Who Is Stuart Sutherland? 💪
Stuart Sutherland is an IFBB Pro League Men’s Open bodybuilder best known to fans as “Beef Stu.”
His calling cards on stage are easy to spot: a big curly afro, a detailed back, and the dry, sharp conditioning that first made judges take notice in 2023.
He is still chasing the two milestones that define an Open career — a first professional victory and a first Mr. Olympia appearance.
As of October 2026, his best professional result remains his runner-up finish at the 2023 New York Pro, and his most recent confirmed result is fourth place at the 2026 Europa Pro in Germany.
Turning Pro: The 2022 NPC USA Championships 🏆
Sutherland’s breakthrough came at the 2022 NPC USA Championships in Las Vegas.
He won the super-heavyweight class and then took the overall title, the result that earned him his IFBB Pro League card.
That overall win is the foundation of everything that followed — it turned a promising amateur into a professional with a genuine Open future.
Pro Debut: 2022 Tampa Pro
Sutherland did not wait long to test himself against established professionals.
His pro debut came at the 2022 Tampa Pro in August 2022, where he finished seventh in the Men’s Open.
Akim Williams won that show, with Kamal Elgargni second and Quinton Eriya third — serious company for a debutant finding his feet.
Breakout Season: 2023 🌟
The 2023 season is still the high-water mark of Sutherland’s career so far.
At the 2023 New York Pro in May 2023, he pushed Tonio Burton all the way before finishing second, after repeated head-to-head comparisons between the two men.
Burton took the win and the Olympia qualification that came with it, but Sutherland had announced himself as a man who could win a pro show.
One week later he backed it up at the 2023 California State Pro, finishing fourth behind winner Ross Flanigan, Burton in second and Sergio Oliva Jr. in third.
Despite that strong spring, he did not qualify for the 2023 Mr. Olympia — a reminder of how thin the margin is at the top of the Open division.
2024: Close, But No Trophy Yet
Sutherland returned in 2024 with the same pattern: right in the mix, but still short of a win.
At the 2024 New York Pro he finished fourth, behind winner Nick Walker, Martin Fitzwater and Burton.
He then finished fourth again at the 2024 California State Pro, this time behind Burton, Emir Omeragic and Krystian Wolski.
His third confirmed result of 2024 was fifth place at the Vancouver Pro, won by John Jewett.
Early in 2024 he had spoken about contest plans that included the Toronto Pro Supershow, but he does not appear in the published Toronto top 15 — so no Toronto placing is claimed here.
2025: A Quiet Year, Then Tampa
Sutherland’s confirmed 2025 stage appearance came at the 2025 Tampa Pro, where he finished ninth in a deep Men’s Open lineup won by Jordan Hutchinson.
It was a step back from his 2023–2024 form on paper, but it kept him active against Olympia-level opposition while he worked on adding size.
2026 Status: Back In The Top Five At The Europa Pro 🇩🇪
Sutherland’s latest confirmed result is a strong one.
On September 13, 2026, at the Europa Pro in Offenbach, Germany, he finished fourth in the Men’s Open.
Former Mr. Olympia champion Samson Dauda won the show, with Regan Grimes second and John Jewett third — so fourth place there puts Sutherland back among the division’s in-form names.
As of October 2026, no professional victory and no Mr. Olympia appearance have been found in his checked contest record.
That is the honest shape of his career right now: a proven top-five Open pro who has knocked on the door several times, but has not yet broken through it.
Training And Diet: What He Has Said Himself 🥩
In a 2024 interview, Sutherland described a very high-protein approach built around roughly 450–500 grams of protein a day.
He broke that down as five solid meals plus pre-workout, intra-workout and post-workout shakes — a demanding routine he linked to holding size as an Open competitor.
Those figures are his own reported approach, not a recommendation — what works for a 250-pound-plus Open pro in contest preparation is not a template for everyday training.
Stuart Sutherland Contest Record (Verified)
| Year | Contest | Place |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | NPC USA Championships — Super-Heavyweight & Overall | 1st |
| 2022 | Tampa Pro — Men’s Open (pro debut) | 7th |
| 2023 | New York Pro — Men’s Open | 2nd |
| 2023 | California State Pro — Men’s Open | 4th |
| 2024 | New York Pro — Men’s Open | 4th |
| 2024 | California State Pro — Men’s Open | 4th |
| 2024 | Vancouver Pro — Men’s Open | 5th |
| 2025 | Tampa Pro — Men’s Open | 9th |
| 2026 | Europa Pro — Men’s Open | 4th |
No Arnold Classic Ohio or Arnold Classic UK appearance was found in the results checked for this refresh, and no Arnold title is claimed.
Frequently Asked Questions ❓
What is Stuart Sutherland’s nickname?
“Beef Stu” — from his Instagram handle @beef_stu_97. The old version of this article called him “Beef Stew”; that spelling is not used by the athlete and has been corrected.
Has Stuart Sutherland won a professional show?
Not yet, as far as the checked record shows. His amateur overall win at the 2022 NPC USA Championships earned him his pro card, but his best pro finish is second place.
Has Stuart Sutherland competed at the Mr. Olympia?
No Olympia appearance was found in his checked record through October 2026. He came closest in 2023, when his New York Pro runner-up finish left him just short of qualification.
What is Stuart Sutherland’s best result?
Second place at the 2023 New York Pro, where he finished behind Tonio Burton after extended comparisons with the eventual winner.
Is Stuart Sutherland still competing in 2026?
Yes. His fourth-place finish at the Europa Pro on September 13, 2026, is his most recent confirmed result, and it shows him back in top-five Open form.
The Takeaway ✅
“Beef Stu” Sutherland remains one of the Open division’s most recognisable nearly-men — a 2022 NPC USA overall champion who has been second, fourth and fifth at major pro shows without yet landing the win his physique keeps promising.
The 2026 Europa Pro result suggests the breakthrough is still a live possibility rather than a fading one.
If he converts one of those near-misses into a victory, the Olympia debut that has eluded him since 2023 will finally follow. 🏆