The final Men’s Open qualifier for the 2025 Mr. Olympia is set for this weekend at the Europa Pro Championship. On Sept. 11, Chris Cormier and Milos Sarcev revealed their top six picks just days before the athletes battle onstage.
Former Classic Physique competitor-turned Open bodybuilder, Urs Kalecinski, is a big favorite heading into the Europa Pro. After claiming third place in Classic at the Olympia for three straight years, he decided to make a move. Kalecinski jumped into the Men’s Open without notice and dominated at the 2025 ProMuscle Pro en route to gold.
It was a history-making triumph–not only did Kalecinski prove himself against athletes many thought would outsize him, but he also became the first bodybuilder to qualify for the Mr. Olympia across two divisions in the same year.
If “The Miracle Bear” wants another Open win under his belt, he’ll have to at the very least replicate the package he brought to Italy. Frontrunner Quinton Eriya has yet to qualify for Olympia, and given that this is his last opportunity, he’ll make an all-out final push to halt Kalecinski’s momentum.
It’ll be a battleground in Germany, with other threats looming, like mass monster Tim Budesheim, UK’s Marc Hector, Matthias Hollweck, and Lewis Breed. A few days separate us from the event, and predictions are rolling in.
2025 Europa Pro Championship Top 6 Picks
Find their picks from the YouTube video below:
Chris Cormier
- Winner — Urs Kalecinski
- Second Place — Quinton Eriya
- Third Place — Marc Hector
- Fourth Place — Matthias Hollweck
- Fifth Place — Tim Budesheim
- Sixth Place — Lewis Breed
Milos Sarcev
- Winner — Urs Kalecinski
- Second Place — Quinton Eriya
- Third Place — Marc Hector
- Fourth Place — Lewis Breed
- Fifth Place — Emir Omeragic
- Sixth Place — Matthias Hollweck
Sarcev added that if Kalecinski pulls off his second consecutive win ahead of Olympia, his popularity will skyrocket, sharing, “If Urs gets this one, it’s going to catapult him into superstardom.”
“The Mind” isn’t the only one suggesting Kalecinski could be the sport’s next icon. Recently, IFBB Pro judge Terrick El Guindy assessed Kalecinski’s Italy performance. While he urged the young contender to add muscle density, he said Kalecinski is already a superstar. As for Jay Cutler, he sees Kalecinski earning a top-five position at the Olympia in a year or two.
It wasn’t very close in Italy, as Kalecinski defeated Eriya by six points on the scorecards. Time will tell if he can pick up another victory. Don’t miss the 2025 Europa Pro Championship on September 14 in Offenbach, Germany. Fitness Volt will have live coverage of the results.
RELATED: Iain Valliere Shares His Top 10 Picks for the 2025 Europa Pro Championship
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