Arnold Classic 2020: Results and Summary
Last update: 04/04/2020: 23:30
Imagine it's Arnold Classic - and nobody goes ?! Admittedly, the situation at the second most important bodybuilding competition in the world was not that bad this year. And yet the fear of the coronavirus COVID-19 cast a long shadow over the original of the Arnold Classic (in Ohio). Because the Arnold Classic in Columbus (Ohio) is not just a huge bodybuilding show: Arnold Schwarzenegger has managed in the past decades to present his show (this year from Friday, March 5th, 2020 to Sunday, March 8th, 2020) with many different sports and the Arnold Fitness EXPO to develop into one of the largest fitness fairs in the world. This year, due to concerns about the rampant virus epidemic, the Arnold Fitness EXPO had to be canceled and many bodybuilding competitions took place in front of empty ranks.
In this post I summarize the results of the second most important bodybuilding competition of the year for you. I will use this post (as well as my post "Mr. Olympia 2019: Results and Summary“) Will continue to update in the coming days and weeks to provide you with further assessments and comments. Have fun reading.
You can find the official scorecards of the competitions here:
Content:
- Die Arnold Classic in Columbus (Ohio)
- Arnold Classic: Men’s Open
- Arnold Classic: Classic Physique
- Summary
Coming Soon:
- Arnold Classic: Men’s Physique
Die Arnold Classic in Columbus (Ohio)
The Arnold Classic is a bodybuilding competition that was founded by Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1989 in Columbus (Ohio) and is considered by the scene as second most important competition in bodybuilding. Meanwhile, the Arnold Classic has various offshoots on different continents and countries, with the Arnold Classic Australia being the most famous show after the original in Columbus.
Die Arnold Classic ist im Gegensatz zu vielen großen Bodybuilding Wettbewerben, zu denen sich die Teilnehmer auf kleineren Wettbewerben qualifizieren müssen, an invitation competition. This means that the participating athletes are invited to the competition in advance either by Arnold Schwarzenegger himself or by other organizers. An attempt is made to bring the best athletes in the world onto the stage in all male and female divisions in order to compete in a high-class competition. In addition to large Prestige and points for a possible participation in the Mr. Olympia are also partly bigger prize money distributed to the athletes.
In addition to the Arnold Classic, the Arnold Fitness EXPO held as the largest fitness fair in the USA applies. Both events have been held together under the name "Arnold Sports Festival" since 2006, with the Arnold Classic as a bodybuilding competition "just" one of many sporting competitions (Strongman, CrossFit and much more) being held.
Unfortunately, this year, due to fears that the coronavirus would spread further due to the meeting of an estimated 20,000 athletes and 200,000 visitors, the Arnold Fitness EXPO canceled werden. Hier findest du die Anordnung der verantwortlichen Behörde und ein Statement von Arnold Schwarzenegger:
Order des Department of Health Ohio
Arnold Classic: Men's Open
As with almost all bodybuilding competitions it possesses the Men’s Open Division the greatest charisma for many spectators and fans. In it, the heaviest and most muscular athletes fight for titles and placements with no height or weight limit. Last year's winner of the Arnold Classic Men’s Open (and later Mr. Olympia winner) Brandon Curry did not run this yearto defend his title. His full focus is on defending his title at the Mr. Olympia 2020 from 9-12. September. So the gate was wide open for a new (or old?) 2020 title holder. Because the field of participants romps about the winners from the year 2018 (William Bonac), 2017 (Cedric McMillan) and the bodybuilding veteran Dexter Jackson. At the age of 50, he is the record winner of the Arnold Classic (2005, 2006, 2008, 20013 and 2015) and could intervene in the title race again in his last Arnold Classic with his usual sharp form.
The Men’s Open Division promise to be exciting, even if from the Top 5 of the Mr. Olympia 2019 only 2 athletes (William Bonac and Dexter Jackson) and the top 10 a total of 6 athletes (Bonac, Jackson, Steve Kuclo, Cedric McMillan, Akim Williams and Patrick Moore) take part in the Arnold Classic.
