The 2023 Arnold Classic Classic Physique (ACCP) contest is scheduled for Friday, March 3, 2023, in the Battelle Grand Ballroom of the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, OH. For the first time in three years, a new champion will be crowned and interviewed by Arnold Schwarzenegger as reigning two-time champion Terrence Ruffin will not compete.
Four-time Classic Physique Olympia champion Chris Bumstead is also out of this contest. Seven contenders who hope to qualify for the 2023 Olympia in Orlando, FL, on Nov. 2-5, 2023, will compete at the 2023 ACCP contest. The winner could be considered Bumstead’s number-one contender. The full roster of athletes is below in alphabetical order:
2023 Arnold Classic Roster | Classic Physique
- Jason Brown
- Alex Cambronero
- Junior Javorski
- Urs Kalecinski
- Courage Opara
- Ramon Rocha Queiroz
- Mike Sommerfeld
Note: Darwin Uribe was on the original roster but withdrew from the competition on Feb. 21, 2023, due to personal health reasons.
[Related: 2023 Musclecontest Japan Pro Results: Nittaya Kongthun Wins Bikini Division]
Alex Cambronero
Only one man in this lineup has won the Arnold title in his career: Alex Cambronero. He won the show in 2020.
Cambronero has four pro victories in his career, dating back to 2016. His last win was at the 2022 Hurricane Pro. His most recent contest was the 2022 Classic Physique Olympia, where he placed ninth.
Cambronero was last on the Arnold Classic stage in 2021, placing second to Ruffin. Should he win the show, he would become the second man after Ruffin to win two Arnold Classic Physique titles.
Ramon Rocha Queiroz
If Cambronero doesn’t win the show, whoever does will be the fifth champion in the contest’s history. Considered by many to be the overall favorite is Ramon Rocha Queiroz. “Dino” was the runner-up to Bumstead at the 2022 Olympia, and his massive fanbase is vocal when he competes.
Querioz wasn’t as big as Bumstead in Las Vegas, but he has excellent symmetry and definition. His confidence and posing stand out. Querioz was the runner-up to Ruffin in the 2022 Arnold Classic contest — his highest placing to date. H
Querioz won the 2021 Musclecontest Brazil Pro, so he’s no stranger to being center stage receiving trophies. If he wins this show, the hype for a rematch against Bumstead at the Olympia will be exceptional.
Urs Kalecinski
“The Golden Bear” is the other favorite for this show in the eyes of many fans. Kalecinski was third in both the Arnold and the Olympia in 2022. The German native won the 2022 Boston Pro two weeks after the Arnold. This will be his second career appearance in Columbus.
Kalecinski was the 2021 Tampa Pro Classic Physique winner. Like Queiroz, Kalecinski has a lot of supporters on social media and when he competes. He will be ripped when he competes as he rarely misses his peak form, but the shape and size factors will determine if he stands alongside Arnold at the end of the night.
Mike Sommerfeld
Mike Sommerfeld is in his fifth year as a pro and finally making his debut at the Arnold Classic. He’s coming off a fifth-place finish at the 2022 Olympia, his second appearance on that stage and his highest placing to date. Since Sommerfeld finished outside the top three in Las Vegas, he must win a show to qualify for the 2023 Olympia.
Sommerfeld’s biggest strength is the width of his upper body. He looks wide in the front and back poses. The former 212 competitor has won two pro shows in the Classic Physique division, both in 2021. He must be his all-time best to oust heavy hitters like Kalecinski and Queiroz.
Courage Opara
Courage Opara wasn’t in the 2022 Olympia, even though he won contests in Texas and Tampa to qualify. He is one of the veterans of the Arnold Classic group, as he’s competed as a pro since 2017. In that time, he won five shows.
Opara has appeared at the Arnold Classic thrice, with his highest placing of third in 2019 and 2018. He was fourth in the 2020 contest.
Junior Javorski
Junior Javorski has had ups and downs as a pro. He won the 2022 Musclecontest Campinas Pro contest but placed out of the top 15 at the 2022 Olympia. He is a former Amateur Olympia Brazil winner, which is how he turned pro. However, he might need more stage experience to compete with the upper echelon of the Classic Physique division.
This will be Javorski’s debut on the Arnold Classic stage. He has had time to learn from the Olympia and make adjustments. Sleeping on him would be a mistake as he could come into the show with greater definition and bump several others down the placings.
The Classic Physique contest is one of seven pro shows at the 35th edition of the Arnold Classic. Fans that want to purchase tickets to watch the show live or at home on pay-per-view can do so by going to the Arnold Sports Festival website.
Featured Image: Chris Bernacchi
