For almost a decade, Sasan Heirati was the man who kept nearly winning. Second place after second place, always one spot short of the Olympia dream. 💪
Then 2025 arrived — and the Persian-born, London-raised IFBB Pro finally smashed through the ceiling, winning two pro shows and stepping onto the Mr. Olympia stage for the first time.
In 2026 he went one better: two more pro titles and an improved Olympia placing. This is the full story of bodybuilding’s most patient contender, updated for 2026.
Sasan Heirati Quick Facts
| Full Name | Sasan Heirati |
| Born | Iran — exact date of birth not publicly documented (see FAQ) |
| Height | 5’8″ (173 cm), as commonly listed |
| Competition Weight | Around 240 lb (109 kg), as commonly listed |
| Nationality | British (of Persian/Iranian descent), based in London, UK |
| Division | IFBB Pro League Men’s Open Bodybuilding |
| Pro Card | 2015 — UKBFF British Championships heavyweight & overall champion |
| Pro Wins | 4 — Toronto Pro & Empro Classic (2025), FIBO Pro & California State Pro (2026) |
| Mr. Olympia | 16th (2025 debut), 15th (2026) |
| @sasanheirati |
Early Life: From Iran to London 🇬🇧
Sasan Heirati was born in Iran and raised in London, England. Sport came first in his life — the weights were originally just a tool to get better at it.
He picked up his first weights at 14 years old, wanting to become stronger and faster for school sports. The plan worked so well that the training itself took over.
As he has described it, there came a point where he was no longer training just for sports — he was training for himself. The physique he was building soon pointed him toward the bodybuilding stage.
His idol growing up was four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler, whose work ethic and conduct in and out of the gym he has openly said he tries to model. 🏆
The British Title and the Pro Card (2015) 🏆
Heirati’s amateur peak came at the 2015 UKBFF British Championships, where he won the heavyweight class and the overall title.
The victory carried the biggest prize in British amateur bodybuilding: the single IFBB pro card awarded to a British bodybuilder that year. Sasan Heirati was a professional.
He followed in strong footsteps — the 2014 British champion was Nathan De Asha, and the roll of honour before them includes names like Dorian Yates and Flex Lewis.
Heading into his rookie pro season, he worked with respected American prep coach Chris Aceto, with one clear mission: qualify for the Mr. Olympia. It would take far longer than either of them planned.
The Pro Years: Respect, But No Wins (2016–2018)
Heirati’s pro debut came at the 2016 Wings of Strength Chicago Pro, where he placed fifth — a strong first outing in an open line-up.
In 2017 he took sixth at the prestigious New York Pro and also competed at the California Pro, building a reputation for conditioning and polish rather than sheer size.
In May 2018 he came agonisingly close at the California State Championships, finishing second. It was a sign of things to come — in the most frustrating way possible.
He had said early in his career that he would never chase the size game, only his own game. Judges admired the package. It just kept landing one place too low.
The Quiet Years — and the Comeback (2019–2024) 🔥
After 2018, Heirati disappeared from IFBB Pro League scorecards. The official contest record shows no pro appearances from him for six seasons.
Many bodybuilders would have quietly retired. Heirati instead kept training, coaching clients as a personal trainer and nutritionist, and waiting for his moment.
The comeback began at the 2024 Empro Pro in Spain, where he placed fourth — a result that announced he was not just back, but better than ever.
What followed in 2025 would turn a nearly-forgotten pro career into one of the sport’s great late-blooming stories.
2025: The Breakthrough Season 🌟
Heirati opened 2025 with two statement runner-up finishes: second to William Bonac at the Detroit Pro in March, then second to Andrew Jacked at the FIBO Pro in April — a showdown in which reports credited him with winning the prejudging.
May brought fifth at the New York Pro and another second place at the California State Pro. The “best bodybuilder never to win a pro show” label was following him everywhere.
On June 8, 2025, at the Toronto Pro Supershow, he finally broke through — defeating a field that included Regan Grimes to take his first professional title, a full decade after turning pro.
A week later he did it again, winning the Empro Classic in Spain. The Toronto win had already punched his ticket: Sasan Heirati was going to the Mr. Olympia.
On his Olympia debut in October 2025 he placed 16th, then closed his season a week later with second place at the British Grand Prix on home soil. On that same Olympia weekend, champions in other divisions — like Men’s Physique star Ali Bilal — were writing their own stories; Heirati’s was simply finishing its first chapter.
Sasan Heirati in 2026 🔮
If 2025 was the breakthrough, 2026 was the proof it was no fluke. Heirati put together one of the busiest and most consistent seasons of any Men’s Open pro.
In April he won the FIBO Pro Championships in Germany — the same show where Andrew Jacked had beaten him a year earlier. In May he added the California State Pro title, finally winning the show where he had twice finished second.
