Men’s Open powerhouse Sergio Oliva Jr. has big plans this bodybuilding season. On April 4, 2025, he discussed his progress for the FIBO Championships, set for April 12, and his chances of making a splash at the Pittsburgh Pro.
Oliva Jr. has had giant shoes to fill in the IFBB Pro League. He’s the son of bodybuilding legend Sergio Oliva, a three-time Mr. Olympia winner, who managed to defeat Arnold Schwarzenegger on the world’s biggest stage. While the judging criteria have changed since his father’s time in the sport, Oliva Jr.’s promising genetics and work ethic make him a perfect fit in today’s Men’s Open landscape.
He took some time off following his last competition, which came at the 2023 California Pro. Ultimately, he secured third place, behind runner-up Tonio Burton and winner Ross Flanigan. Recharged after taking a lengthy off-season, it appears Oliva Jr. is on track to shock the world when he steps back into action in Cologne, Germany.
Sergio Oliva Jr. Says His Legs ‘Best They’ve Ever Been,’ Talks Possibility of Competing at 2025 Pittsburgh Pro After FIBO
In a recent YouTube video, Oliva Jr. discussed his improvements for FIBO before looking ahead to other contests.
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“I’m going to do FIBO,” shared Oliva Jr.
“Are you doing Pittsburgh?” asks Victor Martinez.
“I’m just worried about FIBO right now,” shared Oliva Jr. “Like I said, you can still tell my left shoulder is smaller. My chest is probably still the smallest part of my body but because I was so fucked up on my upper body, my legs are going to be the best they’ve ever been in my life.”
At 40 years old, Oliva Jr.’s confidence hasn’t gone down, especially since his legs continue to grow.
“For me to be 40, and my legs are now growing the most they ever have, that means I got a lot of life left in me. Even if people don’t believe it or know it or not, I just am happy to be able to be training and doing things properly.”
“To answer your question, it’s almost like I’m just getting back into bodybuilding again.”
Even though his focus is squarely on the FIBO show, Oliva Jr. would love to compete at the Pittsburgh Pro, which is set to host the Men’s Open for the first time in the show’s history.
“When I hop onstage and I look the best I ever have, then the door is wide open, then it’s completely different. Then Sergio is not done. Then Sergio looks the best he ever has, so I want to stand next to a couple guys. I would love to go compete at the first Pittsburgh show.”
He is also considering the Legion Sports Fest Pro since it’s close to where he lives.
“I think it’s a big deal. I think that’s really cool. Obviously, they’ve asked everybody to do it, but Legion, they changed Legion to earlier, that’s right here in Reno. There’s a bunch of shows that are around this time that are definitely doable.”
Meanwhile, Dennis James and Chris Cormier gave an early preview of the Pittsburgh Pro, pointing to the stacked lineup that includes Derek Lunsford, Nick Walker, Martin Fitzwater, Michal Krizo, and Vitaliy ‘Good Vito’ Ugolnikov.
“We already know that Derek is doing it, we know Nick, Martin, who am I missing now? Michal Krizo,” shares James. “Krizo looks pretty good in pictures. Bonac is doing Pittsburgh too.”
“I think Krizo is doing both shows, Pittsburgh and New York,” adds Chris Cormier.
“He’s literally fuckin a two-three-hour drive away from it [FIBO],” James said.
Considering the lineup, James thought it was smart of Oliva Jr. to compete at FIBO first before considering other events like Pittsburgh.
“The ultimate goal is for everybody to qualify for Olympia,” shared James. “If there’s a show before where I could go to get my qualification, I would still go there and I’d be able to breathe and go into that show. “I think it’s really smart for Sergio to do this show in Germany. ”
Oliva Jr. hasn’t been shy about issuing progress updates throughout the season. During his off-season, he tipped the scales at a monstrous 308 pounds, leading fans to believe he could be on track to bring his most complete physique ever in Germany.
Oliva Jr. seems interested in Pittsburgh, but his attention remains focused on the FIBO Championships. Should his conditioning match his muscle maturity, he could easily find himself battling for gold when the show kicks off.
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