The Classic Physique contest at the 2022 Arnold Classic is scheduled for Friday, Mar. 4, 2022, and the competitors are turning up the heat by posting physique update photos and videos on social media.
Fans are expecting a heated contest on the 2022 Arnold Classic (AC) stage. The Classic Physique roster features an Olympia champion and two Arnold Classic champions.
2022 AC will be held on March 3-6, 2022, at Battelle Grand Ballroom of the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, OH.
Classic Physique is fast becoming one of the most popular divisions since debuting in 2016. Classic Physique bodybuilders emulate the Golden Era aesthetics — think Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane, and Franco Columbu. The competitors even wear the good old black posing trunks to match the ’80s look.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has been one of the biggest supporters of the Classic Physique division. His namesake bodybuilding show, the Arnold Classic, put their money where their mouth is and have increased the prize money for the Classic Physique division winner from $7,000 to $60,000. To put this into context, Chris Bumstead was awarded $50,000 for his first-place finish at the 2020 Classic Physique Olympia.
As per the IFBB rules, there are different height and weight limits within Classic Physique. As compared to the men’s open division, judges look for mass but emphasize conditioning and symmetry in the Classic Physique division.
Classic Physique Roster: 2022 Arnold Classic
- Breon Ansley (USA)
- Michael Daboul (United Kingdom)
- Urs Kalecinski (Germany)
- Peter Molnar (Hungary)
- Terrence Ruffin (USA)
- Ramon Rocha Queiroz (Brasil)
- Darwin Uribe (USA)
- Lenny Wicks (USA)
- Divine Wilson (USA)
Classic Physique Predictions
Our top picks for the 2022 AC Classic Physique contest include:
6. Divine Wilson
Wilson is an underdog going into the 2022 Arnold Classic. He has a ton of competitive experience under his belt. Divine Wilson turned pro in 2016 at the NPC nationals — the same year the Classic Physique division was introduced.
The Classic Physique veteran has won two pro shows — including 2021 Pittsburgh Pro and 2020 Savannah Pro. The bodybuilder sure knows how to win shows, and it’ll be interesting to see him on stage at the 2022 AC.
Wilson has one of the most shredded abdomens in the Classic Physique division. If he can bring his current conditioning and shape to the Arnold stage (photo shared above), he can easily finish in the top six in the show.
Divine Wilson is one of the two bodybuilders on this list who are not already qualified for the 2022 Classic Physique Olympia. The Arnold Classic USA champ earns automatic qualification for Olympia.
5. Lenny Wicks
Lenny Wicks qualified for the 2022 Classic Physique Olympia by winning the 2021 Ben Weider Natural Pro. He will be looking to carry his momentum into the 2022 AC.
Wicks claims to be a natural bodybuilder and is a 4x USPA Drug Tested National Champ and 2x USPA Drug Tested World Champ.
Although Lenny Wicks is not the biggest or the most muscular guy on the roster, he is known to bring a peeled physique on contest day. If he can nail his trademark conditioning on D-Day, he might take fifth place. From what we can judge by the progress photos, it’ll be a tough battle between Wicks and Wilson for the fifth spot.
The natural bodybuilding community will surely be cheering for him come Mar. 4, 2022.
4. Ramon Rocha Queiroz
The 26-year-old Brazilian bodybuilder has been sharing some insanely shredded physique update photos leading to the 2022 AC — flaring bodybuilding fans’ excitement in the process. Apart from having a diced body, he has one of the best legs on the list, which gets him a fourth-place finish in our books.
Ramon Rocha Queiroz earned his pro card in 2018 by winning Mr. Olympia Amateur Brazil. He scored a second-place finish in his first pro show — 2021 Europa Pro, which qualified him for the 2021 Olympia.
Ramon Dino placed fifth at the 2021 Olympia and will be looking to outdo the best Classic Physique bodybuilders at the Arnold Classic USA to improve his chances at the 2022 Olympia. However, this is easier said than done.
The top five finishers at the 2021 Olympia will be competing at the 2022 AC, Columbus. It will be a challenge for Ramon to place in the top three, but it should not be ruled out.
3. Urs Kalecinski
Urs “The Miracle Bear” Kalecinski is one of the most promising bodybuilders on the 2022 AC roster. The 23-year-old bodybuilder surprised Classic Physique fans with his incredibly chiseled physique at the 2021 Olympia.
Urs looks great from the front and back. He has all the ingredients to become a Classic Physique champ in the near future. Although he gets the third spot on our list, he could finish in the top two if he brings bigger arms at the 2022 AC USA.
The German bodybuilder qualified for the 2021 Olympia by winning the 2021 Tampa Pro. He went head-to-head with Chris Bumstead on the Olympia stage but had to settle with a respectable fourth-place finish.
Urs is the second bodybuilder on the list who is not yet qualified for the 2022 Olympia, but he’ll be going full-throttle on Mar. 4, 2022, to change that.
2. Breon Ansley
Breon Ansley is a Classic Physique titan and is one of the most accomplished competitors on the roster. He is a 2X Olympia Champ (2017 and 2018) and 2018 Arnold Classic winner.
Ansley is training with the bodybuilding legend Chris Cormier for the 2022 Arnold Classic and will be bringing his best packages to the stage. His dry and peeled conditioning puts him in the runners-up spot on our list. However, Ansley has a real chance of coming out on top if Ruffin (spoiler alert) misses a beat.
Ansley took home a third-place finish at the 2021 Olympia. He will be looking to win the Arnold Classic USA, which is considered the second biggest bodybuilding show after Olympia. Winning the show will make him Chris Bumstead’s number one challenger at the 2022 Olympia.
1. Terrence Ruffin
“Ruff Diesel” is the defending Arnold Classic champ and took second place at the 2020 and 2021 Olympia behind Chris Bumstead.
His classic V-taper (broad shoulders and tiny waist), perfect muscle symmetry, and conditioning make him the favorite going into the 2022 Arnold Classic USA.
Terrence Ruffin is one of the best posers in the bodybuilding industry, and it undoubtedly adds to his performance on stage. Ruffin is known to bring a peeled look to a contest. If he carries the same shape and conditioning from 2021 Olympia, he will most likely be the first 2X Arnold Classic champ since the division’s debut at the AC in 2018.
2022 Arnold Classic Point Awards
Since the AC USA is a Tier 1 show, the winner of each division will earn automatic qualification for the 2022 Olympia (if not already qualified), and the second through fifth-place finishers will be awarded the following points as per the Olympia Qualification System (OQS):
- 2nd – 10 points
- 3rd – 9 points
- 4th – 8 points
- 5th – 7 points
Classic Physique Schedule: 2022 Arnold Classic
The 2022 AC Classic Physique goes down on Friday, Mar. 4, 2022. Prejudging round begins at 12 p.m.* (Columbus Convention Center – Arnold Fitness EXPO stage), and the finals start at 7 p.m. (Columbus Convention Center – Battelle Ground).
* Times are in Eastern Standard Time (EST)
For more information, tickets, and access to the 2022 Arnold Classic pay-per-view, go to arnoldsportsfestival.com.
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