The 38th annual 2026 Arnold Classic saw seven divisions vie for gold, including the headlining Men’s Open class, along with Classic Physique, Men’s Physique, Bikini, Fitness, Wellness, and Pro Wheelchair. Competitors battled from March 5-8 in Columbus, Ohio, aiming to secure Olympia qualifications, bragging rights, and impressive cash prizes.
The annual Arnold Sports Festival has been around since 1989 and continues to elevate the popularity of bodybuilding. This invite-only event, hosted by bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger, isn’t just about stepping onstage. It’s a celebration for fitness enthusiasts from around the world.
The stakes were the highest they’ve ever been. The Men’s Open winner of the 2026 Arnold Classic secured a life-changing $750,000 winner’s purse, the highest payout in bodybuilding history. It also eclipsed the 2025 Mr. Olympia‘s $600,000 champion’s prize. From bodybuilding to strongman and strongwoman contests, this weekend had something for everyone.
2026 Arnold Classic Winners:
- Men’s Open: Chinedu Andrew “Jacked” Obiekea
- Classic Physique: Wesley Vissers
- Men’s Physique: Brandon Hendrickson
- Bikini: Aimee Delgado
- Fitness: Michelle Fredua-Mensah
- Wellness: Rayane Fogal
- Pro Wheelchair: James Berger
2026 Arnold Classic Results and Prize Money
Below are the results and a recap of the bodybuilding action from the 2026 Arnold Classic:
Men’s Open Bodybuilding
The atmosphere onstage shifted when the Men’s Open contenders came out for the finals. Speculation was all over the place; some thought Nick Walker improved enough to earn the victory. His legs were massive, conditioned, and his back shots were near-flawless.
In contrast, others pointed to Andrew Jacked’s size and aesthetics. His abs and thigh and front double biceps were strong shots. Hadi Choopan was also in the running and brought a much tighter package on Day 2.
After a final posedown, Andrew Jacked secured gold, the $750,000 winner’s purse, and the Ed Corney Best Poser Award for another $10,000. Nick Walker bounced back in second place and won the Franco Columbu Most Muscular Award for $10,000. Hadi Choopan finished with bronze.
| Place | Athlete | Country | Prejudging | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chinedu Obiekea (Andrew Jacked) | United Arab Emirates | 6.00 | 13.00 |
| 2 | Nick Walker | United States | 9.00 | 18.00 |
| 3 | Hadi Choopan | Iran | 15.00 | 30.00 |
| 4 | Martin Fitzwater | United States | 20.00 | 40.00 |
| 5 | Brandon Curry | United States | 25.00 | 50.00 |
| 6 | Rafael Brandao | Brazil | 30.00 | 60.00 |
| 7 | Mohamed Foda | United Arab Emirates | 35.00 | 70.00 |
| 8 | Akim Williams | United States | 40.00 | 80.00 |
| 9 | Hassan Mostafa | Egypt | 45.00 | 90.00 |
| 10 | Anthony Williams | Canada | 50.00 | 100.00 |
*Franco Columbu Most Muscular Award — Nick Walker
*Ed Corney Best Poser Award — Andrew Jacked
Arnold Classic 2026 Classic Physique Results
It was a dogfight in the Classic Physique finals. Though Wesley Vissers managed to showcase massive improvements from his last outing, some fans still had reservations, mainly in regard to his lower body. However, as the show went along, Vissers’ legs never lost fullness, and his back looked harder, courtesy of longer posing bouts.
Meanwhile, Matheus Menegate brought a lean physique with plenty of detail. His front poses and shots from the side were strong, which allowed him to stay in the race for gold. After a tense final posedown, Wesley Vissers secured his second Arnold Classic title with an all-time best look. Matheus Menegate finished in second place and Andrea Mammoli took third place and the Best Poser Award ($10,000).
| Place | Athlete | Country | Prejudging | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wesley Vissers | Netherlands | 5.00 | 5.00 |
| 2 | Matheus Menegate Piccioli | Brazil | 10.00 | 10.00 |
| 3 | Andrea Mammoli | Italy | 17.00 | 17.00 |
| 4 | Joaquim Camps Angel | Spain | 18.00 | 18.00 |
| 5 | Jorge Herrera | Mexico | 25.00 | 25.00 |
| 6 | Ethan Gohari | Australia | 30.00 | 30.00 |
| 7 | Vahid Badpei | India | 35.00 | 35.00 |
| 8 | Sam Sulek | United States | 40.00 | 40.00 |
| 9 | Paul Kanu | Sierra Leone | 45.00 | 45.00 |
| 10 | Hang Niu | United States | 50.00 | 50.00 |
2026 Arnold Classic Men’s Physique Results
Men’s Physique competitors put on a show in Columbus. Right out the gate, Brandon Hendrickson’s conditioning improvements from the Olympia were noticeable, especially in his chest and mid-back.
