Jay Cutler continues to watch the Men’s Open class evolve since quad-stomping his way to four Mr. Olympia titles. In a recent Cutler Cast Podcast, Cutler opened up on Hadi Choopan’s big victory in Columbus, Ohio. He also addressed the athlete backlash stemming from the latest increase in Open winner prize money slated for the 2025 Arnold Classic.
When the curtains closed at the 2024 Arnold Classic, it was more than Hadi Choopan’s resounding victory that sent shockwaves through the sport. Bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger announced a substantial increase in Open prize money for the next Arnold Classic, having raised the total from $300,000 to $500,000. This boost means that the Arnold Classic pays out more to its Open winner than the Mr. Olympia by $100,000.
With time to process the sudden monetary increase, athletes such as former 10-time Ms. Olympia Iris Kyle and reigning three-time Women’s Physique Olympia Sarah Villegas have aired their grievances. They have called for equal opportunities for female divisions such as Women’s Physique, Figure, and Women’s Bodybuilding—all of which have been excluded from the Arnold Classic as of late.
The latest to address this controversy are Jay Cutler and Milos Sarcev, who both contend that Schwarzenegger has the right to host the annual event how he sees fit. Cutler also opened up on Choopan’s latest victory, comparing it to his earth-shattering 2009 Mr. Olympia comeback.
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Jay Cutler Discusses Hadi Choopan’s 2024 Arnold Classic Win & Backlash Over New 500K Open Prize Money
Cutler was blown away by Choopan’s performance and explained why it reminded him of his ’09 comeback.
“He came back after he got a lot of criticism at Olympia, I mean, obviously losing the title… he missed it a little bit. It was kind of like me coming back in ’09, it was redemption and now he’s got his visa for UK, right, so.”
Regarding disagreements over Open prize money, Milos Sarcev emphasized that athletes have freedom of speech. However, he also acknowledged that it is Schwarzenegger’s show, and he has the discretion to award competitors as he deems appropriate.
“Freedom of speech, Arnold can do whatever he wants, it’s Arnold. It’s an established show that you won three times. The show is phenomenal,” said Milos Sarcev.
Despite backlash coming from female athletes, Cutler underlined that Men’s Open Bodybuilding is still king.
“Listen man, it’s kind of like, like when I heard this [disagreements from women division athletes], Men’s Bodybuilding, it’s still king. That’s what people come for, the muscle show. People might agree or disagree. A lot of our comments are going to favor us anyway but just goes to show, I mean, that’s what it’s all about just like the Mr. Olympia.”
“It’s a substantial amount more than what the other classes are, right? I know there are a lot of complaints but in the end man, we chose our fields. I’m just happy that now because of the lack of large contracts, these guys can actually compete and potentially win a lot more money. That’s just not for the first place, it’s the seconds and the thirds, I know it’s a little harder to qualify. You know there is a lot of shows, which I don’t think there should be as many shows honestly, but we do have way more international top guys than we ever had.”
He adds that politics have always played a role in the growing sport:
“There was always is there politics with a guy from the UK or an Iranian guy winning, you remember. Dorian Yates was winning Mr. Olympia for quite some time and he was the only top foreigner that was in the top spaces,” explains Cutler.
“The sport has evolved,” said Sarcev.
Cutler, who netted a $100,000 take home for his Arnold Classic victories, would have loved to rake in $500,000.
“I’d love to be winning 500K,” replies Cutler. “I wish I could [come back], I think Phil Heath should though. I would love to see Phil Heath.”
Sarcev and Cutler believe the new Open prize money has substantially increased and now affords more opportunities for athletes aiming to compete at the highest level.
“What I love is a guy to be able to make a million bucks a year between endorsements and prize money and I mean, Derek and these guys are doing that, right?” Cutler shared.
“Listen, 500 thousand dollars for first place, that’s absolutely substantial right? Back in our times, you were winning 100 grand and that was a lot,” Sarcev said.
“When I told my mom he raised the money to 500 and she was like how much did you win, I said 100, she said wow, 500 thousand, you know,” Cutler said.
The bump in Open winner prize money has created quite a stir within the bodybuilding community. Athletes rep Bob Cicherillo addressed concerns over inequality, mentioning that the prize money for the Open was justified as it remains one of the greatest revenue generators in the sport, alongside Classic Physique.
Meanwhile, former four-time Arnold Classic winner Flex Wheeler believes if Mr. Olympia doesn’t follow suit with more Open prize money, they could ultimately end up as the second-biggest bodybuilding event of the IFBB Pro League calendar.
The buzz around the 2024 Arnold Classic wasn’t just about Hadi Choopan’s triumph—it was also about Arnold Schwarzenegger’s bold move to raise the Open prize money to $500,000. With athletes like Jay Cutler and Milos Sarcev weighing in, the debate on fairness and opportunities in bodybuilding continues to evolve.
RELATED: 2024 Arnold Classic Prize Money Breakdown For All Divisions
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