Bodybuilder Carlos Thomas Jr. is quickly approaching the second Pro contest of his budding career. On January 16, 2025, he revealed his top six Men’s Open picks for the 2025 Arnold Classic, set to take place from February 27 to March 2 in Columbus, Ohio.
Attention has quickly turned to the Arnold Classic, featuring a historic $500,000 purse for the Men’s Open winner. This attracted a host of elite bodybuilding contenders, including the reigning Mr. Olympia Samson Dauda, former two-division titleholder Derek Lunsford, Andrew Jacked, and many other notable threats.
Carlos Thomas Jr. is among those who are looking to make a statement. He last competed in 2023 at the Texas Pro, taking third place in a highly successful IFBB Pro League debut. He gained valuable experience and used his latest off-season to improve the balance of his physique from top-to-bottom. Fans believe he has all the mass needed to make a play for gold, though there are questions about the level of conditioning he can achieve on stage.
Carlos Thomas Jr. Shares Top 6 Open Picks for the 2025 Arnold Classic
Find Carlos Thomas Jr.’s picks below:
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- Winner — Samson Dauda
- Second Place — Derek Lunsford
- Third Place — Carlos Thomas Jr.
- Fourth Place — Andrew Jacked
- Fifth Place — Shaun Clarida
- Sixth Place — Brandon Curry
In the recent YouTube video, Carlos Thomas Jr. explained his picks. He believes Samson Dauda, Derek Lunsford, and himself will make it onto the podium. However, Thomas Jr. said his chest striations and leg separation would give him the edge against Andrew Jacked, who he placed in fourth.
“Samson is first. He’s…man, that last update man, like I said, I had to put my phone down because it’s like game [over],” shares Thomas Jr. “Second, honestly, I’m going to put Derek there. I think he does have some things over me, especially that back double. I think that’s going to give him a little bit of an edge.”
“From the front, if you flip us around, I think me at the top conditioning, I’ll have those chest striations, I think that separation you guys were speaking about in the legs will be there. I’ll put him in second, he’s a former Mr. Olympia. I do see myself placing ahead of Andrew in third.”
Beyond those predictions, he sees Shaun Clarida and Brandon Curry taking fifth and sixth.
“Fifth, I’ll put Shaun. I think Shaun is the Giant Killer for real, and I’ll put him there. And top six, I’d put Brandon in sixth,” explains Carlos Thomas Jr.
This wasn’t Carlos Thomas Jr.’s first time assessing the stacked Arnold Classic lineup. He recently spoke on how he might compare against frontrunners Dauda and Lunsford.
“I’m still that odd man. I’ve got work to do. Going against these guys like Samson now, and Derek, and William, and Brandon, and Andrew — guys I definitely respect. I’m like okay, I got mad work to do.”
With the opportunity to go against two of the best bodybuilders in the world, Carlos Thomas Jr. isn’t taking his appearance at the 2025 Arnold Classic lightly. How do you think he’ll fare when it’s showtime? Let us know in the comment section!
Watch the full video from the Muscle and Fitness YouTube channel below:
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