Battling against Hendrickson for center stage was Vitor Chaves. He’s become a legitimate threat in the class with a tight waist and proportionate muscle. Chaves showcased significant improvements since his 10th-place finish at the 2025 Men’s Physique Olympia.
The judges put both athletes through confirmation rounds to see if either would fade. Ultimately, Brandon Hendrickson claimed his second Arnold Classic title. Vitor Chaves took second place and Emanual Hunter earned third place.
| Place | Athlete | Country | Prejudging | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brandon Hendrickson | United States | 6.00 | 6.00 |
| 2 | Vitor Chaves | Brazil | 9.00 | 9.00 |
| 3 | Emanual C. Hunter | United States | 16.00 | 16.00 |
| 4 | Andrei Deiu | Romania | 19.00 | 19.00 |
| 5 | Dilson Espindola Silva | Brazil | 25.00 | 25.00 |
| 6 | Benquil Marigny | United States | 30.00 | 30.00 |
| 7 | Burak Ozkul | Turkey | 35.00 | 35.00 |
| 8 | Emmanuel Jesus Oliveira Da Costa | United States | 40.00 | 40.00 |
| 9 | Lucas Viudes | Brazil | 45.00 | 45.00 |
| 10 | Paul Gustave | France | 50.00 | 50.00 |
| 11 | Nam Tran Quang | United States | 55.00 | 55.00 |
2026 Arnold Classic Bikini Results
Bikini talent took to the stage, and it quickly turned into a close contest. Lauralie Chapados was sharper than her appearance at Olympia. Her glute density and top-to-bottom symmetry strengthened her overall presentation.
Aimee Delgado held her own and looked to be the strongest competitor in the front pose. Her hourglass figure fits into the Bikini division’s judging criteria and helped with momentum. Ashlyn Little was also battling it out for a top spot. She picked up where she left off in prejudging, appearing at ease and flowing through poses.
After an intense round of comparisons, Aimee Delgado raised the Arnold Classic Bikini International crown above her head. Lauralie Chapados placed second and Ashlyn Little finished in third place.
| Place | Athlete | Country | Prejudging | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aimee Delgado | United States | 6.00 | 6.00 |
| 2 | Lauralie Chapados | United States | 9.00 | 9.00 |
| 3 | Ashlyn Little | United States | 15.00 | 15.00 |
| 4 | Ashley Kaltwasser | United States | 20.00 | 20.00 |
| 5 | Phoebe Hagan | United Kingdom | 25.00 | 25.00 |
| 6 | Reyna Perez | Mexico | 30.00 | 30.00 |
| 7 | Sharon Ramos | Dominican Republic | 35.00 | 35.00 |
| 8 | Uliana Stadnik | United States | 42.00 | 42.00 |
| 9 | Marie-Eve Duchesneau | Canada | 43.00 | 43.00 |
| 10 | Xinyi Chen | China | 50.00 | 50.00 |
| 11 | Tianna Weymouth | United States | 55.00 | 55.00 |
2026 Arnold Classic Fitness Results
Michelle Fredua-Mensah commanded the stage early with an energetic posing routine. She continues to prove herself as one of the most agile and strongest competitors in the packed division. However, there were questions about whether she could lose ground during the finals.
In addition, Amber Steffen put forth a confident, seamless posing routine, focusing on explosive movements. She has become a legitimate threat in the Fitness category, always improving from show to show. In the end, Michelle Fredua-Mensah secured Arnold Classic Fitness International gold. Amber Steffen placed second and Allison Kramer rounded out the podium in third place.
