Mike Sommerfeld has faced a cluster of setbacks en route to his next show. On Feb. 5, 2026, he reflected on back-to-back hospitalizations from food poisoning. Then, he clarified that his goal is to present a ‘perfect 3D look’ at the 2026 Arnold Classic.
Mike Sommerfeld won the 2025 Arnold Classic, defeating former champ Wesley Vissers. He was considered a massive favorite at the Mr. Olympia. However, in the days leading up to the contest, controversy surrounding Sommerfeld’s height and weight grew. To make the Classic Physique weight cap, he was tasked with losing 14 pounds in two days.
Ultimately, Sommerfeld fell short at the Classic Physique Olympia by just one point to Brazilian star Ramon Rocha Queiroz. With the Arnold Classic approaching, he laid out some of the struggles he and his coach have navigated before stepping back onstage.
Mike Sommerfeld Opens Up on Hospitalizations, Wants ‘Perfect 3D Look’ at 2026 Arnold Classic
In the YouTube video, Sommerfeld relived his back-to-back hospital stays abroad. Both of which stemmed from food poisoning.
“We picked up the first food poisoning straight in Mexico. The next one, actually in Rome, and I ended up getting an IV and emergency at the hospital. Same thing in Malaysia. As soon as we stepped out of the plane, we went straight to the emergency room to get another IV to stabilize blood sugar and electrolytes.”
He admitted to losing 15 pounds on one plane ride alone:
“I was really dehydrated. I lost 15 pounds just on the plane. So I spent more time on the toilet than on my seat, actually,” he shared. “The third one hit in Bali. I remember that I was, by accident, drinking pool water as I was jumping in. I didn’t know that the water there is actually so bad that I picked up something straight away.”
Though it’s not ideal, Sommerfeld has been forced to take antibiotics throughout his prep for the Arnold Classic.
“The diarrhea didn’t really stop, and I’m sorry to talk about that right here, but I think you should know. We decided to combine antibiotics with a contest prep, that’s what we did the last three weeks.”
“I felt really off, slow, and depressed. The gut always communicates with the brain.”
As for his personal goal at the Arnold Classic, he kept it simple: Sommerfeld wants a perfect three-dimensional look that’s competitive from every angle onstage.
“We are five and a half weeks out now. As we said, a few pounds need to come off. The goal is to actually create a perfect 3D look. A three-dimensional look, comparable, competitive, from each and every angle.
If we’re able to achieve that, that will be my personal goal. That has nothing to do with the weight or anything else; I just want to create a polished, nice, full, round, hard, great look. A great Classic Bodybuilding look,” he said.
Public confidence in Sommerfeld has soared following the Mr. Olympia. Bodybuilding veterans Dennis James and Chris Cormier assessed the Ohio lineup. They both see Sommerfeld as the clear favorite heading into the second biggest show of the year.
Even with setbacks, Sommerfeld intends to present his best. The 2026 Arnold Classic takes place from March 5-8 in Columbus, Ohio.
RELATED: Wesley Vissers Shares His Top 5 Classic Physique Picks Ahead of 2026 Arnold Classic
Watch the full video from the Mike Sommerfeld YouTube channel below:
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