With less than three weeks to go before the 2026 Arnold Classic, bodybuilding veterans are laying out what’s likely to unfold. On Feb. 12, Chris Cormier and John Hansen revealed their top six Men’s Open picks for the stacked event.
Hadi Choopan heads to Ohio as the on-paper favorite, but with a caveat. Political unrest has shaken his home country of Iran, leading to tensions with his fan base. Some, like Shawn Ray, believe it could distract him when he finally steps onstage.
Choopan won’t be in for an easy night. Chinedu Andrew ‘Jacked’ Obiekea is surging, thanks to his third-place finish at the Mr. Olympia. He was neck and neck with Choopan and champion Derek Lunsford. Jacked also picked up some extra momentum after claiming gold at the Romania Pro.
For these reasons, public confidence in his potential has soared. Bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler was the latest to predict that he has the tools to win the Arnold Classic and the Mr. Olympia back-to-back. Beyond these top-two threats, the lineup has plenty of firepower.
Martin Fitzwater is flying under the radar but could pull off a big upset. He claimed fifth place at the recent Olympia contest. However, his stock rose to an all-time high after taking out Samson Dauda at the Prague Pro in the Czech Republic.
Nick Walker will return for redemption after dropping to sixth place at the Olympia. Given that it was the lowest finish of his career on the grand stage, he’s eager to make a statement in Ohio. Industry experts aren’t counting him out, as “The Mutant” won the Arnold Classic back in 2021.
Chris Cormier, John Hansen Share Top 6 Open Picks for 2026 Arnold Classic
Find their official picks from the video below:
Chris Cormier
- Winner — Hadi Choopan
- Second Place — Chinedu Andrew ‘Jacked’ Obiekea
- Third Place — Nick Walker
- Fourth Place — Martin Fitzwater
- Fifth Place — Brandon Curry
- Sixth Place — Rafael Brandao
John Hansen
- Winner — Chinedu Andrew ‘Jacked’ Obiekea
- Second Place — Hadi Choopan
- Third Place — Nick Walker
- Fourth Place — Martin Fitzwater
- Fifth Place — Brandon Curry
- Sixth Place — Mohamed Foda
Cormier predicts Choopan will secure his second Arnold Classic crown, having won the event back in 2024. He never officially lost his title; he just chose not to compete last year. In contrast, John Hansen expressed more confidence in Jacked’s chances.
The 2026 Arnold Classic is expected to be a history-making contest, with a staggering $750,000 prize purse for the Open champion. Fitness Volt will have live coverage of the weekend, which is set for March 5-8 in Columbus, Ohio.
Watch the full video from the Muscle and Fitness YouTube channel below:
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