The dust settled in Columbus, Ohio with Hadi Choopan emerging as the 2024 Arnold Classic champion. In a recent YouTube video, judge Terrick El Guindy recapped the event and discussed Choopan’s chances of swiping Derek Lunsford’s Olympia title in October.
Actions speak louder than words — and that was certainly the mantra Hadi Choopan lived by en route to earning his first Arnold Classic title. Having kept quiet for most of his contest prep, Choopan worked with his head down, eager to erase the taste of defeat that he suffered at the last 2023 Olympia contest against Derek Lunsford.
As the former 2022 Mr. Olympia winner, the pressure behind Choopan was at an all-time high. After defeating Samson Dauda soundly by ten points on the scorecards at the recent Arnold Classic, Choopan cemented himself as the number-one contender for Lunsford’s Sandow trophy.
As teammates, friends, and rivals on stage, the bodybuilding community is eager to see Derek Lunsford and Choopan run it back. Judge Terrick El Guindy shared a similar sentiment during a recap of the marquee competition.
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Terrick El Guindy Says Hadi Choopan Was ‘Best Ever’ at 2024 Arnold Classic
With the curtains closed in Ohio, El Guindy shared that it set the stage for an epic Hadi Choopan, Derek Lunsford rematch at the 2024 Mr. Olympia.
“The Arnold Classic 2024 is over. We have a lot of questions. Here’s the first question: did Hadi Choopan send a clear message to Derek Lunsford? Here’s another question for you: would this physique Hadi’s possibly best physique, have beaten Derek’s physique at the Olympia. All these questions will be answered at the 2024 Mr. Olympia when Derek Lunsford joins Hadi Choopan on stage.”
Showing off his all-time best physique, El Guindy is convinced that Choopan sent a crystal-clear message not just to Samson Dauda, but also to Derek Lunsford.
“It was a convincing victory, conditioning, shape, posing, in my opinion, it was Hadi Choopan’s best physique ever. He was on fire.
He sent a message to Samson Dauda, you are not going to battle with me and Derek, I’m ahead of you. I’m going to win this show and the battle is between me and Derek, incredible performance by Hadi Choopan, congratulations.”
Considering he was the reigning AC champion and a relevant threat to Lunsford’s Olympia title, El Guindy underlines that Dauda has to respond immediately at the next ‘Super Bowl of Bodybuilding.’
“Samson Dauda… he must be upset, this was his title, they took it away from him. The response has to be immediate. He has to respond at the Mr. Olympia with a convincing victory not only against Hadi but also against Derek otherwise we are going to think that this is a Derek Lunsford, Hadi Choopan party and Samson is not invited.”
“Samson must respond at the Olympia. Rafael Brandao, third place, historical third place for Brazilian bodybuilding. Man, this guy has the lines, he has the conditioning, everybody was saying he needed more mass and he delivered.”
El Guindy Reflects on Classic Physique Skakeup at 2024 Arnold Classic
Despite Ramon Rocha Queiroz’s best efforts as the reigning Arnold Classic champion, he was unable to stop Wesley Vissers from picking up his first major bodybuilding title.
“Ramon was set to win this show and challenge Cbum to do the same thing that Hadi Choopan did in the Open bodybuilding. But Wesley Vissers had different plans. He came in shredded to the bone. The separation on shoulders, biceps, triceps, man! It was the first time I saw somebody kind of overpowering Ramon on the arms, yes.”
El Guindy praised Vissers for his posing capabilities and specified that he won by only a one-point decision.
“Wesley Vissers is a master poser. He was incredible on stage. Great victory. One-point decision but Wesley Vissers is now in the mix with Urs Kalecinski, with Ramon Dino, and Cbum. Ramon needs to respond. Go to the Olympia and get close to these guys.”
As for Urs Kalecinski, El Guindy suggests that he is in a similar situation to Samson Dauda, and must prove himself on the Olympia stage.
“I don’t think Ramon was as good as the Olympia so I think Ramon will be 100% at the Olympia and will put the heat on whoever is there, so be careful with an angry Ramon. Urs Kalecinski is in the same position as Samson Dauda. He’s got to get in the party. He’s gotta get angry, he’s gotta say to everybody, hey, I was the one who was going to replace Cbum, remember me?”
“He already beat Ramon. He has the genetics. He has everything to be the next champion but the time as come to Urs Kalecinski to respond, come in shredded, out-pose all of them,” Terrick El Guindy shared.
The 2024 Arnold Classic was a groundbreaking event that set the tone for the rest of the year. Bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger sent shockwaves through the sport after announcing that the 2025 Arnold Classic Men’s Open prize money has soared to a staggering $500,000, $100,000 more than what the Olympia currently offers.
It will be interesting to see if Schwarzenegger’s prize money increase prompts Mr. Olympia to match or raise theirs for the Men’s Open. Regardless, it’s great news for bodybuilders.
RELATED: Terrick El Guindy, Milos Sarcv Break Down Derek Lunsford’s Posing Weaknesses and How to Improve
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