The second biggest bodybuilding event of the year is almost here. On January 3, 2025, IFBB Pros James Hollingshead, Iain Valliere, and Seth Feroce revealed their top 10 Open picks for the 2025 Arnold Classic, set to take place in Columbus, Ohio from February 27 to March 2.
The nearing Arnold Classic is shaping up to be the 2024 Mr. Olympia’s sequel. After surrendering his Sandow trophy to Samson Dauda in October, former two-division Olympia titleholder Derek Lunsford will aim for redemption by claiming gold in his debut at the event. It’s not often we see a Mr. Olympia champion compete outside of the prestigious contest, but that will be the case for ‘The Nigerian Lion.’
Among the frontrunners hoping to pull off an upset will be Andrew Jacked, who took fifth in his last Olympia appearance, as well as bodybuilding great Brandon Curry. He hasn’t forgotten what it takes to reach the highest levels in the Men’s Open. That’s just scratching the surface, too, as many notable talents are heading to Ohio, including Shaun Clarida, James Hollingshead, William Bonac, and Carlos Thomas Jr.
It seems abundantly clear that Arnold Schwarzenegger attaching a $500,000 purse to the event’s Open winner has garnered interest from elite caliber Pros. With so much at stake, bodybuilders have been quick to offer their insights into what could happen when the curtains rise.
James Hollingshead, Iain Valliere, & Seth Feroce Reveal Their Top 10 Open Picks for the 2025 Arnold Classic
Find their official picks below, which they announced on a recent Bro Chat Podcast via YouTube:
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James Hollingshead
- Winner — Samson Dauda
- Second Place — Andrew Jacked
- Third Place — Derek Lunsford
- Fourth Place — William Bonac
- Fifth Place — James Hollingshead
- Sixth Place — Akim Williams
- Seventh Place — Jon Delarosa
- Eighth Place — Brandon Curry
- Ninth Place — Shaun Clarida
- Tenth Place — Carlos Thomas Jr.
Seth Feroce
- Winner — Samson Dauda
- Second Place — Derek Lunsford
- Third Place — Andrew Jacked
- Fourth Place — Carlos Thomas Jr.
- Fifth Place — Brandon Curry
- Sixth Place — James Hollingshead
- Seventh Place — Jon Delaroasa
- Eighth Place — William Bonac
- Ninth Place — Akim Williams
- Tenth Place — Shaun Clarida
Iain Valliere
- Winner — Samson Dauda
- Second Place — Derek Lunsford
- Third Place — Andrew Jacked
- Fourth Place — Brandon Curry
- Fifth Place — Carlos Thomas Jr.
- Sixth Place — William Bonac
- Seventh Place — James Hollingshead
- Eighth Place — Akim Williams
- Ninth Place — Jon Delarosa
- Tenth Place — Shaun Clarida
James Hollingshead, Seth Feroce, and Iain Valliere all have Dauda pulling off the victory. Interestingly, there hasn’t been one IFBB Pro to back Derek Lunsford to win this event yet. Thus far, Chris Cormier, Milos Sarcev, Dennis James, Jose Raymond, and Samir Bannout all envision the reigning Mr. Olympia walking away victorious. But we’ve seen Lunsford defeat Dauda before, so counting him out of the title picture could be a mistake, especially now that he’s teamed up with a new coach in Cormier.
While cash prizes and an Olympia qualification will be fought for on stage, that’s not the only benefit to claiming Arnold Classic gold. The winner will garner much-needed momentum heading into the 2025 Mr. Olympia competition.
Contenders haven’t been shy about sharing physique updates ahead of the massive event. Don’t miss full coverage of the 2025 Arnold Classic here at Fitness Volt when the contest makes its way back in less than nine weeks.
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