The 2025 Arnold Classic South America took place on Saturday, April 5, in São Paulo, Brazil, featuring the Men’s Open division as competitors battled for Olympia qualification. With no athlete in the lineup previously qualified for the Olympia, the stage was wide open—and Vitalii “Goodvito” Ugolnikov took full advantage.
This event served as a qualifying show for the 2025 Mr. Olympia, scheduled for October 9-12 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Past winners of this show include major names like Brandon Curry, Kai Greene, Juan Morel, and Rafael Brandão, who claimed the title last year.
Goodvito Delivers a Statement Win
Heading into the contest, fans were already buzzing about Goodvito, who placed third at the 2024 Arnold Classic South America and more recently finished second at the 2024 Detroit Pro. This time, he delivered a career-best look with incredible symmetry, conditioning, and stage presence, making it clear he was ready for the next level.
After dominating prejudging and finals, Goodvito secured first place, earning his first-ever IFBB Pro League win and locking in his qualification for the 2025 Mr. Olympia.
Leandro Peres and Marcelo Cruz Round Out the Podium
Leandro Sencini Peres returned to competition for the first time since placing sixth at the 2023 Italian Olympus Pro. Though he hasn’t won a pro show since the 2022 Musclecontest FitPira Pro, Peres brought an impressive physique and claimed second place.
Marcelo Pedro Da Cruz secured third, while Andre Carlao and Catiano Foscarini rounded out the top five.
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2025 Arnold Classic South America – Men’s Open Results
- Winner — Ugolnikov Vitalii (Goodvito)
- Second Place — Leandro Sencini Peres
- Third Place — Marcelo Pedro Da Cruz
- Fourth Place — Andre Carlao
- Fifth Place — Catiano Foscarini
With the Olympia qualification window running until September 14, 2025, this victory puts Goodvito firmly in the spotlight. As he prepares for the biggest show of the year in Las Vegas, the Men’s Open division welcomes another dangerous contender to the mix.
Men’s Wheelchair
The Men’s Wheelchair competition in Brazil featured top athletes Antonio Matkovic and defending champion Gorila Albino. Albino, fresh off his win at the 2023 Arnold Classic South America, was eager to defend his title and add another victory to his collection.
- Winner — Gorila Albino
- Second Place — Antonio Matkovic
2025 Arnold Classic South America Scorecards
Our team at Fitness Volt congratulates Vitalii Ugolnikov on his well-deserved win and looks forward to seeing him take the stage at the 2025 Mr. Olympia!
Relive every moment from the 2025 Mr. Olympia, including prejudging, highlights, expert analysis, and full results. Explore our Olympia hub: FitnessVolt.com/olympia. For minute-by-minute coverage, follow our Live Blog.
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