Trio Akim Williams, Patrick Moore and Luis Rodriguez 3 weeks before Arnold Classic 2023

Nick Walker, Samson Dauda, William Bonac and Mamdouh Elssbiay are the most frequently mentioned names of bodybuilders who are expected to top the leaderboard at this year's 35th edition of the prestigious Arnold Classic.

However, the contest, which has been held continuously since 1989 and was founded by legendary bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger, will also feature other fighters such as Akim Williams, Patrick Moore and Luis Rodriguez. And it is the current forms of these "outsiders" that we can assess today.

Akim Williams

Akim, as it has been written many times, is one of the most powerful bodybuilders of the current professional scene, but he often struggles with his final preparation, which is not 100%, and prevents him from occupying the highest ranks. However, he has managed to surprise several times in the past, appearing on stage in optimum form, and deservedly being one of the best to grace the stage.

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Patrick Moore

One of the most aesthetically pleasing fighters of our time is also not one of those who should be waiting for one of the highest rungs. In fact, Patrick, compared to his rivals, does not have the volume to compete with them. Moreover, even he hasn't been able to bring the kind of form to the stage lately that would help him fight for the higher rungs. However, that doesn't mean he has to do that again this year in Columbus.

He captioned a recent photo comparing his form three weeks before the 2019 Arnold Classic and three weeks before this year's event on his Instagram, saying:

They say you can't beat time. So I'll be the first to prove it.

Luis Rodriguez

Luis will also, unfortunately, be one of those who will be looking at the backs of the fighters fighting for the top positions. Of course, like the two aforementioned, he will try to make it as difficult as possible for the favourites.