Lee Priest is still keeping tabs on the biggest players in the Men’s Open division. In a recent video shared on Jan. 12, 2026, he compared his prime arms to Derek Lunsford’s stage photos. He also discussed the Mr. Olympia rule changes with Bob Cicherillo.
At the 2025 Mr. Olympia, Lunsford secured his second Sandow trophy. It wasn’t a home-run victory; he faced resistance from Hadi Choopan and Chinedu Andrew ‘Jacked’ Obiekea. Right after the event, the outcome was heavily debated, with Priest naming Choopan or Jacked as the rightful winner. He also claimed Lunsford was in guest posing shape when he reclaimed gold in Las Vegas.
The next Mr. Olympia will look a touch different from previous events. One Pro show win won’t be enough to qualify for competitors from Classic Physique, Men’s Physique, Bikini, and Wellness. Competitors must win two events during the qualification period or place within the top 25 in point standings. With such a big shakeup, Priest and Cicherillo discussed its impact.
Lee Priest, Cicherillo Talk 2026 Olympia Rules and Lunsford’s ‘Watery’ Biceps
In the video, Cicherillo underscored that the new Mr. Olympia rules are in effect, which will likely eliminate 120 athletes from competing in Sept.
“The new rules kick in this year, Shawn. It might not be longer; it might actually be a little shorter because not all the athletes are going to qualify, especially in three divisions,” said Cicherillo.
“You got Bikini, you got Men’s Physique, and Classic, those are the big three, where we were almost at 100 athletes qualifying per division. Let’s just say that’s 300, round it off. It’ll probably shave about 120 athletes off.”
Get Fitter, FasterLevel Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!
“The Voice of Bodybuilding” pointed out that the contest will also have to accommodate the new Fit Model division in 2026.
“Bottom line is, we got to get this whittled down because we don’t need, you don’t want, 400+ athletes. This year, with the Fit [Model] division coming into play, we’d be closer to 500 athletes. That’s a little crazy.”
Switching gears, they discussed Lunsford’s lack of arm separation. Priest claimed his prime off-season arms were more impressive than Lunsford’s Olympia stage photos.
“I did see your comment that you said Derek’s arms looked like yours, but in the off-season,” said Cicherillo.
“Someone actually put a picture up, and actually, my arms in the off-season looked better,” said Priest. “Mine was muscle, not PMMA,” laughs Priest.
He added that Lunsford’s arms looked like they were holding water.
“It’s the truth. Normally, when you see an arm onstage, you see the biceps separation, the triceps, and he just looked watery. It looked like he was holding water.”
“When you see Andrew’s arms and Hadi’s arms, they are defined. I like when Tyler does the breakdown, but when Tyler said Derek won the double biceps from the front, I’m like, nah, you lost me there.”
In Lunsford’s defense, Cicherillo explained that his arms have always lacked detail, even when he was a 212 competitor.
“In all fairness, though, even when Derek was in 212, his biceps kind of looked like that. They are not better defined at 212; he just doesn’t have a lot of lines,” said Cicherillo.
Many believe Lunsford has been dragged through the mud following his triumph at the Mr. Olympia. There have been rumors that Lunsford used site enhancement oils or PMMA, a synthetic filler, to artificially enhance his physique. In light of the ongoing drama, even Lee Haney stepped in, emphasizing that Lunsford has been crucified unfairly.
The 2026 Mr. Olympia will look completely different from past years. Fans look forward to its highly anticipated return from Sept. 24-27 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
RELATED: Derek Lunsford Aims for ‘Almost Flawless’ Physique at 2026 Mr. Olympia, Reveals His Top 2 Threats
Watch the full video from the VOB Media YouTube channel below:
You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and
YouTube for even more content.