Around those wins came fourth at the stacked Pittsburgh Pro, second at the Tsunami Nutrition Showdown in France (again behind William Bonac) and third at the Empro Classic in Spain, where he had been the defending champion.
After seventh at the Italy Pro in September, he returned to Las Vegas for his second Mr. Olympia and improved to 15th place in a line-up won by Nick Walker — cracking the Olympia’s final posedown placings at last.
His European campaign ran parallel to fellow veteran campaigners like Roman Fritz, who was fighting through the same 2026 circuit of Spanish, French and Italian pro shows.
Heirati remains based in London, still competes in the Men’s Open, and still works as a coach and nutritionist alongside his own contest prep. There has been no talk of retirement — only of climbing higher.
Training Philosophy: High Volume, Heavy Basics 💪
Heirati trains five to six days a week, built around high-volume work: roughly 20 sets per muscle group, mostly in the 6–10 rep range, across four to seven exercises per session.
The foundation is old-school — heavy compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, rows, presses and bench work. But he is not rigid: he changes routines to avoid plateaus and has long said that listening to your body matters more than any fixed programme.
His arm training shows the same thinking — long, high-set sessions built on moderate weights, constant tension and the squeeze, rather than simply chasing the heaviest dumbbell in the gym.
One detail sets him apart in the Open class: he has always trained abs directly, arguing that controlling the midsection on stage requires training it like any other muscle group. His year-round tight waist is the evidence. ✅
Nutrition: Simple, Balanced, Sustainable 🥗
Heirati’s diet follows the same no-gimmicks philosophy as his training: high protein, moderate carbohydrates and low fat, spread across six to seven meals a day.
He favours whole, nutrient-dense foods, keeps the plan simple enough to sustain all year, and allows an occasional cheat meal rather than pretending contest prep runs on willpower alone.
His core supplement staples, as listed in his profiles, are basics: protein powder, BCAAs and a greens/superfood blend — nothing exotic.
Full Pro Contest Record 📋
| Year | Results (IFBB Pro League) |
| 2016 | 5th — Wings of Strength Chicago Pro |
| 2017 | 6th — New York Pro; California Pro (competed) |
| 2018 | 2nd — California State Championships |
| 2024 | 4th — Empro Pro |
| 2025 | 2nd — Detroit Pro; 2nd — FIBO Pro; 5th — New York Pro; 2nd — California State Pro; 1st — Toronto Pro Supershow; 1st — Empro Classic; 16th — Mr. Olympia; 2nd — British Grand Prix |
| 2026 | 1st — FIBO Pro; 4th — Pittsburgh Pro; 1st — California State Pro; 2nd — Tsunami Nutrition Showdown; 3rd — Empro Classic Spain; 7th — Italy Pro; 15th — Mr. Olympia |
Career totals at the time of the 2026 Olympia: 19 pro shows, 4 wins and 7 runner-up finishes — the runner-up count tells the story of his career all by itself.
Frequently Asked Questions ❓
How old is Sasan Heirati?
His exact date of birth has never been published by a reliable source. Conflicting years (including a clearly wrong 1972) circulate on low-quality bio sites, so this page does not print an age as fact. What is documented: he started lifting at 14 and won his pro card in 2015.
How tall is Sasan Heirati, and how much does he weigh?
He is commonly listed at 5’8″ (173 cm), with a competition weight of around 240 lb (109 kg). Official weigh-in figures are not published by the IFBB Pro League.
When did Sasan Heirati turn pro?
In 2015, when he won the heavyweight class and overall title at the UKBFF British Championships — earning the single IFBB pro card awarded to a British bodybuilder that year.
Has Sasan Heirati won a pro show?
Yes — four times. He won the Toronto Pro Supershow and the Empro Classic in 2025, then the FIBO Pro and the California State Pro in 2026.
What are Sasan Heirati’s Mr. Olympia placings?
He made his Olympia debut in 2025, placing 16th, and improved to 15th at the 2026 Mr. Olympia in Las Vegas.
Is Sasan Heirati still competing in 2026?
Yes. He was one of the most active Men’s Open pros of the 2026 season, competing seven times, winning twice and finishing the year with his second Olympia appearance.
The Bottom Line ✅
Sasan Heirati’s career is proof that “nearly” is not the same as “never.” Seven times he stood in second place; for six years he vanished from the pro stage altogether.
Then, a decade after turning pro, he won — twice in eight days — and walked onto the Mr. Olympia stage. In 2026 he added two more titles and a better Olympia placing.
Like fellow veteran Akim Williams, he built his success on conditioning, patience and refusal to quit. The size game was never his game. His own game turned out to be enough. 🏆