AJ Ellison might be the most patient success story in Men’s Physique. 🏆 The Californian spent a decade as a WBFF muscle model world champion, then crossed over to the IFBB and — at 49 years old — won the 2025 Chicago Pro and stood on the Mr. Olympia stage for the first time.
His road there was anything but straight. Before the boardshorts came an elite track career, a national title in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and injuries that would have ended most athletic careers for good.
In 2026, at 50, he is still out there winning masters classes. Here is the full story of AJ Ellison — his age, height, weight, pro card journey, Olympia record and coaching life.
AJ Ellison Quick Facts
| Full Name | AJ Ellison |
| Born | 1976 — Merced, California, USA |
| Age in 2026 | 50 years old |
| Height | 5’11” (180 cm) |
| Contest Weight | 185–195 lbs (84–88.5 kg) |
| Division | Men’s Physique (also competed in Classic Physique as an amateur) |
| Pro Cards | WBFF Pro (2011) and IFBB Pro (2019, Masters Nationals) |
| Biggest Wins | WBFF World Champion (2013, 2016), 2025 Chicago Pro champion |
| Best Olympia Placing | 2nd — 2025 Masters Olympia; tied 16th on Mr. Olympia debut (2025) |
Early Life: A Runner Before a Bodybuilder
AJ Ellison was born in 1976 in Merced, California. His childhood was a moving one — his father’s job relocations took the family across California and North Carolina, and even to Japan, his mother’s homeland, for a few years. 🌍
Sport was the constant. AJ found his gift early: speed. On the track he was a genuine elite middle-distance runner, winning AAU and USATF national titles in the boys’ 1500m in 1994, plus a Kansas state title in the 800m.
The rise continued into adulthood. He placed 4th in the men’s 800m at the 1999 USA Indoor Championships, qualified for the NCAA Championships, and in 2000 qualified for the United States Olympic Trials in the 800m — one step from the Olympic team itself.
After track came combat sports. Ellison threw himself into Brazilian jiu-jitsu and MMA, winning the NAGA Arnold Classic welterweight no-gi championship in 2008. But the injuries piled up — a broken ankle and a torn tricep — and that chapter closed.
Those years were hard off the field too. His father’s suicide attempt hit the family deeply, and AJ has spoken about learning to face problems head-on: “We all have our issues, obstacles, or demons. It’s how we choose to deal with them.” His mother, meanwhile, had always pushed a healthy lifestyle — the seed of the career to come.
The Road to the Pro Card
Ellison’s physique heroes were old-school aesthetes — Serge Nubret and Frank Zane — and it showed in the balanced, classic look he built. In 2011 he stepped onto the WBFF Worlds stage and took 3rd in Muscle Model, earning his WBFF pro card. 💪
What followed was a dominant run. He was runner-up at Worlds in 2012, then WBFF Muscle Model World Champion in 2013. After another 2nd place in 2014 and a quieter 2015 (2nd at the European Championships, 4th at Worlds), he reclaimed the world title in 2016 — a two-time WBFF world champion.
Most men would have stopped there. Ellison wanted the IFBB. In July 2019, at 43, he swept his masters classes at the NPC Masters Nationals in both Men’s Physique and Classic Physique, earning his IFBB pro card. Fellow fitness-model era star Jeff Seid built his name online in the same years — Ellison took the longer road, through the stage.
His pro debut followed that October at the 2019 San Antonio Classic, where he placed 7th. A 9th place at the 2022 Vancouver Pro was his only other pro outing for years — the breakthrough was still coming.
The Men’s Physique Rise: The 2025 Breakthrough
Everything changed in the summer of 2025, when Ellison — now 49 — put together the season of his life. 🔥 It started with 10th in the Open (and 2nd in his masters class) at the Mile High Pro, then 7th Open and a masters class win at the Republic of Texas Pro.
Then came Chicago. On July 19, 2025, Ellison won the Chicago Pro Open Men’s Physique title, edging Burak King by a single point, and won his masters class too. The victory qualified him for both the Mr. Olympia and the Masters Olympia — the two biggest stages in the sport.
He belongs in the same veteran conversation as Sadik Hadzovic, another Men’s Physique name who built a long career on shape and presentation rather than sheer size. Like Hadzovic, Ellison proved the division rewards polish and patience.
