The 2025 Arnold Classic will be held in Columbus, OH, from Feb. 28 through March 1, 2025. The Men’s Open competition is the weekend’s main event, featuring 12 IFBB Pro League athletes looking to make history and the $500,000 first-place check that goes to the winner.
2025 Arnold Classic Roster
The lineup features three Mr. Olympia winners, two of whom have also won the Arnold Classic:
- William Bonac
- Shaun Clarida
- Brandon Curry
- Samson Dauda
- Husameddin Elisawi
- James Hollingshead
- Andrew Jacked
- Derek Lunsford
- Patrick Moore
- Justin Rodriguez
- Carlos Thomas Jr.
- Akim Williams
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Schedule
This is a two-day competition. Prejudging will occur at the Friday night finals on Feb. 28, 2025, in the Battelle Grand of the Greater Columbus Convention Center, starting at 7:00 PM Eastern time. The finals will occur on Saturday, March 1, in the same location.
Athletes to Watch
Below are the frontrunners heading into Columbus:
Samson Dauda
Samson Dauda is entering this contest with much momentum and history riding on the performance. He was runner-up to Hadi Choopan at this contest in 2024 but went on to win the 2024 Mr. Olympia title. That show earned him $600,000.
If Dauda wins the $500,000 purse in Columbus, he will join the list of two-time Arnold Classic winners and become the first bodybuilder ever to win $1 million in prize money in a 12-month span.
Derek Lunsford
2023 Mr. Olympia champion Derek Lunsford has redemption on his mind. He ranked third at the 2024 Olympia behind Dauda and runner-up Choopan. This will be Lunsford’s Arnold Classic debut and his first contest without his former coach, Hany Rambod, in his corner. Lunsford is now working with nutritionist Chris Aceto.
Andrew Jacked
Andrew Jacked ranked fifth at the 2024 Olympia and needs to win a pro show to qualify for the 2025 Olympia. He withdrew from the 2024 Arnold Classic due to personal reasons. He took bronze in 2023 and has a solid chance of taking gold in Columbus in 2025. If either Dauda or Lunsford fails to meet their intended peaks, Jacked can take the title.
Dark Horses
The three men listed above are the favorites. Still, the rest of the roster is star-studded with athletes who have the potential to win, including two former two-time champions, Brandon Curry and William Bonac. They have hoisted the Schwarzenegger trophy twice and can do so a third time.
Two-time Olympia 212 winner Shaun Clarida was fifth in the 2023 Arnold Classic, and James Hollingshead took that spot in 2024.
How to Watch
At the time of this article’s publication, select tickets for Friday night and Saturday night finals were available for purchase. Fans who want to be in Columbus can go to the Arnold Sports website to secure their tickets for both nights.
Fans who will be at home can register to watch the free live stream of this show and all major events happening in Columbus. BarBend will also provide updates throughout the weekend for all seven bodybuilding events.
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Featured Image: @arnoldsports on Instagram
