The 2023 Arnold Classic USA is scheduled for Mar. 2-5, 2023, in the Battelle Grand room of the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, OH. The 35th edition of the second-most prestigious bodybuilding show will host the sixth annual Arnold Classic Physique contest.
Classic Physique is the second most popular pro bodybuilding division after the Men’s Open division. Furthermore, Arnold is one of the biggest proponents of the division. He has gone as far as to say that the Classic Physique division should replace the Men’s Open division.
Arnie, being Arnie, put his money where his mouth is. The AC promoters upped the Classic Physique winner’s cheque from $6,000 in 2021 to $60,000 in 2022.
Seven elite Classic Physique competitors will grapple for the top prize at the 35th edition of the Arnold Classic USA. With the reigning Arnold Classic champ Terrence Ruffin skipping the AC, the coveted title and $60,000 are up for grabs for a new champion.
2023 Arnold Classic Physique Roster
Here are the seven Classic Physique competitors that will go head-to-head on Mar. 3:
- Alex Cambronero
- Jason Brown
- Junior Javorski
- Urs Kalecinski
- Courage Opara
- Ramon Rocha Queiroz
- Mike Sommerfeld
Note: Darwin Uribe withdrew from the competition due to personal health reasons.
The Classic Physique division is witnessing an influx of elite new talent in the pro ranks. With Ruffin taking time off to improve his physique for the 2023 Olympia and Classic Physique veteran and former Olympia and Arnold Classic Physique champion Breon Ansley retiring from the division, the 2023 AC title is anyone’s for the taking.
Ruffin decided to vacate his Arnold Classic throne after a disappointing sixth-place finish at the 2022 Classic Physique Olympia. “Ruff Diesel” was considered one of the biggest threats to the reigning and three-time Classic Physique Olympia champ Chris Bumstead’s title, as he had finished runner-up behind “CBum” at the 2021 Olympia and won the 2023 ACP title. Ruffin’s fall from second place to sixth was one of the biggest disappointments of the 2022 Olympia Weekend.
The 2023 Arnold Classic Physique lineup has a former AC champ, Alex Cambronero, who won the title in 2020. If Cambronero manages to snag his second title at the 35th edition of the show, he will match Ruffin’s record of two AC title wins. Otherwise, we will have our fifth Arnold Classic Physique champion crowned.
The 2023 Arnold Classic Physique will go down on Mar. 3, Friday in Columbus, OH. The pre-judging is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.-2:00 p.m. in the Columbus Convention Center, Arnold Expo Stage, and the finals will be held between 7:00 p.m.-9:30 .p.m in the Columbus Convention Center, Battelle Grand Ballroom.
2023 Arnold Classic Physique Preview
Here is an update on each 2023 AC Classic Physique competitor:
Alex Cambronero
Cambronero is the only former Arnold Classic champion in this lineup; he won the show in 2020 and beat Ruffin to grab the top prize. With Ruffin out of the picture, Cambronero will look to retake his title at the 35th edition of the Arnold Classic.
Cambronero had not competed at the 2022 Arnold Classic and had placed runner-up behind Ruffin in 2021. The 2020 AC Classic Physique champ finished in a disappointing ninth place at the 2022 Olympia and will be looking for redemption at the 2023 AC.
He will go full throttle to win his second Arnold Classic Physique title at the 2023 AC, as it would make him the winningest AC Classic Physique champion, a title he will share with Ruffin.
Jason Brown
Brown is one of the underdogs coming into the 2023 Arnold Classic. He last competed at the Olympia in 2020 before taking an extended break. Brown returned from his hiatus in November 2022, when he competed at the 2022 IFBB Pro Texas State and finished second. Although Brown is competing with a renewed purpose, it is hard to say that he can seize a podium finish at the 2023 Arnold Classic.
Junior Javorski
Javorski had momentum behind him heading into the 2022 Olympia as he won the 2022 Musclecontest Campinas Pro. He, however, could not use it in his favor and ended up out of the top 15 at the 2022 Mr. O.
Although Javorski has ample talent, his fans still wait for him to convert it into something sizeable. Based on his progress photos, Javorski can crack the top five at the 2023 AC if he can hold onto his size and improve his conditioning.
