Some bodybuilders win with symmetry. Akim Williams wins with sheer, overwhelming muscle. 💪
The man they call the “Brooklyn Beast” has spent more than a decade as one of the biggest and strongest men in the IFBB Pro League — a mass monster with arms that rank among the largest in the sport.
His career peaked with a top-six finish at the Mr. Olympia, survived a serious car accident and shoulder surgery, and produced a remarkable comeback season in 2024.
This is his full story, updated for 2026 — from Grenada to Brooklyn, from bench-press beginner to six pro titles and seven Olympia appearances.
Akim Williams Quick Facts
| Full Name | Akim Williams |
| Nickname | “The Brooklyn Beast” (BK Beast) |
| Born | August 20, 1984 — Grenada |
| Age | 42 years old (2026) |
| Height | 5’10” (178 cm) |
| Contest Weight | Around 265 lb (120 kg) |
| Division | Men’s Open Bodybuilding |
| Pro Card | 2013 NPC North American Championships — Super-Heavyweight & Overall |
| Pro Wins | 6 — Tampa Pro (2016, 2022), Chicago Pro (2020), Puerto Rico Pro (2021), Toronto Pro (2024), Bigman Weekend Spain (2024) |
| Best Mr. Olympia Placing | 6th (2020) — seven Olympia appearances |
| Home Gym | Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym, Syosset, New York |
Early Life: From Grenada to Brooklyn 🌍
Akim Williams was born on August 20, 1984, in Grenada, the Caribbean island nation, and grew up in Brooklyn, New York — the borough that would give him his nickname.
Unlike many pros, he did not grow up dreaming of the Olympia stage. At Long Island University, where he earned a degree in computer science, he was openly skeptical about weight training.
As he later admitted, for his first months in the university gym he did almost nothing but bench press, believing squats were bad for the knees. 🏋️
A coach named Ken Thompson changed that, teaching him that building his legs would build his whole body. Williams also spent time learning at an academy run by legendary coach Charles Glass — and the bench-press kid slowly turned into a super-heavyweight.
The Amateur Rise: A Pro Card in 2013 📈
Williams started competing in 2011, placing 3rd in the heavyweight class at the NPC Junior Nationals.
In 2012 he stepped up to the super-heavyweights, finishing 5th at the NPC USA Championships and 9th at the NPC Nationals.
The breakthrough came in 2013 at the NPC North American Championships, where he won the super-heavyweight class and the overall title at 29 years old — and with it, his IFBB pro card.
His pro debut followed at the 2014 New York Pro, where he placed 11th in a deep hometown line-up. The Beast was a pro; now he had to become a winner.
The Pro Career: Six Wins and a Top-Six Olympia 🏆
The first pro victory arrived at the 2016 Tampa Pro, which sent Williams to his first Mr. Olympia, where he placed 15th.
In 2018 he came close twice — runner-up at both the Toronto Pro Supershow and the Muscle Mayhem Pro. Then came a relentless 2019: six shows, three more second places (Indy Pro, New York Pro and Bigman Weekend), and a 9th-place finish at his second Olympia.
His best year followed in 2020. Williams won the Chicago Pro ahead of a young Nick Walker, then carried that form onto the Olympia stage in Orlando, placing 6th — the best result of his career, against giants like Big Ramy and Phil Heath.
In 2021 he added the Puerto Rico Pro title, took 5th at the Arnold Classic and placed 9th at the Olympia for the second time.
The 2022 season tested him like no other. Five weeks into his Tampa prep, Williams was in a serious car accident that totalled his car and injured his back and shoulder — a fact he kept quiet until after the show. He won the Tampa Pro anyway, becoming the event’s first two-time champion, before placing 16th at the Olympia while still hurt.
In April 2023 he finally had shoulder surgery, having also competed at that year’s Arnold Classic (6th) while injured. The operation cost him the rest of 2023, including the Olympia.
The Comeback of 2024 🔥
What Williams did in 2024, at 40 years old, was one of the great veteran seasons of recent years.
He returned at the Arnold Classic in Ohio (6th), then took 3rd at the Arnold Classic UK behind only Hadi Choopan and Samson Dauda.
