Dennis James used to be joined by means of familiar brothers in iron, Milos “The Mind” Sarcev and Chris Cormier on Episode 233 of The Threat Podcast, and so they mentioned the breaking information that the winner within the distinguishable section on the 2026 Arnold Classic will take home $750,000.
The first official Arnold Classic made its debut in 1989 and was won by Rich Gaspari, who took house $55,000 for his efforts. That very same hour, the already hotly established Olympia tournament awarded $170,000 to winner Lee Haney. However that hole has been getting as thin as one of the crucial waists on level. The manage prize for Mr Olympia in 2024 used to be $600,000, which means that except the handbag is greater, The 750K Arnold take a look at is now the richest prize.
It’s a “pissing contest,” remarked Sarcev along with his particular emblem of honesty. “Look, we were fighting for 100 and $130,000,” laughed host Dennis James. After all, the business is now humming with prospect over how the Olympia tournament will reply. “And now… if it goes up to a million dollars, that means second place would be half a million probably,” stated James, commenting that should you building up the manage of the size, next you must building up it a modest for everybody else. “But what I see happening here is The Arnold is trying to compete with the Olympia when it comes to prize money as the most prestigious show,” added James. “We know the Olympia is the most prestigious show, because the Olympia was all these years, sixty years.”
James speculated that the overdue Joe Weider might, at one while, have had a offer with Arnold Schwarzenegger to build certain that the bodybuilder-turned-actor didn’t compete with the Olympia prize cash. However that offer gave the impression to were thrown out of the window when Arnold accident the $500,000 threshold. Closing hour on the other hand, the combat of the locker used to be nonetheless received by means of the Olympia, because the manage prize used to be greater to $600,000.
What does the $750,000 prize cash for the 2026 Arnold ruthless for bodybuilding?
“So, now Arnold goes in and says it’s 750k,” defined James. “What does that mean? Is prestigious [meaning] the one that pays the most? Or is the most prestigious show, will it always be the Olympia because ‘it’s the Olympia.’”
Sarcev replied that family generally tend to travel anywhere the cash is, so perceptions can alternate over while. “It’s exciting times to be a bodybuilder,” he famous. “Dennis, when you and I starting, if there was prize money it was just like a little bonus,” mirrored Sarcev. “Chris (Cormier), he was more consistent, you were always in the money.” Nonetheless, Cormier gave the impression aghast on the cash some competition are making this present day, agreeing with “The Mind” that Mr Olympia may quickly accident $1,000,0000. The panel famous that year the entire prize handbag for The Arnold has greater, simply how this will likely be allotted amongst alternative placings isn’t but society knowledge.
After all, every other testy factor is the excess between what the boys and the ladies are paid, and it’s a fancy topic that used to be delivered to the outside in a up to date put up by means of feminine Olympia icon, Linda Murray criticizing Arnold for making an announcement that didn’t come with the women.
To look at the whole episode, the place the fellows additionally mentioned how aggressive bodybuilders offer with carbs sooner than hitting the level, and Sarcev’s red meat with Giles Thomas over possibly later Ugolnikov “Goodvito” Vitalii must have competed on the 2025 Pittsburgh Professional, see under:
