He'd even take down monsters! Weinberger claims that CBum would destroy the heavyweight elite...

Steve Weinberger, the head judge of the IFBB Pro League, is convinced that even after retiring from the sport, Chris “CBum” Bumstead would still be able to make quite a splash in the Men’s Open division. In his opinion, with adequate muscle mass and a year of preparation, Bumstead would be right in the mix with the top five at Mr. Olympia 2026.

In 2024, Bumstead retired at the absolute peak of his career. He won his sixth (and final) title in the Classic Physique Olympia division, defeating the best of the best—including names like Mike Sommerfeld, Wesley Vissers, and Ramon Queiroz—on his way to gold.

But before he finally hung up his competition trunks, he tested himself in a single competition against the absolute giants. After a short preparation period, he made his highly anticipated debut in the premier category at the EVLS Prague Pro 2024 in Prague. Although he had very little time to transition to the Open division, he gave the winner, Martin Fitzwater, a real run for his money and took home an excellent second-place finish. Although the Canadian icon ultimately decided to retire for good, Weinberger believes that CBum could have held his own against the world’s greatest.

With serious bulk all the way to the top

In a recent Instagram post (June 29), Weinberger gave a very definitive answer when asked if CBum could make it into the top five at Mr. Olympia in 2026.

“Do you think CBum could make the top 5 in the Open?” asked Frank Sepe.

“Absolutely,” replied Steve Weinberger.

“Even with the current competition out there?” Sepe clarified.

Weinberger added that Bumstead would, of course, have to gain the necessary size to maximize his chances in the heavyweight division. But if he managed to do that, he said, it would be a done deal.

“If he gained the size he’d need, then absolutely, without a doubt. Look at how great he did when we were in Prague. He almost won there. And he’d only been preparing for that show for four months. Can you imagine what he’d look like if he dedicated a whole year to it?”

With a year of hard training, Weinberger believes Bumstead could easily give stars like Derek Lunsford or Chinedu Andrew “Jacked” Obiekea a run for their money.

The Price of Success: Health Comes First

Although Bumstead has reached incredible heights as an IFBB Pro, he openly admits that his career has taken a heavy toll on him. He recently spoke about the health issues associated with competing at the highest level, which began for him at a young age. That was also the main reason for his departure from the scene.

“There was definitely some damage to my health. That was another huge reason why it was so easy for me to quit—I simply wasn’t willing to make any more sacrifices. I’m very well aware that professional bodybuilding isn’t good for your health,” Bumstead explained candidly.

Despite these obstacles and his definitive retirement, Steve Weinberger still considers him an absolute threat in the world of bodybuilding. Even though his full participation in the Open remains purely theoretical, for fans around the world, the idea of a more massive “CBum” competing against the very best remains utterly fascinating.

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Příspěvek sdílený Frank Sepe (@frank_sepe)