In June he won the Toronto Pro Supershow with unanimous scores, and in October he was back in the Olympia top ten, placing 10th in Las Vegas. He closed the year by finishing 2nd at the Romania Muscle Fest Pro, then winning the Bigman Weekend Pro in Spain — the final show of 2024 — which qualified him for the 2025 Olympia almost a year early.
Two of those wins came in a single season, three years after many fans had written him off. Never count out the Beast. 😤
The Brooklyn Beast Physique: Built Around the Arms
Williams competes at around 265 lb on a 5’10” frame, and almost every conversation about his physique starts with his arms — widely regarded as among the biggest and thickest in the Open division.
The rest of the package matches: a dense chest, a thick lower body and the kind of raw muscle that comes from famously heavy training. NPC News Online has described him as one of the strongest bodybuilders in the game, and his gym footage — including 170 lb incline dumbbell presses — backs that up.
IFBB judge Terrick El Guindy has called Williams “borderline Mr. Olympia” from the front and side, while noting his back poses are the shots that would unlock the first callout.
He does his work at Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym in Syosset, New York — the “East Coast Mecca” — and today he stands in the same mass-monster conversation as men like Nathan De Asha and the new generation led by Rubiel Mosquera.
Akim Williams’ Olympia Record
Seven Olympia appearances across a decade — here is how the Brooklyn Beast has fared on bodybuilding’s biggest stage:
| Year | Mr. Olympia Placing |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 15th |
| 2019 | 9th |
| 2020 | 6th |
| 2021 | 9th |
| 2022 | 16th |
| 2024 | 10th |
| 2025 | Tied 16th |
He missed the 2023 Olympia while recovering from shoulder surgery — the only gap in an otherwise near-permanent presence at the show.
Akim Williams in 2026 🔮
Williams opened 2025 with a 6th-place finish at the Arnold Classic, then took a long off-season — telling BarBend the extra recovery time, and the early qualification he had banked in Spain, let him arrive in Las Vegas fully healed. His seventh Olympia appearance ended in a tie for 16th.
In 2026 he is still on stage: 8th at the Arnold Classic in Ohio in March and 6th at the Arnold Classic UK later that month, in line-ups won by Andrew Jacked.
He did not appear at the 2026 Mr. Olympia — without a pro-show win in the qualifying window, there was no ticket to Las Vegas — and his most recent Olympia remains the 2025 edition.
Off stage, Williams co-hosts the Legends of Iron podcast with powerlifter Nick Best and bodybuilder Jon Andersen, and his eye for a line-up is in demand: in 2026 he was among the pros breaking down the New York Pro field for Fitness Volt. Fuelling a physique like his still starts with the basics we cover in our guide to the best protein powders for muscle gain.
At 42, the Brooklyn Beast has not announced any retirement — and a man who has already come back from shoulder surgery once should never be counted out.
Frequently Asked Questions ❓
How old is Akim Williams?
He was born on August 20, 1984, in Grenada, so he turned 42 in August 2026.
Why is Akim Williams called the Brooklyn Beast?
Williams was born in Grenada but grew up in Brooklyn, New York. The nickname combines his home borough with the freakish size and strength that made him famous.
What is Akim Williams’ best Mr. Olympia placing?
Sixth place at the 2020 Mr. Olympia in Orlando — the best result of his career. He has competed at seven Olympias in total (2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024 and 2025).
How many pro shows has Akim Williams won?
Six: the Tampa Pro in 2016 and 2022, the Chicago Pro in 2020, the Puerto Rico Pro in 2021, and the Toronto Pro and Bigman Weekend Pro (Spain) in 2024.
How tall is Akim Williams, and how much does he weigh?
He stands 5’10” (178 cm) and competes at around 265 lb (120 kg), with some of the biggest arms in the Men’s Open division.
Did Akim Williams compete at the 2026 Mr. Olympia?
No. He competed at the Arnold Classic (8th) and Arnold Classic UK (6th) in March 2026, but he did not qualify for the 2026 Olympia. His most recent Olympia appearance was in 2025.
The Bottom Line ✅
Akim Williams built a pro career spanning more than a decade the hard way: a pro card earned in 2013, a top-six Olympia finish in 2020, and a two-win comeback season in 2024 — after a car accident and shoulder surgery that would have ended most careers.
The arms, the strength and the Brooklyn attitude made him a fan favourite. The record — six pro titles and seven Olympia appearances — makes him one of the most durable mass monsters of his era. 🦁