Tonio Burton — “The Predator” — has quietly put together one of the best records in modern Open bodybuilding. 🇺🇸
The Reno pro owns nine IFBB Pro League wins, has stood on the Mr. Olympia stage five times, and in 2026 he climbed to fifth in the world — the best result of his career.
His rise is even more remarkable for where it started: a young man pulled into gang life who found a way out through the weights room. This is his full story, fact-checked and updated for 2026. 💪
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Tonio Burton |
| Nickname | The Predator |
| Nationality | American |
| Based In | Reno, Nevada, USA |
| Division | Men’s Open Bodybuilding (began in the 212 class) |
| Pro Card | 2019 NPC USA Championships — Light Heavyweight winner |
| Pro Wins | 9 (one in the 212 class, eight in the Open) |
| Mr. Olympia Appearances | 5 (best: 5th in 2026) |
| Coach (2024) | Justin Jacoby |
| Status in 2026 | Active — 5th at the 2026 Mr. Olympia, Mexico Pro champion |
Early Life: The Reno Years 🏙️
Burton’s story starts in Reno, Nevada — and by his own account, it nearly went very wrong. In interviews he has spoken openly about being drawn into gang life as a young man.
Weight training became his way out. The gym gave him structure, discipline and a future, and he has said he now competes to build a better life for his kids, so they never face the choices he did. 🕊️
It is that background that makes what followed so striking. Within a few years of his first amateur show, “The Predator” was beating established pros.
Amateur Rise and the 2019 Pro Card 🏆
Burton began competing as an amateur in 2018, winning his Light Heavyweight class at the NPC Mother Lode Championships and placing third at the Vancouver Pro Qualifier.
In 2019 he won the NPC Sampson Showdown, then stepped onto the national stage at the NPC USA Championships — and won the Light Heavyweight class there too.
That USA title earned him his IFBB Pro card. The plan was simple: start in the 212 division, where his dense, compact physique looked tailor-made. It worked faster than anyone expected.
A Dream Pro Debut in the 212 (2021)
Burton’s pro debut came at the 2021 Indy Pro — and he won it. In his first-ever professional show he took the 212 title ahead of Nathan Epler and John Jewett, booking his Olympia ticket at the first attempt. 🥇
At the 2021 Mr. Olympia he placed 10th in the 212 class, against a field led by Derek Lunsford and Shaun Clarida. A top-ten finish at his first Olympia marked him out as a serious talent.
Weeks later he tested himself in the Open at the Legion Sports Fest Pro and finished fourth — a clear sign that his future lay in the big class.
The Move to the Open (2022)
The 2022 season confirmed it. In May, Burton placed third at the California State Pro, behind winner Charles Griffen and runner-up Mohamed Shaaban — front-line Open company.
That autumn he went one better, winning the Legion Sports Fest Pro in his home state of Nevada — his first Open title, taken ahead of a field that included Justin Rodriguez.
He closed the year with his Open Olympia debut, placing 16th in Las Vegas. The placing was modest, but the direction of travel was obvious. 📈
New York Champion and a Top-Eight Olympia (2023)
In May 2023, Burton won the New York Pro — one of the most prestigious titles on the calendar — beating Stuart Sutherland and Josef Kveton with a bigger, sharper package.
Seven days later he was back on stage at the California State Pro, finishing second to Ross Flanigan. Few pros can podium twice in eight days; Burton made it look routine.
At the 2023 Mr. Olympia in Orlando he placed 8th in the Open — an eight-place jump in a single year, and proof he belonged in the sport’s top tier. 🔥
2024: A Third Open Win — Then a Year Turns Hard
Burton’s 2024 spring was relentless: second at the Arnold Classic South America behind Rafael Brandao, third at the New York Pro, then victory at the California State Pro in May, where he held off runner-up Emir Omeragic.
That win qualified him for the 2024 Mr. Olympia. But in September he and coach Justin Jacoby announced he was withdrawing: after a packed season they were not ready, and protecting his long-term health came first.
Then, in November 2024, Burton was involved in a serious motorcycle crash. By his own account on Instagram, he was hit by a car and thrown some 40 feet, suffering burns and injuries that put him in hospital. His season — and nearly much more — was over. 🏥
The Comeback: Legion, Olympia and Mexico (2025)
What happened next says everything about the man. Six months after the crash, in May 2025, Burton returned at the Legion Sports Fest Pro in his home city of Reno — and won it, reclaiming the title he had first taken in 2022. Blessing Awodibu finished sixth that day.
At the 2025 Mr. Olympia he matched his career best with another 8th place. Weeks later he added one more title, winning the Pharlabs Mexico Pro ahead of Regan Grimes and Shaun Clarida.
From a hospital bed to two pro titles and a top-eight Olympia in under a year — it was one of bodybuilding’s great comeback seasons. 🙌
Tonio Burton in 2026: Fifth in the World 💪
The comeback year turned out to be just the warm-up. The spring of 2026 was the best run of Burton’s career, all of it packed into a single month.
