I think you misinterpreted a few of my comments. I wasn't implying that bodybuilders stay ripped all year long, in fact I'd consider 12% for a bodybuilder to be fat. My point was they start their diets at 12% or most likely higher and it still takes them 12-16 weeks to hit their target. Also of course they take huge amounts of drugs, they are pros are get paid to do it which is another one of my points. It takes them that long to get ripped even while doing crazy cycles, huge amounts of HGH and other drugs. This guy is wanting to do it in shorter time than the pros do and I honestly doubt if he knows his body the way the pros do, they have had years of practice.
You are right that there doesn't have to be such a hard line between cutting and bulking. I am one to know, I've dieted with both Fina and Oxandrolone and put muscle on both times. However the fact is if you are planning on putting some muscle on while dieting then you aren't losing fat as fast as possible. I lost fat while gaining muscle but I know if I had strictly concentrated on the fat loss I'd have lost it even faster, just without the extra LBM gains.
If you want to get ripped in the shortest amount of time possible then you have to go into the diet with that goal in mind. I highly doubt pros attempt to put on any size during their pre-contest diet they're just trying their damndest to keep what they have. A pre-contest cycle is a time to shed the rest of your bodyfat and keep what muscle you have, not a time to attempt to put on more muscle while trying to shed some fat.
B-legit I wish you the best of luck in your show, I just don't see how you can expect to be in contest shape in 16 weeks going about it the way you plan. I don't see how you gain enough extra muscle at the same time you're attempting to drop 7-8% bodyfat. I just think you're expecting more than what is possible. You said yourself you're not big enough to win, so how much more muscle do you think it will take? 10, 15, 20 pounds? It'd take at least 10 to notice that much of a difference and that kind of LBM in short order isn't so easy to accomplish, especially when trying to cut the fat.
I'm not here to tear anyone down, I am trying to be a realist in the matter. My point is if the pros(who have been doing this for years, work with the best strength coaches and nutrition experts, have access to more drugs than we can dream of and don't have to work regular jobs so they can devote every waking hour to their contest) can't even achieve what you want don't you think it's a bit arrogant to think you can do it so easily? Either your a genetic freak and a genious or need to wake up and realize it's not as easy as you make it out to be.
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He's competing at the Mr. USA this year.
(MILF = Mom's I'd Like to Fuck) - for those not in the know. 
And they have 5 flat benches and no decline bench. Also, no real power rack for squats. Family oriented gyms kinda piss me off. They were playing N'Sync every morning until they got tired of me telling them to change it everday and how not one person in the "weight lifting part of the gym" appreciated crappy music like that. Other than that it's pretty kewl. Can't wait for the eye candy this summer. mmmmmm BOOBS!! 