| Place | Athlete | Country | Prejudging | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michelle Fredua-Mensah | United Kingdom | 5.00 | 39.00 |
| 2 | Amber Steffen | United States | 40.00 | 52.00 |
| 3 | Allison Kramer | United States | 10.00 | 56.00 |
| 4 | Anna Fomina | United States | 34.00 | 58.00 |
| 5 | Jeanine Renee Taddeo | United States | 25.00 | 81.00 |
| 6 | Abby Bolton | United States | 45.00 | 103.00 |
| 7 | Tamara Vahn | Canada | 19.00 | 107.00 |
| 8 | Stephanie Jones | United States | 16.00 | 114.00 |
| 9 | Michelle Gales | United States | 51.00 | 121.00 |
| 10 | Michaela Pavleova | Slovakia | 65.00 | 133.00 |
| 11 | Jessica Ann Zehr | Canada | 31.00 | 149.00 |
| 12 | Danielle Chikeles | United States | 60.00 | 154.00 |
2026 Arnold Classic Wellness Results
Rayane Fogal presented a stellar look on the Arnold Classic stage. Her symmetry, stage presence, and balanced muscle helped her stand out in the finals. Having paid her dues in the division, she continues to improve steadily each season.
She was pitted against Elisa Alcantara, who also showed she could hold her own when the pressure was at its highest. Over time, thanks to calculated training, she’s managed to bring more detail out in her glute-hamstring tie-ins. In the end, Rayane Fogal secured the big victory. Elisa Alcantara settled for runner-up and Alexis Drury finished in third place.
| Place | Athlete | Country | Prejudging | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rayane Fogal | Brazil | 5.00 | 5.00 |
| 2 | Elisa Alcantara | Dominican Republic | 10.00 | 10.00 |
| 3 | Alexis Drury | United States | 15.00 | 15.00 |
| 4 | Valquiria Telles Lopes | Brazil | 20.00 | 20.00 |
| 5 | Raeli Pereira Dias | Brazil | 26.00 | 26.00 |
| 6 | Danai Theodoropoulou | Australia | 30.00 | 30.00 |
| 7 | Giselle Machado | Brazil | 35.00 | 35.00 |
| 8 | Camile Luz | Brazil | 40.00 | 40.00 |
| 9 | Kassandra Gillis | United States | 45.00 | 45.00 |
| 10 | Marissa Andreou | United States | 50.00 | 50.00 |
| 11 | Isamara Santos | Brazil | 56.00 | 56.00 |
| 12 | Laysha Yireth Benitez Millan | United States | 59.00 | 59.00 |
2026 Arnold Classic Wheelchair Pro Results
A handful of the best Wheelchair talents took to the stage on Saturday, eager to assert themselves in the title picture. Josue Fabiano’s vascularity and full chest pushed him center stage for much of the competition. He took fourth at the 2025 Wheelchair Olympia, so public confidence behind him was high.
However, James Berger has been on a roll. He shocked the world at the last Wheelchair Olympia and secured gold against a strong lineup. He looked even tighter in Columbus, and as a result, judges awarded him the victory. Josue Fabiano finished runner-up and Gaylon Grigsby claimed third place.
| Place | Athlete | Country | Prejudging | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Berger | United States | 6.00 | 6.00 |
| 2 | Josue Fabiano Barretto Monteiro | Brazil | 9.00 | 9.00 |
| 3 | Gaylon Grigsby | United States | 15.00 | 15.00 |
| 4 | Jan Povysil | Czech Republic | 20.00 | 20.00 |
| 5 | Will Anthony | Spain | 25.00 | 25.00 |
| 6 | Jason Metcalf | United States | 30.00 | 30.00 |
2026 Arnold Classic Pre-Judging Insights:
Our team has been working diligently to provide you with detailed coverage of the 2026 Arnold Classic. From prejudging analysis to a breakdown of the finals, we’ve got you covered throughout this historic weekend in Columbus, Ohio, giving you the full scoop on the event’s biggest highlights.
- Men’s Open Bodybuilding Prejudging Report
- Classic Physique Prejudging Report
- Men’s Physique Prejudging Report
- Bikini International Prejudging Report
- Wellness International Prejudging Report
- Fitness International Prejudging Report
2026 Arnold Classic Results
The 2026 Arnold Classic delivered plenty of big moments. Find out who emerged victorious at the second greatest event of the year.
Day One
Day Two
- Arnold Classic Open Bodybuilding Results
- Arnold Classic Bikini Results
- Arnold Classic Men’s Physique Results
- Arnold Classic Pro Wheelchair Results
Our team at Fitness Volt congratulates all participants, especially the champions of this historic event!
Follow the 2026 Arnold Classic live – prejudging breakdowns, event recaps, expert analysis, and complete results as they happen. Get full coverage at our Arnold Classic hub: FitnessVolt.com/arnold-classic