On May 9 he won the New York Pro for the second time, beating Michal Krizanek and Rafael Brandao. A week later in Pittsburgh, Krizanek turned the tables and Burton took second. Then, on May 30 in Reno, he won the Legion Sports Fest Pro for the third time.
The year had begun in grief — Burton stepped back from the 2026 Arnold Classic following the death of his mother — which made the spring surge, delivered in her memory as much as anything, all the more powerful.
On September 26, 2026, in Las Vegas, he placed 5th at the Mr. Olympia — behind only champion Nick Walker, Samson Dauda, Derek Lunsford and Andrew Jacked. The top-five finish he had publicly targeted was his. 🏆
And he was not done: one week later he flew to Mexico and defended his Pharlabs Mexico Pro title with a perfect score. He has also confirmed he will compete at the 2027 Arnold Classic — a stage he has never stood on.
Contest Record
| Year | Contest | Class | Placing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | NPC Mother Lode Championships (Amateur) | Light Heavyweight | 1st |
| 2018 | Vancouver Pro Qualifier (Amateur) | Light Heavyweight | 3rd |
| 2019 | NPC Sampson Showdown (Amateur) | Light Heavyweight | 1st |
| 2019 | NPC USA Championships (Amateur) | Light Heavyweight | 1st — pro card |
| 2021 | Indy Pro | 212 | 1st 🏆 |
| 2021 | Mr. Olympia | 212 | 10th |
| 2021 | Legion Sports Fest Pro | Open | 4th |
| 2022 | California State Pro | Open | 3rd |
| 2022 | Legion Sports Fest Pro | Open | 1st 🏆 |
| 2022 | Mr. Olympia | Open | 16th |
| 2023 | New York Pro | Open | 1st 🏆 |
| 2023 | California State Pro | Open | 2nd |
| 2023 | Mr. Olympia | Open | 8th |
| 2024 | Arnold Classic South America | Open | 2nd |
| 2024 | New York Pro | Open | 3rd |
| 2024 | California State Pro | Open | 1st 🏆 |
| 2025 | Legion Sports Fest Pro | Open | 1st 🏆 |
| 2025 | Mr. Olympia | Open | 8th |
| 2025 | Pharlabs Mexico Pro | Open | 1st 🏆 |
| 2026 | New York Pro | Open | 1st 🏆 |
| 2026 | Pittsburgh Pro | Open | 2nd |
| 2026 | Legion Sports Fest Pro | Open | 1st 🏆 |
| 2026 | Mr. Olympia | Open | 5th |
| 2026 | Pharlabs Mexico Pro | Open | 1st 🏆 |
Note: Burton also qualified for the 2024 Mr. Olympia by winning the California State Pro, but withdrew before the show (see above).
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is Tonio Burton?
Tonio Burton’s height is not listed in any official IFBB Pro League or Mr. Olympia profile that could be verified.
What is clear from his record is his build: a dense, compact Open physique that began in the 212 class before he moved up to the Open division.
How many pro shows has Tonio Burton won?
Nine. His first came in the 212 class at the 2021 Indy Pro; his eight Open wins are the Legion Sports Fest Pro (2022, 2025, 2026), the New York Pro (2023, 2026), the California State Pro (2024) and the Pharlabs Mexico Pro (2025, 2026).
What is Tonio Burton’s best Mr. Olympia result?
Fifth place at the 2026 Mr. Olympia. He has appeared five times: 10th in the 212 class in 2021, then 16th (2022), 8th (2023), 8th (2025) and 5th (2026) in the Open.
Why did Tonio Burton miss the 2024 Mr. Olympia?
He had qualified by winning the California State Pro, but in September 2024 he and his coach Justin Jacoby announced he was withdrawing: after a packed season they felt he was not ready, and protecting his health came first.
What happened in Tonio Burton’s motorcycle accident?
In November 2024, Burton shared on Instagram that he had been hit by a car while riding, was thrown around 40 feet, and was treated in hospital for burns and other injuries. He recovered fully — six months later he won the Legion Sports Fest Pro.
Why is Tonio Burton called “The Predator”?
It is the nickname he has carried throughout his professional career — a nod to the dense, aggressive look he brings to the stage, with some of the sharpest conditioning in the Open class.
Where is Tonio Burton from?
He is American and based in Reno, Nevada — which makes the Legion Sports Fest Pro, held in Reno, his home show. He has won it three times.
Is Tonio Burton still competing in 2026?
Yes — 2026 was his best season yet: two pro wins and a second place in May, fifth at the Mr. Olympia in September, and a successful Mexico Pro title defence in October. He has confirmed he will compete at the 2027 Arnold Classic.
The Bottom Line
Nine pro wins, five Olympia appearances and a top-five finish on the sport’s biggest stage — Tonio Burton has built an elite record the hard way. 💪
From gang life in Reno to fifth in the world, via a hospital bed and one of the great comeback seasons, “The Predator” is still hunting — and the 2027 Arnold Classic is next.