IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Dexter Jackson on the Dexter Jackson Classic in Jacksonville, Florida August 4.

On August 8, top ranked IFBB professional bodybuilder Dexter Jackson will be focusing the bodybuilding world’s attention on Jacksonville, Florida as he puts on the “The Dexter Jackson Classic” at the University of North Florida, Lazzara Theater. Dexter “the Blade” Jackson is one of the undisputed elite professional bodybuilders of this era having won the Arnold Classic twice along with numerous other professional titles after building his career up from his hometown Jacksonville National Physique Committee (NPC) ranks.

Jackson’s professional bodybuilding career is rooted in the community that he is now serving with his first bodybuilding, fitness, and figure competition promotion. “I was born and raised here and I love Jacksonville,” Jackson admits. “All of my family is here. I’ve been around the world and I haven’t found any place as laid-back and quite as Jacksonville. It is just wonderful and I love it.”

Jacksonville has seen a variety of bodybuilding shows and promoters in the past, but none in recent years and never one of Dexter Jackson’s bodybuilding stature. The Dexter Jackson Classic will be the most prestigious bodybuilding event ever in Northeast Florida. He has drawn professional and top ranked amateur talents to guest pose and appear as guests for the audience. “The main focus is to give this crowd something they have never seen before,” Jackson said. “To really put on a great competition. We are all going to be in shape. It’s only a few weeks out from the Olympia. So people are going to be in for a treat. I told myself if this show is going to be top notch I’m going to have to do something that is rarely done. This show will be covered in Muscular Development magazine. So the winners should not be surprised to see their pictures in MD. And bodybuilding.com has talked about doing a live web-cast at the show.”

Scheduled emcees include Skip Sylvester, a well-known Jacksonville personal trainer and former bodybuilder along with IFBB professional bodybuilder Bob Cicherillo of works extensively with Bodybuilding.com. “Skip was my first trainer and I hold him dear to my heart,” Jackson said. “He has always been in my corner. Without his guidance in the beginning I don’t think I’d be where I am now. And he has emceed shows in the past. Bob has emceed shows as well and I think Bob and Skip will get along great together.”

Jackson will be guest posing at his show, which along would be a coveted choice by any amateur show promoter, but he will be accompanied by a star lineup of other professional bodybuilding athletes and top ranked amateur talent on stage and as guests. Few promoters could justify paying such talent to appear at an NPC level IVA amateur show. “We have guys that are some of the best in the world that are also good friends of mine,” Jackson said. “We are all very close. And I would do the same to help other professional bodybuilders put on their show.” Branch Warren who recently won the May 12th NY Pro will be performing his posing routine. “Branch and I, we are doing a little flip-flop thing,” Jackson said. “He is coming here for my show and I’m going to pose at his show. So that saved me a bunch of money. I’m getting most of these guys because they are bringing me to their shows as well. It is an awesome tradeoff,” Jackson said with a chuckle.

“Derrem Charles is a great friend of mine,” Jackson said. “He is coming up to support it.” Charles, originally from Trinidad, is thirty-seven years old and has been either first or in the top rankings in the New York Pro, Toronto Pro & Atlantic City & many others over the last several years.

Other guest posers include 34 year old Marcus Haley who took 4th at Shawn Ray’s Colorado Pro last year, and was in the top rankings at the Ironman, Sacramento Pro and others. Tanji Johnson, an IFBB fitness pro from Spokane will be performing. Johnson was 4th in the Fitness Olympia last year and won the All Star Pro Fitness competition in Arkansas in July of 2006. Nicole Rollolazowon will be on stage. Rollolazo has competed favorably recently in the USA Fitness Nationals, LA Fitness Pro, Miss Fitness America Pageant, ESPN series Fitness, Emerald Cup, & Ironman Fitness. Local amateur athlete “Big Kris” Murell will be guest posing. Murell took the fifth spot at the NPC Junior Nationals in 2005 and seventh at the NPC Nationals in Miami in 2006. She should be in top shape in preparation for NPC Nationals in Dallas later this year. “She is an awesome girl,” Jackson said. “She is going to turn the place out. Her routine is phenomenal. People will be really satisfied from her performance. I picked her to be one of my performers because she knows how to work the stage so well”

IFBB Pro bodybuilders Flex Wheeler, Vince Taylor, Stan McCrary, Roc Shabazz, & Lora Ottenad (earned her pro-card last year) will be appearing as Jackson’s guests at the show. “They will be signing autographs,” Jackson said. “The audience will get to meet and greet.”

After pre-judging in the morning there will be seminars in the afternoon prior to the evening show. Charles Glass, Joe McNeil, and Anthony Aponte will conduct a question and answer session on nutrition and training. McNeil should have some interesting insights, as he is Jackson’s personal trainer. How can anyone offer advice to such an elite athlete? “It is like this,” Jackson said. “Look at the other top guys in the world including Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler. All of those guys have personal trainers. And when we say trainers we don’t mean guys that physically train you in the gym. We mean for instance the nutritional aspects.”

McNeil has devised a system that Jackson insists has helped him tremendously. “Joe came out of retirement to train me for our first win at the Arnold,” Jackson said. “His knowledge and the software that he created is incredible. It makes everything so much easier when I’m dieting and getting ready for a competition. He lives in Tampa and would come here every two weeks or so we would do the tests that we need to do. And the tests let us know exactly how close we are getting to the numbers that we need to get to. You have no problem getting in shape because you know exactly what you need to do. It tells you how much food you need to eat. It tells you what kind of food you need to eat to get there. It tells you everything, which is what is so amazing about the software.” For the price of a VIP pass to the Dexter Jackson Classic attendees will have the opportunity to pick McNeil’s brain.

There are giveaways for attendees including autographed Dexter Jackson t-shirts, a World Gym and Sol tanning salon yearlong membership up for grabs. All competitors will be rewarded with prizes and a medallion. Class and overall winners will receive trophies with the overall winners also receiving a “Dexter Jackson Classic jacket, 1 VIP ticket to the 2008 Arnold Classic, a $300 gift certificate from Unique Physique and MuscleTech supplements.

If that isn’t enough for the senses there will be an after party at Club Paris.

This event is sanctioned by the National Physique Committee (NPC) an open to athletes nationwide. Entry forms and ticket information is available at www.DexterJacksonClassic.com.