The Battle of the Giants is here! 2026 Mr. Olympia Men’s Open Prejudging

Author: Ondra Marienka

Mr. Olympia Competitions

26.09.2026

3 minuty čtení

Friday night at the Orleans Arena belonged to the biggest men on the planet. The Men’s Open division is experiencing a massive shakeup this year, largely due to Hadi Choopan’s withdrawal. His absence has thrown open the door to several elite challengers who sensed the opportunity of a lifetime.

A Brotherly Rivalry: Lunsford vs. Jacked

The biggest story of this year’s competition revolves around reigning champion Derek Lunsford and his rival Andrew Jacked. Both athletes are trained by legendary coach Chris Aceto, but only one can take home the Sandow Trophy. Jacked, who took home bronze from last year’s Olympia, stepped onto the stage in incredibly lean and defined shape—exactly what the judges are looking for.

Derek Lunsford, however, has no intention of giving up his throne. During the final call, what kept him in the center of the stage was above all his incredible muscle thickness and “freaky” back muscle definition—a level of detail that’s extremely hard to match.

Mr. Olympia Men’s Open 2026 prejudging

The Return of Mass and a Slovak Presence Among the Elite

Samson Dauda is also making a strong case for himself. After slipping to fourth place last year, he decided to sacrifice extreme leanness in favor of regaining the muscle mass he had lost in the past. He looked dramatically better on stage and put pressure on the champion in several head-to-head comparisons. Nick Walker, brimming with confidence after his best-ever performance at the Tampa Pro, demonstrated noticeably better control of his abdominal muscles during transitions between poses.

A huge success for the European scene is the participation of Slovak giant Michal Križ, who managed to fight his way straight into the first call-out among the absolute elite!