Under the bright stage lights in Columbus, Ohio, the bodybuilding arnold classic unfolded as a weekend where a new winner stood in the center of the spotlight while familiar faces—fans, rivals, and living legends—watched the sport’s past and future share the same room.
What happened at the Bodybuilding Arnold Classic in Columbus?
The 2026 Arnold Sports Festival was held over the weekend in Columbus, Ohio, drawing athletes and fans from around the world. The three-day event celebrated health and fitness and included the Arnold Strongman Classic and IFBB Pro League contests. It also carried a personal stamp: the festival honors the legacy of Arnold Schwarzenegger, the former California governor who won 19 bodybuilding titles in his career, including seven Mr. Olympia wins, and founded the show in 1989 after retiring from competition.
One of the weekend’s biggest moments arrived when Schwarzenegger brought 22 living legends onto the stage, calling them some of the best bodybuilders of all time. The on-stage group included Lee Haney, Jay Cutler, Dexter Jackson, Ronnie Coleman, and Kai Greene—names that, for longtime fans, represent different eras of the same pursuit.
Who won the 2026 titles—and what changed this year?
The Men’s Open division served as the headliner. Prejudging took place on Friday before a champion was crowned on Saturday night. Several defending bodybuilding champions did not return for the 2026 event, leaving categories more open and creating room for new outcomes.
In the Men’s Open, Chinedu Andrew Obiekea—commonly referred to as Andrew Jacked—won the Arnold Classic and also received the Best Poser award. He took home $760, 000 for the win and the posing honor.
In the same weekend of results across bodybuilding divisions, Wesley Vissers won the Classic Physique title in a return to the stage, while Brandon Hendrickson won Men’s Physique. Michelle Fredua-Mensah won the Fitness division after a dominant performance beginning in prejudging. In Wellness, Rayane Fogal defeated Elisa Alcantara, who finished third at both the Arnold and Olympia last year.
Within the Men’s Open scorecard, the final standings reflected a shakeup at the top: Nick Walker finished as runner-up, Hadi Choopan finished third, and Martin Fitzwater finished fourth.
Why did Dexter Jackson’s speech resonate beyond trophies?
Saturday night also turned into a tribute to continuity. Dexter “The Blade” Jackson’s legacy was celebrated as he received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his accomplishments in the sport and for continuing to give back.
In his remarks, Jackson framed bodybuilding not only as competition, but as a rare kind of common ground. “One thing I love about bodybuilding is that the world with so much division, this sport brings people together. It doesn’t matter where you’re from, what you look like, or what language you speak. When we come to these events, we come together as one bodybuilding family, ” Jackson said during his speech Saturday night.
That message landed in a room filled with different stakes: the first-time winner measuring a career milestone, returning champions redefining themselves, and fans who traveled to see something that exists only for a moment—peak preparation made public.
How did the weekend connect athletes, fans, and the business of the sport?
It is easy to see the stage as the whole story, but the weekend format shows another reality: a festival is also a gathering point. The Arnold Sports Festival hosted athletes and fans from all over the world, and the schedule spanned multiple days, divisions, and contests. For competitors, that structure means long days—prejudging on Friday, finals at night, and winners crowned on Saturday—where performance is measured down to details that most audiences never have to manage in daily life.
The prize money and awards add another layer. For Andrew Jacked, the payday and the Best Poser honor combine financial reward with recognition of presentation, the part of the sport where training meets artistry. At the same time, the weekend’s open fields—shaped by absent defending champions—suggest a landscape where opportunity can widen quickly, and reputations can change just as fast.
In that atmosphere, small statements can become part of the event’s meaning. “Don’t be a half-empty or a half-full kind of person. Be someone that’s happy to have a glass so you’re happy to fill others, ” James Berger said. “We’re all family. ”
What comes next after the bodybuilding arnold classic weekend ends?
When the lights dim and the crowd disperses, the weekend’s images remain: Schwarzenegger standing with 22 living legends; Dexter Jackson receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award; and Andrew Jacked holding the trophy after winning the Men’s Open and Best Poser award. The 2026 edition showed how quickly the sport can pivot—new champions rising as familiar names are honored and remembered in real time.
Back in Columbus, the stage that held the bodybuilding arnold classic becomes empty again, but the questions it leaves are not: in a year shaped by change in who returned, which athletes will carry this momentum forward, and which will come back to challenge what was decided under Saturday night’s lights?
