Bodybuilding veteran Kai Greene hasn’t completely turned his back on competing again. On February 24, 2025, he discussed comeback rumors, how training has changed, and the upcoming 2025 Arnold Classic contest.
Kai Greene gave bodybuilding legend Phil Heath all he could handle throughout his seven-year Mr. Olympia reign. Although Greene never secured the prestigious Sandow trophy, he managed to earn three victories at the annual Arnold Classic competition.
Given his experience on stage, he’s developed a keen eye for physiques in the Men’s Open class. He recently teased coming back to the sport with a cryptic video showing him arriving at the Pittsburgh International Airport. And with Samson Dauda aiming to earn his second Arnold Classic title, Greene offered his analysis of the competition. He also revealed what fans can expect from him on the horizon.
Kai Greene Discusses 2025 Arnold Classic Favorites, Addresses Comeback Rumors & How His Training Has Changed
Greene reiterated that he never retired and is ‘working on a few things.’
“I never retired. I’m working on a few things,” shared Greene. “I’m able to be healthy. I’m able to approach my thoughts about training and believing my career is not over.”
He believes Samson Dauda is ‘doing something extremely difficult to do’ by competing at the nearing Arnold Classic as the reigning Mr. Olympia.
“I think there’s a lot of talent coming up,” he states. “You know, what he’s [Samson Dauda] doing is extremely difficult to do.”
He explained that the Arnold Classic was a place where he felt he could be seen by fans, which opened the door for more opportunities.
“Even earlier in my career, that was a place where I felt like I got a chance to be seen, to feel like I was seen. And with that, it was a huge door opener for new opportunities.”
He also reflected on meeting Andrew Jacked before he established himself as a top-tier Open standout.
“Right, [he wasn’t known], but that’s the thing. You can spend so much time thinking hey I want to be encouraging I want to be this, I want to be that, I want to be able to speak positively to those people.”
“I did [put my foot in my mouth] and that’s kind of how — that’s the thing. At the time I spoke to him, I was in my own place. I was in my own mind. It was one of those mornings where I wasn’t trying to be the responsible person around. I was caught up in my own head.”
Lastly, Greene opened up on how his training has changed over the years, emphasizing that some of his muscles aren’t as responsive as they once were.
“Even when I’m in the gym training, I may not feel the most confident about everything that I’m doing. There are times when I can feel like I’m still critically thinking and trying to troubleshoot my way into trying to make connections with bodies and muscles that are maybe not as responsive or don’t feel the same way that they did 15 years ago.”
“It may be a thing of arthritis in a joint or two that I now have to work around,” he adds.
The 2025 Arnold Classic promises to be explosive as Samson Dauda aims to fend off Derek Lunsford, Andrew Jacked, and a lineup of other skilled contenders. Greene continues to leave the door open for a possible comeback and he doesn’t underestimate what the Arnold Classic contest means to bodybuilding competitors.
Watch the full video from the CutlerCast YouTube channel below:
Catch comprehensive coverage of the 2025 Arnold Classic, including pre-judging, event recaps, analyses, and complete Arnold Classic results at our Arnold Classic coverage hub: FitnessVolt.com/arnold-classic
You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and
YouTube for even more content.
