The Arnold Classic is the second most prestigious title in professional bodybuilding — and its roll of champions reads like a history of the sport itself. 🏆
The contest was founded in 1989 in Columbus, Ohio, as the headline event of the Arnold Sports Festival. It carries the name of the man who co-created it: seven-time Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Since that first night, the show has been held every single year. Thirty-eight editions have produced just 23 different champions — and this is every one of them.
📋 Complete List of Arnold Classic Winners (1989–2026)
| Year | Winner | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Rich Gaspari | United States |
| 1990 | Mike Ashley | United States |
| 1991 | Shawn Ray | United States |
| 1992 | Vince Taylor | United States |
| 1993 | Flex Wheeler | United States |
| 1994 | Kevin Levrone | United States |
| 1995 | Mike Francois | United States |
| 1996 | Kevin Levrone | United States |
| 1997 | Flex Wheeler | United States |
| 1998 | Flex Wheeler | United States |
| 1999 | Nasser El Sonbaty | Yugoslavia |
| 2000 | Flex Wheeler | United States |
| 2001 | Ronnie Coleman | United States |
| 2002 | Jay Cutler | United States |
| 2003 | Jay Cutler | United States |
| 2004 | Jay Cutler | United States |
| 2005 | Dexter Jackson | United States |
| 2006 | Dexter Jackson | United States |
| 2007 | Victor Martinez | Dominican Republic |
| 2008 | Dexter Jackson | United States |
| 2009 | Kai Greene | United States |
| 2010 | Kai Greene | United States |
| 2011 | Branch Warren | United States |
| 2012 | Branch Warren | United States |
| 2013 | Dexter Jackson | United States |
| 2014 | Dennis Wolf | Germany |
| 2015 | Dexter Jackson | United States |
| 2016 | Kai Greene | United States |
| 2017 | Cedric McMillan | United States |
| 2018 | William Bonac | Netherlands |
| 2019 | Brandon Curry | United States |
| 2020 | William Bonac | Netherlands |
| 2021 | Nick Walker | United States |
| 2022 | Brandon Curry | United States |
| 2023 | Samson Dauda | United Kingdom |
| 2024 | Hadi Choopan | Iran |
| 2025 | Derek Lunsford | United States |
| 2026 | Andrew Jacked | Nigeria |
Two footnotes every fan should know. In 1990, Shawn Ray won on the night but was disqualified days later after failing the show’s drug test, so runner-up Mike Ashley is the official champion — Ray returned to win cleanly in 1991. 👏
And in 2020, the Arnold Sports Festival around the contest was cancelled as COVID-19 arrived, but the Arnold Classic itself still went ahead in Columbus. William Bonac won his second title that weekend — the show has never missed a year.
👑 The Record Holders
One man stands alone at the top of this list. Dexter Jackson won the Arnold Classic five times — in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2013 and 2015 — more than any bodybuilder in history.
His fifth title, in 2015, came at 45 years old. It capped a Columbus career that stretched across a full decade of finals.
Behind him sits Flex Wheeler, the aesthetic icon of the 1990s, with four titles: 1993, 1997, 1998 and 2000. Wheeler won the show on his debut in 1993 — a rookie feat nobody matched until William Bonac did it in 2018.
Jay Cutler owns the record nobody has repeated: three straight titles from 2002 to 2004, still the only three-peat in the contest’s history. Read his full story in our Jay Cutler biography.
Kai Greene also collected three titles (2009, 2010, 2016), while Kevin Levrone, Branch Warren, William Bonac and Brandon Curry each won it twice. 💪
🔥 Moments That Made the List Famous
Gaspari’s name sits at the top of the roll of honour because he won the very first edition, in 1989. Arnold Schwarzenegger personally called to invite him — and Gaspari left Columbus as the contest’s first champion.
In 2001, the reigning Mr. Olympia did something champions rarely risk. Ronnie Coleman walked into Columbus at the height of his Olympia reign and won the Arnold too, taking home the title and the winner’s Hummer.
Columbus also loves a comeback. Branch Warren won in 2011, tore his quadriceps later that year and missed the Mr. Olympia — then returned in 2012 to defend his Arnold crown. Cedric McMillan’s emotional 2017 win, celebrated on stage with Arnold himself, remains a fan favourite.
🆕 2024–2026: The Newest Champions
The last three editions have taken the trophy to three different countries — and pushed the prize money into record territory.
In 2024, Iran’s Hadi Choopan added the Arnold Classic to his Mr. Olympia title, beating the defending champion Samson Dauda in Columbus.
In 2025, Derek Lunsford won the title with Dauda again in second place. It set up a striking pattern: three straight editions won by champions from three different countries — Iran, the United States, and then Nigeria.
In 2026, Andrew Jacked arrived in Columbus as the hunter and left as the champion. The Nigerian, whose real name is Chinedu Andrew Obiekea, beat Nick Walker and Hadi Choopan on 7 March 2026 to win his first Arnold title.
The win paid a record $750,000 — the biggest winner’s cheque in bodybuilding history — plus the Ed Corney Best Poser award. Weeks later he won the Arnold Classic UK as well, completing a famous spring double. 🌍
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Arnold Classic in 2026?
Andrew Jacked of Nigeria won the 2026 Arnold Classic on 7 March 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. Nick Walker finished second and Hadi Choopan third.
Who has won the most Arnold Classic titles?
Dexter Jackson, with five titles (2005, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2015). Flex Wheeler is second with four (1993, 1997, 1998, 2000).
Who won the first Arnold Classic?
Rich Gaspari won the inaugural Arnold Classic in 1989, the year Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jim Lorimer launched the contest in Columbus, Ohio.
Has the Arnold Classic ever been cancelled?
No. The Men’s Open contest has been held every year since 1989. In 2020 the festival and expo around it were cancelled because of COVID-19, but the contest itself still took place and William Bonac won.
How many men have won the Arnold Classic?
Twenty-three different bodybuilders have won the title across the 38 editions held from 1989 to 2026.
🏁 Final Word
From Rich Gaspari in 1989 to Andrew Jacked in 2026, the Arnold Classic champions list is the sport’s memory in a single table.
Dexter Jackson’s five titles may never be matched — but every March, Columbus gives a new generation its chance to try. 💪