AJ Ellison’s Olympia Record
Let’s clear up a common mix-up first: AJ Ellison has never won the Men’s Physique Olympia. That title belonged to Ryan Terry in 2023, 2024, 2025 and again in 2026. Ellison’s Olympia story is a debut story — and a remarkable one.
In Tokyo in August 2025, he placed 2nd in Men’s Physique at the Masters Olympia, behind only Andre Ferguson, then backed it up with 5th at the Tokyo Pro the next day.
Two months later came the moment three decades in the making: his Mr. Olympia debut in Las Vegas on October 10, 2025. Against the deepest Men’s Physique field in the world, the 49-year-old rookie finished tied for 16th.
| Year | Show | Result |
| 2019 | San Antonio Classic (pro debut) | 7th |
| 2022 | Vancouver Pro | 9th |
| 2025 | Chicago Pro | 1st 🏆 |
| 2025 | Masters Olympia, Tokyo | 2nd |
| 2025 | Tokyo Pro | 5th |
| 2025 | Mr. Olympia (debut) | Tied 16th |
| 2026 | Vancouver Pro | 2nd (Open) |
| 2026 | Masters World Championships | Class win + 2nd |
His Look, Training Style and Coaching
Ellison’s physique is a throwback in the best way: a tight waist, round muscle bellies and the kind of conditioning that comes from thirty years of athletic training rather than one hard off-season.
His own words on training are simple — he keeps a special focus on abs and calves, hitting them twice a week, and values proportion over chasing size for its own sake. It is the Nubret and Zane influence, still visible at 50.
Off stage, he is a self-employed coach and trainer. His AJFit programme runs a 12-week transformation challenge aimed largely at busy fathers — structured training, cardio and nutrition plans with recipes, built for men whose own health slipped while they cared for their families.
Protein is the base of any such plan, which is why our guide to the best protein powders for muscle gain pairs well with his approach of simple, repeatable nutrition.
AJ Ellison in 2026
Turning 50 did not slow him down. Ellison opened his 2026 season at the Vancouver Pro in July, placing 2nd in the Open and winning his masters class. A week later at the Tampa Pro he took 5th in the Open and won both of his masters classes. 💥
The run continued with 8th at the Lenda Murray Atlanta Pro, four class wins at the Maxfit Pro, and 8th in the Open at the Gold’s Gym Classic Pro. In September 2026 he closed the season at the Masters World Championships with a class win and a 2nd place.
He did not appear at the 2026 Mr. Olympia — that stage belonged to Ryan Terry’s fourth straight title — but a man winning pro masters classes at 50, thirty-two years after his first national track title, has nothing left to prove about longevity.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is AJ Ellison?
AJ Ellison was born in 1976 in Merced, California, which makes him 50 years old in 2026. Remarkably, he won his first IFBB pro show at 49 and made his Mr. Olympia debut the same year.
How tall is AJ Ellison and what does he weigh on stage?
He stands 5’11” (180 cm) and competes at roughly 185–195 lbs (84–88.5 kg) in Men’s Physique.
Did AJ Ellison win the Men’s Physique Olympia?
No. Ryan Terry won the Men’s Physique Olympia in 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026. Ellison’s best Olympia-weekend results are 2nd at the 2025 Masters Olympia in Tokyo and a tied-16th finish on his Mr. Olympia debut in 2025.
When did AJ Ellison get his pro cards?
He earned his WBFF pro card in 2011 and went on to win WBFF Muscle Model world titles in 2013 and 2016. His IFBB pro card came in 2019, at age 43, at the NPC Masters Nationals.
What did AJ Ellison do before bodybuilding?
He was an elite middle-distance runner who qualified for the 2000 US Olympic Trials in the 800m, and later a Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor who won the 2008 NAGA Arnold Classic welterweight no-gi title.
Does AJ Ellison still compete in 2026?
Yes. In 2026 he placed 2nd in the Open at the Vancouver Pro, won masters classes at Tampa and the Maxfit Pro, and took a class win at the Masters World Championships in September 2026 — all at age 50. He also coaches through his AJFit programme.
The Bottom Line
AJ Ellison’s career bends every rule about sporting timelines. National-class runner at 18, grappling champion at 32, WBFF world champion at 37 and 40 — then an IFBB pro card at 43, a pro title and an Olympia debut at 49, and masters wins at 50. 🙌
Most bodybuilders get one chapter. Ellison has written four, and if his 2026 season is anything to go by, he is not done writing yet.