Cash prizes and a Mr. Olympia qualification await the 2026 New York Pro winner. In a pair of Instagram posts shared on April 28-29, bodybuilders Michal ‘Krizo’ Krizanek and Rafael Brandao showed off physique updates ahead of their East Coast battle.
Michal Krizo is eager to push his name back into the Mr. Olympia title picture. It’s been a tough road for the Slovakian talent. In 2024, he underwent shoulder surgery but didn’t rush back to the stage.
Krizo prepared carefully for the 2025 Pittsburgh Pro but found himself outside the final callout in fifth place. From there, he claimed bronze at New York Pro. Then qualified for the 2026 Olympia courtesy of his British Grand Prix Pro victory.
Meanwhile, Brazil’s Rafael Brandao has continued to hold his own in the Men’s Open. Despite qualifying, Brandao opted to sit out of the 2025 Mr. Olympia. His comeback show came at the 2026 Arnold Classic; however, his conditioning and fullness landed him in sixth place. Looking ahead, both Krizo and Brandao are committed to the New York and Pittsburgh Pro events.
Bodybuilders Michal Krizo and Rafael Brandao Reveal Massive Physique Updates Ahead of 2026 New York Pro
On Instagram, Krizo showed off his latest progress and revealed his weight is sitting at 288.6 pounds.
“10 days out. Empty ,tired but ready for war 💪😍 bw 130 kg” Michal Krizo shared.
Brandao also provided an update and stressed that he won’t let setbacks dictate the success of his career:
“I will be there . There’s no doubt about it. Never has been ! This here did not start yesterday These are years of silent war… years of giving up, falling, getting up, and going — even when no one was watching. I built this through the pain Na disciplina. In the obsession of a dream that many people didn’t have the courage to even try.”
“Every defeat? I used up. Every difficulty? I just absorbed it. Every moment it seemed impossible… That’s exactly where I became stronger It didn’t break me. This has shaped me.
Today I look back and I am sure: I needed all of that to become who I am now. I am getting closer and closer. I feel it. I see it. I live by this every day. And no matter how long it takes… a week, a month or years… I don’t stop. Im not backing down I do not bargain. I will be there,” shared Rafael Brandao.
The New York Pro has witnessed high-profile athletes win titles, including Kai Greene, William Bonac, Nick Walker, and the late Cedric McMillan. It’s considered the third-most prestigious contest on the IFBB Pro League calendar, behind the Arnold Classic and Mr. Olympia. Fans expect a massive clash when these Open contenders hit the stage from May 8-9 in Teaneck, New Jersey.
RELATED: Michal Krizo Shares Full Day of Eating, Supplement & Peptide Stack Ahead of 2026 New York Pro
