Coach Hany Rambod still has a finger on the sport’s pulse despite stepping away from coaching. On Oct. 23, 2025, he revealed Sam Sulek will compete at the 2026 Arnold Classic Ohio and UK shows. He also broke down the Classic Physique Olympia pose-by-pose.
The 2025 Classic Physique Olympia was one of the most highly anticipated showdowns of the season. Chris Bumstead retired in 2024, leaving the door open for a new champion to emerge. Ultimately, it came down to a three-man war between frontrunners Ramon Queiroz, Mike Sommerfeld, and Terrence Ruffin.
In the end, Queiroz got his hand raised, marking the beginning of a new era in Classic Physique. He’s already expressed a desire to hold on to the title for the next five years before switching to the Men’s Open. Watching the event from the sidelines was Sulek, who is set for his Pro debut in just a few months.
Hany Rambod Says Sam Sulek Will Compete at 2026 AC Ohio and UK, Analyzes Classic Physique Olympia Top 3
In the video, Rambod confirmed Sam Sulek will make his IFBB Pro League debut at the 2026 Arnold Classic in Ohio. A few weeks later, he will also compete at the 2026 AC UK event.
Level Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!
“I just got a piece of news that I’d like to share with you guys as well. Obviously, it was a crazy, crazy Olympia Weekend, but speaking of the Arnold Classic that’s coming up… and speaking of Classic, Sam Sulek has decided to not only do the Arnold Classic in Ohio, but also the UK.”
“It’s going to be interesting to see how Sam might do against the likes of these gentlemen. It’s hard to say, I do not know if the champ Ramon Dino is going to do the Arnold or not. Chances are, I’m thinking he’s probably going to sit it out and take a little bit of a break,” he shared.
Reports suggest that Andrew Jacked is planning to compete at the 2026 Arnold Classic. He previously placed third at the event, finishing behind Derek Lunsford and Samson Dauda. Jacked is expected to be among the top names in the Men’s Open lineup, with more athletes likely to join. Meanwhile, Sam Sulek is preparing to compete in the Classic Physique division.
Switching back to the Olympia breakdown, Rambod took a closer look at the front double biceps pose first, revealing who had the edge between Ruffin, Sommerfeld, and Queiroz.
“I think one thing I didn’t like on Ramon on this pose is the fact that his trunks were down across his waist. I don’t think it’s doing him any justice.
If you look at Mike and you look at Ruff Diesel, they both have a V-cut posing trunks on, that means it’s creating more of your hips to your quad sweep. I feel like Ramon isn’t having that.”
In the side chest, Rambod detailed how Queiroz and Ruffin could improve this pose to make it a lights-out shot.
“In this shot, again, when this photo was taken, I don’t see Ramon twisting his upper body enough. What I’d like to see is more twist going outward,” he shared. “You got Mike in here, those nice hamstrings, really good shoulders, really good chest on all three of them, the only thing I see here is I’d like to see Terrence with bigger hamstrings.”
As for the abs and thigh, Rambod was impressed with Sommerfeld’s conditioning, noting that all three contenders had solid midsections.
“Mike’s got the striations in his quads, nice separation, Terrence, same thing. They all three have really good midsections.”
Rambod believes Sommerfeld’s hamstrings looked faded in the back double biceps pose, which could have held him back from gold.
“Going over to Mike, this is where he just looked a little bit washed out in the hamstrings, the back, the lower back is tight, but again, just a little bit of that glazed over effect from top to bottom on the backside of Mike.”
For the favorite Classic pose, Rambod suggested Queiroz vary it, similar to Sommerfeld’s approach at the 2025 Olympia. He thought this shot was near flawless for Ruffin.
“I do feel like he [Queiroz] can mix it up a little bit just versus a single arm biceps. Mike looks fantastic. He’s got that crazy V-taper, the wide shoulders, thick, wide quads; he looks fantastic in that pose. Terrence, honestly, I have zero complaints about that iconic pose he’s putting out.”
Rambod isn’t the first to give his take on the Classic Physique Olympia action. IFBB Pro League Vice President Tyler Manion provided a thorough analysis of the contest. He explained that Queiroz narrowly defeated Sommerfeld three poses to two in Las Vegas.
The Classic Physique division continues to grow in popularity. Time will tell how Sulek compares against elite talent and whether Queiroz will jump into the 2026 Arnold Classic.
RELATED: Ramon Queiroz Issues Statement After Making History as the New 2025 Classic Physique Olympia
Watch the full video from the Hany Rambod YouTube channel below:
Relive every moment from the 2025 Mr. Olympia, including prejudging, highlights, expert analysis, and full results. Explore our Olympia hub: FitnessVolt.com/olympia. For minute-by-minute coverage, follow our Live Blog.
You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and
YouTube for even more content.
