Head judge Steve Weinberger continues to witness bodybuilding’s undeniable growth, leading to a candid conversation about what fans can expect in 2025. On December 24, 2024, he discussed if the new Fit Model division would water down the Bikini category. In addition, he touched on how Keone Pearson would fare at the Open Mr. Olympia and named three bodybuilders he expects to thrive on the horizon.
Tyler Manion and the IFBB Pro League dropped a bombshell announcement. They revealed that a new ‘entry-level’ bodybuilding division would be created called ‘Fit Model.’ The criteria will differ from Bikini, requiring competitors to boast less definition, fullness, and detail. Its inception has had mixed reviews with some, such as bodybuilding veteran Lee Priest, calling it ‘pathetic’ and unneeded.
With decades of experience officiating contests, Weinberger not only shared his insights on the new category but also questioned Keone Pearson‘s ability to crack the top three at the Open Mr. Olympia. Additionally, he revealed the unsuspecting contenders he believes could make the biggest impact during the 2025 bodybuilding season.
Steve Weinberger Talks Keone Pearson’s Open Ambitions, the Fit Model Division, & Names 2025 Contenders to Watch
Keone Pearson previously stated he was “100 percent” confident he would place in the top three at the 2024 Open Mr. Olympia. While Weinberger called the statement ‘overconfident,’ he does believe ‘The Prodigy’ would be a threat on the prestigious stage.
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“That’s not really a statement that I feel comfortable making because I need to see them together. For Keone to make that, that’s a really overconfident statement to make which is fine, you should believe in yourself but until you see them side-by-side, it’s hard.”
Weinberger was unsure if Pearson would make the top three, expressing uncertainty around him beating names like Martin Fitzwater and Andrew Jacked.
“Would he be a threat to be right up there? Yes. Would he be in the top three? I don’t know. Martin looked very good. Even though Andrew was off he still looked very good.
There was a lot of guys to get through just to get into that top three that you’d have to pass. I don’t know if that’s possible. Until you see them side-by-side, I wouldn’t want to make that prediction.”
Looking ahead to 2025, Weinberger expects big showings from Martin Fitzwater, Nick Walker, and Andrew Jacked.
“Based on ’24 you’ve got to look at Martin. He’s a guy that came out of nowhere and really put it together. He’s one. Nick Walker took the year off let’s see what he looks like. If Andrew Jacked ever puts it together, that’s three names right there. There’s a lot of names and you never know.”
According to Steve Weinberger, he doesn’t believe Bikini competitors will flock to the new Fit Model division as it has taken years for them to acquire the muscle expected from Bikini Pros.
“I could see a couple of women trying that [going from Bikini to Fit Model] but not a lot because they are already developed. What are they going to do? Strip down the muscle of the physique that they like that they built? And lose all that muscle and then go into the Fit Model? I don’t see it.”
“Maybe with a couple of women that are not that developed that are in the Bikini division that think oh you know what? I’m not that developed to compete with the Bikini women but I can compete with Fit Model. We have so many athletes. We have so many Bikini athletes. I don’t think it’s going to water it down, I really don’t,” he shared.
He believes there will be enough talent to feed the entry-level division and expects judges to have a firm grasp on the differences in criteria.
“I think there’s enough athletes where we’ll be able to feed it and not hurt anyone [other divisions],” he shared. “There are judges all over the world that are very competent. And I think they’ll follow the rules and follow what we’re looking for.”
With a new category emerging, time will tell how the sport and its existing divisions adapt to the change of pace. As a prominent head judge, Weinberger believes the Fit Model division does not dilute the Bikini category and is poised to become an official division in the IFBB Pro League by 2026.
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