sulek's response was distinctly respectful, acknowledging Wheels' accomplishments. The exchange highlighted Wheels' competitive spirit despite his recent obstacles.

While bodybuilding legends like Ronnie Coleman and Derek Lunsford congratulated Wheels on his achievement, his 10th place finish in the professional division suggests he'll need to refine his approach at the pro level.

Sam Sulek's Rise to Fame and Recent Pro Card Victory​

While Larry Wheels captured attention with his call-out, Sam Sulek has become a social media phenomenon in his own right. The young bodybuilder's meteoric rise stands in contrast to Wheels' mental health journey, which included open discussions about steroid misuse challenges and a brief retirement in 2024.

Unlike Wheels' decade-long path to pro status, Sulek earned his IFBB Pro card with remarkable speed, garnering millions of followers through his straightforward training videos and unfiltered content. When confronted by Wheels on Instagram, Sulek responded respectfully, acknowledging Wheels' accomplishments rather than escalating tensions. This exchange highlighted the different trajectories these athletes have taken—Wheels overcoming personal struggles while Sulek navigated a swift ascent in the competitive bodybuilding world.

The Experience vs. Social Media Influence Debate in Bodybuilding​

Modern bodybuilding sits at a crossroads where traditional experience clashes with social media influence, as evidenced by the Larry Wheels-Sam Sulek interaction. Both athletes represent different paths to success in the sport.

Wheels' journey highlights professional accomplishments versus personal struggles, having overcome mental health issues and steroid misuse to finally earn his pro card. Meanwhile, Sulek's meteoric rise demonstrates how social media clout can accelerate a career, though he lacks Wheels' years of competitive experience.

You're witnessing a transformation in bodybuilding where followers and engagement sometimes overshadow traditional competitive résumés. This tension reflects the sport's evolution, where athletes must now balance stage presence with online presence. The respectful exchange between these two figures suggests there's room for both paths in modern bodybuilding's landscape.

Industry and Fan Reactions to the Growing Tension​

Reactions across bodybuilding forums and social media platforms have been swift and divided following Larry Wheels' callout of Sam Sulek. Many fans have rallied behind Wheels, citing his transparency about mental health struggles and steroid misuse challenges as reasons to support his comeback journey.

Others view the callout as a strategic move to generate buzz as Wheels enters the professional ranks. Industry insiders note that while legends like Ronnie Coleman and Derek Lunsford publicly congratulated Wheels on his pro card achievement, they've remained conspicuously silent on the brewing tension with Sulek.

The controversy has sparked discussions about competitive rivalry in modern bodybuilding, with some suggesting Wheels' openness about his personal demons has earned him goodwill that's now being leveraged to establish his position in the professional hierarchy.

What This Conflict Reveals About Modern Fitness Culture​

The emerging tension between Larry Wheels and Sam Sulek reflects a fundamental shift in fitness culture's power dynamics, where social media influence often rivals competitive achievements. You're witnessing a landscape where athletes simultaneously compete for titles and engagement metrics.

This conflict highlights how openly discussing steroid abuse's psychological impacts has evolved from taboo to content strategy. Wheels' journey through mental health struggles resonates with audiences seeking authenticity, transforming personal challenges into relatable content.

Meanwhile, the absence of formal bodybuilding mentorship programs creates these public challenges between established figures and newcomers. You're seeing the sport's hierarchical structure play out on Instagram rather than in private gym conversations, democratizing access to fitness culture while sometimes sacrificing the nuanced guidance that traditional mentorship once provided.