The biggest weekend in professional bodybuilding is officially underway, as the 2026 Mr. Olympia takes over Las Vegas, Nevada, from September 24–27. More than 300 athletes are competing across 12 professional divisions, with the most prestigious titles in bodybuilding being decided over two major competition days.
As of Friday, September 25, the Olympia has moved from the press-conference and athlete-preparation stage into the heart of competition. The first prejudging sessions began Friday morning at the Las Vegas Convention Center’s South Hall, while the Friday evening finals will take place at Orleans Arena.
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The Competition Is Already Underway
Friday’s action began at 9:30 a.m. Pacific Time with prejudging for six divisions: Men’s 212, Classic Physique, Figure, Women’s Physique, Ms. Olympia and Wellness. The judges are making their initial comparisons, with the athletes returning later Friday evening for the finals.
The important point for bodybuilding fans is that the Mr. Olympia Men’s Open division has not yet been decided.
The Men’s Open prejudging is scheduled for Friday evening, beginning as part of the 6:00 p.m. Friday finals session at Orleans Arena. The actual Mr. Olympia championship will then be decided Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
That means the biggest moment of the entire weekend is still ahead.
Classic Physique Creates Major Excitement
One of Friday’s biggest storylines has been the Classic Physique division.
Reigning champion Ramon “Dino” Queiroz returned to the Olympia stage looking to defend his title. He faces serious competition from Mike Sommerfeld, Terrence Ruffin, Wesley Vissers and Niall Darwen.
According to the latest prejudging report, those five athletes were involved in the final callout. Ramon Dino showed improvements in back thickness and width, while Sommerfeld appeared fuller than last year. Vissers also presented a fuller package, while Darwen drew attention by taking center stage during the comparisons.
The Classic Physique title will be decided during Friday night’s finals.
This division is particularly interesting because of the continuing evolution of the category following Chris Bumstead’s retirement. Ramon Dino has established himself as the defending champion, but the current lineup demonstrates how competitive Classic Physique has become.
The 212 Olympia Is Heating Up
The Men’s 212 division also completed its major prejudging comparisons Friday.
Three-time defending champion Keone Pearson is attempting to win his fourth consecutive 212 Olympia title. He was placed in the final callout alongside Shaun Clarida, Lucas Garcia and Vitor Alves Porto De Oliveira.
Pearson’s combination of muscular density, conditioning and lat development attracted considerable attention during prejudging. Shaun Clarida also delivered the highly detailed physique fans have come to expect from him.
The first callout additionally included Nihat Kaya and Felipe Moraes, but Pearson, Clarida, Garcia and Porto De Oliveira were brought back for the final comparisons.
The 212 champion will be crowned Friday night.
Figure Competition Produces Another Close Battle
The Figure Olympia is also developing into a closely watched contest.
The final Figure callout included defending champion Rhea Gayle, Lola Montez, Jessica Reyes Padilla and Denise Zwinger-Tynek. Gayle showed noticeable improvement in leg fullness and definition, while Montez attracted attention with her abdominal development and tapered waist. Zwinger-Tynek presented a fuller look while maintaining sharp conditioning.
The judges will make the final decision during Friday night’s finals.
Figure has undergone a major change in recent years following the retirement of eight-time champion Cydney Gillon. Gayle captured the vacant title last year, and the 2026 contest is now determining whether she can hold onto the championship.
The Women’s Divisions Are Also Taking Center Stage
Friday’s Olympia schedule includes several major women’s divisions, including Ms. Olympia, Women’s Physique, Figure and Wellness.
The reigning Ms. Olympia champion is Andrea Shaw, while Natalia Abraham Coelho enters the weekend as the defending Women’s Physique champion. Eduarda Bezerra is the defending Wellness champion, and Rhea Gayle is defending the Figure title.
Their championships will all be decided Friday evening.
This year’s Olympia therefore features an unusually concentrated night of championship bodybuilding, with six professional titles being awarded during the Friday finals.
The Men’s Open Is the Big Event Tonight
While the other divisions have already been battling through prejudging, bodybuilding fans are waiting for the arrival of the Men’s Open competitors.
Defending Mr. Olympia champion Derek Lunsford is attempting to retain the Sandow trophy. He won the 2025 Olympia after reclaiming the title, and he enters the 2026 contest with a field that includes Chinedu “Andrew Jacked” Obiekea, Samson Dauda, Martin Fitzwater, Nick Walker, Brandon Curry, Tonio Burton and William Bonac.
The official field contains 22 athletes.
Among the major names are former champion Samson Dauda, former champion Brandon Curry and several athletes who have finished near the top of the Olympia in recent years. The field also includes several Olympia newcomers, including Leandro Sencini Peres, Quinton Eriya, Sasan Heirati, Sergey Danilov, Behrooz Tabani Abarghani and Edward Kargbo.
One notable absence is Hadi Choopan, who withdrew from this year’s competition in August. His absence creates an additional opening in the Men’s Open lineup.
What Happens Tonight?
The Friday evening session begins at 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time at Orleans Arena.
The championships for 212, Classic Physique, Figure, Women’s Physique, Ms. Olympia and Wellness will be decided during the evening finals.
Most importantly for fans of the Men’s Open, Mr. Olympia prejudging takes place tonight.
This is when the judges will see the entire Open field side-by-side under competition conditions. The athletes will go through the mandatory poses and comparisons, giving the judges the information they need to establish the finalists and determine the leading contenders.
The final Mr. Olympia decision, however, comes Saturday night.
Saturday Is the Main Event
Saturday brings another full day of Olympia competition.
The morning session begins at 9:30 a.m. Pacific Time and features Men’s Physique, Fitness, Bikini and Fit Model prejudging, along with the Wheelchair and Fit Model finals.
Then comes the biggest event of the weekend.
The Mr. Olympia finals begin Saturday at 7:00 p.m. Pacific Time at Orleans Arena. Fitness, Men’s Physique and Bikini will also be decided that evening, but the spotlight will ultimately be on the Men’s Open competitors fighting for the Sandow trophy.
For bodybuilding fans, that is the moment everyone is waiting for.
The 2026 Olympia has already produced major storylines, close prejudging battles and impressive physiques across multiple divisions. But the defining chapter of this year’s competition has not yet been written.
Tonight, the Men’s Open athletes finally take the stage.
Tomorrow night, the new—or returning—Mr. Olympia will be crowned.
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References
- Official Olympia 2026 Schedule
- Fitness Volt — 2026 Mr. Olympia Live Updates
- Fitness Volt — 2026 Classic Physique Prejudging
- Fitness Volt — 2026 Men’s 212 Prejudging
- Fitness Volt — 2026 Figure Prejudging
- Olympia FAQ and Venues
