Bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler believes a new titleholder could emerge at two of the sport’s biggest shows of the year. On Dec. 1, 2025, he predicted Chinedu Andrew “Jacked” Obiekea to win the 2026 Arnold Classic and Mr. Olympia.
The 2025 Mr. Olympia contest reshaped the upper echelon of the Men’s Open class. While Samson Dauda entered Vegas as the reigning champion, judges marked him down for a downsized physique, which led to a fourth-place finish.
The finals turned into a three-man showdown between Derek Lunsford, Hadi Choopan, and Andrew Jacked. In the end, Lunsford prevailed to reclaim the Sandow trophy. However, in the show’s aftermath, some thought Jacked could have left as champion, including Lee Priest. It now seems Priest isn’t the only top-tier bodybuilder getting behind Jacked’s potential.
Jay Cutler Predicts Andrew Jacked Wins 2026 Arnold Classic and Mr. Olympia
In the video, Cutler touched on Jacked’s origins, revealing that he discovered bodybuilding through Larry Wheels.
“Andrew Jacked was a social media guy. He was shooting with Larry Wheels. He was a strength guy. He came on the scene, and we haven’t seen anyone with that dominance as far as the shoulder width, the tie-ins, all the tools to be Mr. Olympia.”
Cutler went as far as to suggest that Jacked could win the 2026 Arnold Classic and Mr. Olympia.
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“I don’t ever make predictions because I cheer both these guys on,” he shared. “Andrew Jacked is Mr. Olympia all the way. He has all the tools. So, is he going to be the next? If I was a betting man, I’d probably favor Andrew to come in and win the Arnold and Olympia in 2026, just because of his momentum right now.”
“I think Andrew still can get a little better. I think he’s motivated. Success motivates the hell out of people, but when someone has an unlimited structure, like an Andrew Jacked, it’s endless.”
Should Jacked come out on top at the Arnold Classic Ohio and UK events, he’ll nail down $1 million in prize earnings for 2026 before even reaching the Olympia stage.
“I feel like Andrew, if he improves a little bit, he wins that $750. He could go to UK and win $250 more, win a million. A million dollars motivates the shit out of a lot of people.”
Switching gears, Cutler gave his thoughts on maintaining longevity at 52. He explained that morning hydration, stress management, and tissue work have all helped him age more gracefully.
“Sleep. My four glasses of water in the morning. My activity levels. My tissue work. I don’t drink. I don’t smoke. I don’t stress which is probably hard to believe. My flights get cancelled. Okay, it is what it is. Business things, I’ve been fortunate to navigate with great people around me,” he said.
Cutler isn’t the only bodybuilder praising Jacked’s potential in the sport. Former 212 Olympia Kamal Elgargni recently claimed Jacked could win five Olympia titles. He also predicted that he’d secure victories at the 2026 Arnold Classic and Mr. Olympia.
Jacked will enter the Arnold Classic with momentum, having laid claim to gold at the Romania Muscle Fest Pro. If he wins both Arnolds, he’ll be in a powerful position to challenge for gold at Olympia.
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