In Episode 270 of The Menace Podcast, host Dennis James was joined by his regular crew consisting of Chris “The Real Deal” Cormier and Milos “The Mind” Sarcev. This week, the conversation quickly turned to Russian bodybuilder, Sergey Danilov, who was recently seen playing around with a bear. It was all in the name of fun, but when it comes to getting his hands on the Mr Olympia title, the current crop of elite contenders should take Danilov seriously, agreed the gang.

Danilov has enjoyed a rapid rise in the world of competitive bodybuilding, winning the Super Heavyweight NPC Worldwide Regional Cup in 2024 and qualifying as an IFBB Pro the same year. Now working his way to the top of the pro ranks, the ripped Russian’s most recent victory came at the 2025 IFBB Tsunami Nutrition Showdown France Pro, where he commanded first place in the Open division and has earned a much-coveted spot in the 2026 Mr Olympia final.

At 6-feet-1-inches tall and weighing a massive 340 pounds in his off-season, the gentle giant was recently seen playfully wrestling an 890-pound bear. Of course, it’s all good practice for dominating those larger-than-life characters on the bodybuilding stage.

The Menace Podcast team are impressed by Sergey Danilov

“That dude is huge, man,” praised Cormier. “I saw him before, but he’s looking a lot more impressive now,” he added. This sentiment was echoed by Milos Sarcev. “Yeah, he’s going to be a problem,” observed The Mind.

Cormier also offered Danilov some constructive advice for perfecting his already impressive physique, noting that if the Russian can add some more mass to his back, and reveal some additional definition in his abs, this man mountain will be right in the Mr Olympia mix.

To watch the full episode, where the panel also discussed Ronnie Coleman, Hadi Choopan, Keone Pearson, and the latest bodybuilding news, see below.

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