Meet The Real-life Master Roshi, a 55-Year-Old Vietnamese American Man
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![Carl Samson](https://nextshark.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/CARLSAMSON_NEXTSHARK.jpg?width=128&auto_optimize=medium&quality=85)
By Carl Samson
Meet Nhon Ly, a 55-year-old Vietnam-born bodybuilder from San Diego, California, who is practically a real-life version of Master Roshi, the great martial arts teacher from “Dragon Ball.”
Ly is a member of the International Federation of BodyBuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Professional League.
He holds multiple achievements as a professional bodybuilder, including fourth place in the lightweight category of the U.S. Championship 2011, seventh at the U.S. Championship in 2012 and fifth on the Nationals 2015, to name a few.
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Before entering bodybuilding, he was first a manicurist who later opened his own nail salon.
![](https://nextshark.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/NHON_LY_2.jpg?width=1536&auto_optimize=medium&quality=85)
Ly met his wife, Teri, at the nail salon where they had both worked.
The couple are blessed with three children.
![](https://nextshark.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/NHON_LY_3-e1550176702774.jpg?width=1536&auto_optimize=medium&quality=85)
Unlike many people his age, Ly is able to train and compete with younger athletes, as seen in his social media posts.
He has a following of nearly 40,000 on Instagram, who all agree that he is Master Roshi’s real-life incarnation.
![](https://nextshark.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/NHON_LY_4-e1550176747321.jpg?width=1536&auto_optimize=medium&quality=85)
Master Roshi, a “Dragon Ball” character also known as Turtle Hermit and Jackie Chun — among a slew of other aliases — is a martial arts master who trained Granpa Gohan, Ox-King, Krillin, Yamcha and Goku.
![](https://nextshark.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/NHON_LY_6-e1550176792677.jpg?width=1536&auto_optimize=medium&quality=85)
Needless to say, Ly’s styled beard and impressive physical prowess show a striking resemblance to Master Roshi.
His followers couldn’t agree more:
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Featured Images via YouTube and Instagram / DEATH BATTLE! (left) and master_roshi_real_life (right)
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