David Dobrik has uploaded a brand-new YouTube video — in 2025. Nope, this isn’t a glitch in the matrix. Nearly three years after his dramatic fall from grace, which was followed by what is essentially a disappearing act, Dobrik is back, looking less shady and more shredded than ever. But not everyone is thrilled to see his return — or this new gym bro aesthetic he’s trying to pull off.

Now, those who follow Dobrik would know that he didn’t completely fall off the face of the internet during his YouTube hiatus, but for most people, he might as well have. Sure, he kept up appearances on Instagram and Snapchat and focused on his pizza joint, Doughbrik’s, but his bread and butter (pun intended) was YouTube, that is, until allegations against his “Vlog Squad” imploded his career. Many of his sponsors jumped ship, YouTube demonetized his channel, and his name was dragged through the mud. Add to that a nasty falling-out with his friend and former squad member Jeff Wittek, who sued Dobrik for millions after a stunt gone horribly wrong left him with serious injuries and near blindness.

With lawsuits, backlash, and cancellation in full swing, Dobrik all but ghosted his 18+ million subscribers. Now, after years of radio silence, he’s returned — and apparently traded vlogs for gains. What gives?

David Dobrik made his grand return to YouTube — with six-pack abs at that. The influencer dropped a new video titled “SURPRISING FRIENDS WITH BODY TRANSFORMATION!!” where, as the title suggests, he shocked his friends with his ripped new look. For someone who was more synonymous with pranks than protein shakes, this new side of Dobrik definitely caught fans off guard.

“I’d be lying if I said the last couple of years were my healthiest or my happiest. I let go of myself and stop doing the things that I really enjoyed,” he said in the video. He also flaunted his progress on Instagram, posting side-by-side transformation pics and shouting out his trainer and longtime friend Ilya Fedorovich for getting him into the best shape of his life. But some fans, of course, aren’t buying it. “Why does it look photoshopped???” one fan commented. “So we’re all in agreement here this is photoshop or AI right? RIGHT ?!” noted another. YouTube, however, was more forgiving, with fans flooding the comments to praise his glow-up. “this is unironically actually one of the best influencer transformations ever. its very natural and realistic but also crazy and unexpected at the same time,” one fan said.

Ironically, Dobrik wasn’t always a gym enthusiast. Back in 2020, he told GQ that he despised the gym and preferred sports instead, particularly basketball and soccer. “I hate lifting weights. I hate doing sit ups. I just don’t understand activities where there’s no clear goal or game involved,” he told the outlet. But now, he’s practically a gym rat personified, and we won’t be surprised if his next vlog drops straight from the weight rack. Guess this is a sign for everyone to welcome him back?