Empro Classic 2025 | Report and results

The weekend of June 15 was marked by tension, sweat and shiny muscles. The prestigious IFBB Pro League competition, the Empro Classic 2025, drew top professional bodybuilders and fitness athletes from around the world to Alicante, Spain. It wasn't just about the prestige and prize money; what was at stake was a direct qualification for the dream Mr. Olympia 2025. The atmosphere was electric and the on-stage battles offered a thrilling spectacle, especially in the royal Men's Open category.

The main event.

The most anticipated moment of the evening, the Men's Open category, turned into a dramatic duel between two different bodybuilding philosophies. On one side stood British bodybuilder Sasan Heirati, the epitome of aesthetics, symmetry and perfect finishing. He was opposed by the home-grown hero and specialist in the under 212lb category, Angel Calderon Frias, who boldly threw himself between the heaviest fighters, betting on his legendary muscle density and massiveness.

From the semifinal comparisons it was obvious that the judges would not have an easy task. Heirati, who brought the confidence from his recent win at the Toronto Pro to Spain, presented absolutely phenomenal form. His narrow waist, broad shoulders and deep, sharp muscle detail, especially in his back stance, made for an eye-pleasing silhouette. His every movement was controlled and his poses precise, which underlined his overall preparedness.

On the other hand, Angel Calderon, propelled forward by the boisterous Spanish audience, brought an incredible amount of muscle to the stage. His legs and arms were gigantic and he looked like an indomitable mountain of muscle in his frontal stances. Commentators and fans alike agreed that his transition to the Open category was more than successful. However, the final tally was decided by slightly better final sharpness and overall balance in Sasan Heirati's favour. The official scorecards confirmed a close contest, with Heirati scoring 7 points to Calderon's 11. For Heirati, this means not only another valuable win, but more importantly, confirmation of qualification for Mr. Olympia, where he will be looking to shuffle the cards. Third place went to German bodybuilder Justin Musiol, who showed a solid and balanced physique.

Top 5

Other categories European dominance and American elegance

The other divisions also featured top performances and exciting battles for qualification to the Olympics.

In Classic Physique, Turkish competitor Mustafa Yildiz confirmed his role as the favourite. His classic physique with a dominant "V-shaped" torso and a perfect vacuum secured him a clear victory over the home-grown German Pastor. Yildiz once again showed why he is one of the top in this division.

The Men's Physique category fell prey to Spain's Mauro Fialho, who dazzled the judges with his beach aesthetic and stage presence.

In the women's categories, most attention was focused on the Bikini division, which was traditionally the most populated. The winner and a ticket to the Olympia was American Ivi Escandar, who showed the perfect combination of muscle tone, symmetry and feminine grace that is key to this category. She beat strong competition led by second place Lisa Reith from Germany.

The Figure category was dominated by Germany's Denise Zwinger-Tynek, while Austria's Birgit Andersch took the win in Women's Physique. Martina Lopez delighted the home fans by winning the Women's Bodybuilding and Australian competitor Danai Theodoropoulou dominated the Wellness category.

The Empro Classic 2025 thus clearly showed that European bodybuilding is on the rise and can produce competitors capable of competing with the world's best. For the winners, the final preparation for the season's climax in Las Vegas now begins, while the others will have to fight for their chance at the other qualifying competitions.