The long-standing mystery surrounding the 2011 death of bodybuilding influencer Aziz 'Zyzz' Shavershian has finally been solved. A new documentary, Poster Boy: Becoming Zyzz, reveals that the 22-year-old Australian died of acute respiratory failure caused by a combination of morphine, cocaine, and benzodiazepines, according to the toxicology report obtained by filmmaker Selina Miles. This contradicts the widely circulated theory that he suffered a heart attack in a sauna due to a congenital heart defect.
The Rise of Zyzz
Aziz Shavershian, born in Russia to Kurdish parents and raised in Carlingford, western Sydney, became a YouTube sensation in the late 2000s. Under the username Zyzz, he posted videos of himself flexing and offering blunt commentary on life, attracting a massive online following. His brother, Said Shavershian, known as Chestbrah, recalls that they were 'two nerds who built a simulation around these characters we invented.'
Zyzz was a pioneer of internet trolling and self-promotion, creating an anonymous Facebook page titled '10,000 likes and I'll bash Zyzz' to generate hype. He also sold training programs, making $20,000 in two months before his trip to Thailand, as his brother remembers. His audience grew to over 60,000 Facebook followers, and his influence extended to forums like bodybuilding.com, where he connected with other young men.
The Fatal Trip to Thailand
In 2011, Aziz traveled to Pattaya City, Thailand, where he had secretly booked nose and cheek reconstruction surgery. Friends worried about the easy availability of steroids and benzodiazepines in local pharmacies, but Aziz assured them he just needed a break. His final footage shows him wandering alone around an empty hotel pool area.
Shortly after, he died. The documentary, directed by Selina Miles, reveals that while Aziz had an enlarged heart, the cause of death was acute respiratory failure due to the combined use of morphine, cocaine, and benzodiazepines. 'We don't know what caused [the enlarged heart], whether it was his steroid use or something else, and we don't know what he took when. But it was a drug interaction that caused his death,' Miles told Guardian Australia.
A Cautionary Tale for the Looksmaxxing Generation
The documentary serves as a warning for today's looksmaxxing influencers, a trend that Zyzz predated. Recent cases include Connor Murphy, who died in Thailand in July, and Braden Eric Peters, who overdosed on a substance during a livestream in April. Miles hopes viewers will approach young men like Aziz with more curiosity and kindness. 'What I would give to be able to have a conversation with him,' she says. 'But he lives on through his friends. They're empathetic, self-aware men who have done a lot of self-reflection. They loved Aziz and he loved them.'
Said Shavershian believes his brother would have taken a more positive path than the manosphere influencers who followed. 'Az was split between a rock and a hard place. He loved the attention, but he was a good kid. With great power comes great responsibility and I think he started to feel that. We always just wanted to help everyone be the hero of their own story and to see the potential that they have.'
Documentary Details
Revealed – Poster Boy: Becoming Zyzz is available to stream in Australia on Stan. Directed by Selina Miles, known for Harley & Katya, the documentary includes recreations of Aziz's childhood bedroom and interviews with friends and family, offering a poignant look at the life and death of a man who became a legend in the fitness world.
