Dennis James and Milos Sarcev are sizing up the 2026 Arnold Classic lineup. On Jan. 8, 2026, via YouTube, they revealed their top three Men’s Open picks for the event.
Reigning Olympia and AC champ Derek Lunsford decided to sit out of the Arnold Classic. So, when the smoke clears, a new titleholder will emerge in Ohio. The lineup is loaded with top threats, including returning champions Hadi Choopan (2024) and Nick Walker (2021). However, significant attention has turned to Chinedu Andrew ‘Jacked’ Obiekea, who smashed expectations en route to bronze at Olympia.
Although no competitor on this roster has beaten Choopan, that could change. Jacked appears to be at his all-time best. He won’t have the added pressure of worrying about an Olympia qualification either. On top of that, the Nigerian native took home gold recently at the Romania Muscle Fest Pro.
The pressure couldn’t be heavier for Walker. He mistimed his peak and fell to sixth place at the Mr. Olympia contest. To make matters more complicated, he and his coach, Kyle Wilkes, parted ways. “The Mutant” intends to captain his nutrition, training, and supplementation alone moving forward.
Another heavy hitter eager to claim the $750,000 winner’s purse is Martin Fitzwater. He’s muscled his way into the upper echelon of the Men’s Open. At the Mr. Olympia, Fitzwater took fifth place and even beat Samson Dauda at the Prague Pro to register a successful title defense. With forward momentum, he could find himself battling in the final callout when the curtains rise.
2026 Arnold Classic Picks
Find their picks from the video below:
Dennis James
- Winner — Chinedu Andrew ‘Jacked’ Obiekea
- Second Place — Hadi Choopan
- Third Place — Nick Walker
Milos Sarcev
- Winner — Hadi Choopan
- Second Place — Chinedu Andrew ‘Jacked’ Obiekea
- Third Place — Nick Walker
James and Sarcev have either Choopan or Jacked taking the crown. Interestingly, both bodybuilding veterans backed Walker to secure a spot on the podium despite having lost to Fitzwater at the recent Mr. Olympia contest.
Public confidence in Jacked has exploded. Former four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler has gotten behind the tall mass monster. He stated that Jacked has ‘all the tools’ and predicted that with just small improvements, he could win both the Arnold Classic and the Mr. Olympia.
Meanwhile, retired IFBB Pro Iain Valliere shared his thoughts on the show’s lineup. With an improved peak, he argued Walker could win a second title in Ohio. However, his firm top three featured Choopan in first place, Jacked in second, and Fitzwater in third.
The 2026 Arnold Classic lineup will definitely spice up the Open class before the next Mr. Olympia. It takes place in Columbus, Ohio, from March 5-8.
RELATED: 284-Lb Nick Walker Talks 2026 Arnold Classic Prep: “The End Goal Is To Win”
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