Urs Kalecinski
Kalecinski is one of the newest and most exciting prospects in the IFBB Pro League Classic Physique division. He made his Pro debut in 2021 and surprised the bodybuilding community by placing fourth in his rookie outing at the Olympia. He moved up a spot at the 2022 Olympia, earning himself his first podium finish.
“The Miracle Bear” also placed third behind Ruffin and “Ramon Dino” at the 2022 Arnold Classic. The German bodybuilder has won three pro shows — 2021 Tampa Pro, 2022 Boston Pro, and Kuwait Classic Pro. He will, however, be looking for his first major title win in the first week of March in his sophomore year at the AC.
Courage Opara
Opara is a seasoned bodybuilder and has competed at the Arnold Classic thrice; he secured third place in 2018 and 2019. He can do serious damage when he shows up in shape and will be waiting for Ramon Dino, Kalecinski, or Sommerfeld to slip at the 35th edition of the Ohio-based show.
Ramon Rocha Queiroz
Ramon Dino is among the most popular bodybuilders in the Classic Physique division. He comes from humble beginnings but has not let them hold him back. Dino has some of the best genetics in the pro circuit, and his size and symmetry are hard to beat on stage.
The Brazilian bodybuilder finished second behind Ruffin at the 2022 Arnold Classic and Bumstead at the 2022 Mr. Olympia. Now that both the bodybuilders are not competing at the 2023 AC, it makes him the favorite to hoist the Arnold Classic Physique trophy at the 35th edition of the show.
Winning the 2023 Arnold Classic will strengthen his contention for the 2023 Classic Physique Olympia title. We cannot begin to fathom how crazy the crowd will go when Bumstead and Dino go head-to-head at the 2023 Olympia if he wins the AC.
Ramon Rocha and Kalecinski are already qualified for the 2023 Olympia as per the Olympia Qualification System (OQS), as they finished on the podium at the 2022 Mr. O. All the other bodybuilders on the 2023 AC roster still have to earn a qualification for the premiere bodybuilding contest.
Mike Sommerfeld
Sommerfeld is a bodybuilding veteran with five years of competitive experience under his belt. He will, however, make his Arnold Classic debut on Mar. 3, 2023. The German bodybuilder is a former 212 competitor with the size and conditioning that can trouble the best in any contest.
Sinnerfeld showed up with an impressive physique at the 2022 Olympia, earning him fifth place at the apex bodybuilding contest. He beat the 2021 Classic Physique Olympia runner-up Ruffin, propelling him into the upper echelon of the Classic Physique division.
2023 Arnold Classic Physique Predictions
With the Arnold Classic USA a few days away, here is (in no order) an overview of where experts have these bodybuilders finish at the 2023 AC Classic Physique contest:
Top Three
- Ramon Rocha Queiroz
- Urs Kalecinski
- Mike Sommerfeld
Fourth to Seven
- Alex Cambronero
- Jason Brown
- Junior Javorski
- Courage Opara
2023 Arnold Classic Physique Schedule
- Prejudging: Friday, Mar 03: 12:30 p.m.-2:00 p.m. (Columbus Convention Center, Arnold Expo Stage)
- Finals: Saturday, Mar 03: 7:00 p.m.-9:30 .p.m. (Columbus Convention Center, Battelle Grand)
* Times are in Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Wrapping Up
The 2023 AC Classic Physique will be an exciting contest. Classic Physique top guns Ramon Rocha, Kalecinski, and Sommerfield are the frontrunners for the 2023 Arnold Classic Physique trophy. However, Cambronero could break into the top three if any of the three contestants leaves the door open.
Brown, Javorski, and Opara will likely be battling it out for the fifth to seventh places at the 2023 Arnold Classic. Nevertheless, we will see a new Arnold Classic Physique champ being crowned on Mar. 3, Friday.
Every Arnold Classic Physique Champion Since 2018
Below is the list of bodybuilders who have won the Arnold Classic Physique title in the last five years:
- 2018: Breon Ansley
- 2019: George Peterson
- 2020: Alex Cambronero
- 2021: Terrence Ruffin
- 2022: Terrence Ruffin
Catch full coverage of the 2023 Arnold Classic, including pre-judging, event recaps, analysis, and final and full results at our Arnold Classic coverage hub: FitnessVolt.com/arnold-classic
Published: 1 March, 2023 | 12:51 PM EDT
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