The 2026 Arnold Classic UK will award $250,000 to its Open winner. Ahead of the event, on March 19, bodybuilding veterans Dennis James, Milos Sarcev, and Jose Raymond shared their top Men’s Open picks.
Heading into the UK, Chinedu Andrew “Jacked” Obiekea is in the hunt for another dominant performance. He placed third at the 2025 Mr. Olympia and has been on a roll since. He won the Romania Pro, then came out on top in a battle against Nick Walker at the 2026 Arnold Classic Ohio. The Nigerian native will have less firepower to deal with when he hits the stage overseas; even still, it won’t be an easy win.
Martin Fitzwater stands out as one of his biggest threats. At the Mr. Olympia, “The Martian” secured fifth place. However, he proved himself with a quick turnaround at the 2025 Prague Pro, where he defeated former Olympia champ Samson Dauda.
Additionally, former 2019 Mr. Olympia Brandon Curry could shock the world. Many believe, including Milos Sarcev, that Curry has been overlooked in his last few contests, including the Mr. Olympia and the AC Ohio. Meanwhile, Mohamed Foda is looking to do some damage. After winning the 2026 Detroit Pro, he doesn’t have the added pressure of qualifying for Olympia, which could set the table for one of his strongest packages.
Bodybuilding Veterans Share Predictions for 2026 Arnold Classic UK
Find their picks from the video below:
Dennis James
- Winner — Andrew Jacked
- Second Place — Brandon Curry
- Third Place — Martin Fitzwater
- Fourth Place — Mo Foda
- Fifth Place — Patrick Moore
- Sixth Place — Blessing Awodibu
Jose Raymond
- Winner — Andrew Jacked
- Second Place — Brandon Curry
- Third Place — Martin Fitzwater
- Fourth Place — Akim Williams
- Fifth Place — Mo Foda
- Sixth Place — Patrick Moore
Milos Sarcev
- Winner — Andrew Jacked
- Second Place — Martin Fitzwater
- Third Place — Brandon Curry
- Fourth Place — Patrick Moore
- Fifth Place — Blessing Awodibu
- Sixth Place — Mo Foda
James, Sarcev, and Raymond all see Andrew Jacked taking the UK crown. Interestingly, James and Raymond both have Curry defeating Fitzwater when they battle it out. At the AC Ohio contest, Fitzwater managed to beat Curry by 10 points, so the former Mr. O will need to showcase improvements to be in the mix.
These haven’t been the only bodybuilding veterans to offer Men’s Open picks for the Arnold UK. Antoine Vaillant and Jon Delarosa teamed up to give their take. They also backed Jacked to emerge victorious for a second time in one month.
Don’t miss the 2026 Arnold Classic UK, scheduled for March 27-29 in Birmingham, United Kingdom.
Watch the full video from the Muscle and Fitness YouTube channel below:
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