The field of participants
A total of 15 athletes have registered in the open class (Men’s Open) of the Arnold Classic 2020. The following table lists all registered participants, two of which (Lionel Beyeke, presumably again having problems with his visa for the USA and Nathan De Asha ultimately did not participate).
| List of registered participants | |
| Morgan Aste | Steve Kuclo |
| Josh Lenartowicz | |
| William Bonac | Victor Martines |
| Maxx Charles | Cedric McMillan |
| Patrick Moore | |
| Mamdouh „Big Ramy“ Elssbiay | Sergio Oliva Jr. |
| Dexter Jackson | Akim Williams |
| Johnnie jackson | |
Das Prejudging der Men's Open
Prejudging consists of several rounds in which the athletes are placed side by side for better comparability. The athletes rated as the strongest by the judges meet in the first callout, after which further callouts are called for the subsequent placements.
| Cedric McMillan |
| Akim Williams |
| Sergio Oliva Jr. |
| Patrick Moore |
| Victor Martinez |
| Maxx Charles |
| Josh Lenartowicz |
| Morgan Aste |
| Johnnie jackson |
| Big Ramy |
| William Bonac |
| Dexter Jackson |
| Steve Kuclo |
In the first round of prejudging will be Big Ramy, William Bonac, Dexter Jackson, Cedric McMillan, Steve Kuclo and Akim Williams compared to each other. The first 5 places should therefore be decided beforehand, the candidate for 6th place may have to compete with the best athlete from the next callout round. After a short time, William Bonac and Dexter Jackson are placed permanently in the middle. They are flanked by Big Ramy and Steve Kuclo, who swap places again. These four athletes should work out the first four places, presumably with a victory for William or Dexter.
For the second round remain Cedric McMillan and Akim Williams on stage and are placed in the middle. So it's probably about places 5 - 10. Becoming them Sergio Oliva Jr., Patrick Moore, Viktor Martinez and Maxx Charles brought to the stage.
Im The third prejudging callout will be Josh Lenartowicz, Morgan Aste and Johnnie Jackson compared to each other. They shouldn't have a chance of a top 10 placement and should make up places 10 to 13 among themselves.
The alleged top 4 athletes are compared again in the fourth callout: Steve Kuclo, Dexter Jackson, Big Ramy and William Bonac.
The final of the Men's Open
After the prejudging, 4 different callouts were also called for comparison in the final of the Men’s Open. The first callout was just like the first callout in prejudging Bonac, Jackson, Ramy and Kuclo occupied. You should work out the first 4 places among yourself. in the the second callout was Steve Kuclo with Oliva Jr., McMillan and Williams compared. Kuclo should be out of the fight of the top 3 at this point, but has the best chance of securing 4th place for himself. The top 7 should be occupied by the first two callouts. The best athlete from the 3rd callout will occupy the 8th place, for all other athletes in the callout places 9 to 13 remain. In the last and final callout, William Bonac, Dexter Jackson and Big Ramy were compared again. Here nuances will determine victory and placement.
| 1. | Steve Kuclo |
| 2. | Sergio Oliva Jr. |
| 3. | Cedric McMillan |
| 4. | Akim Williams |
| 1. | Johnnie jackson |
| 2. | Morgan Aste |
| 3. | Patrick Moore |
| 4. | Maxx Charles |
| 5. | Victor Martinez |
| 6. | Josh Lenartowicz |
| 1. | William Bonac |
| 2. | Dexter Jackson |
| 3. | Big Ramy |
And the winner of the Arnold Classic 2020 in the Men’s Open Division is William Bonac!
He was able to prevail against Dexter Jackson in his last participation in the Arnold Classic and Big Ramy. Here are the final results of the competition:
| Final result Men’s Open | |
| 1. | William Bonac |
| 2. | Dexter Jackson |
| 3. | Mamdouh „Big Ramy“ Elssbiay |
| 4. | Steve Kuclo |
| 5. | Sergio Oliva Jr. |
| 6. | Cedric McMillan |
| 7. | Akim Williams |
| 8. | Maxx Charles |
| 9. | Viktor Martinez |
| 10. | Patrick Moore |
| 11. | Josh Lenartowicz |
| 12. | Morgan Aste |
| 13. | Johnnie jackson |
You can find the official scorecards of the competitions here:
The posing routine of the winner of the Arnold Classic 2020: William Bonac
The entire final of the Arnold Classic 2020 Men’s Open in LiveStream:
The prize money of the Men's Open
As with every big competition in bodybuilding, a good placement is not only associated with prestige and sometimes also with points in the fight for participation in the Mr. Olympia. The Arnold Classic pays the participants in the Men’s Open Division considerable bonuses. Every athlete receives at least $ 1,000, the best placed even the proud sum of 130.000 Dollar. In addition, the athlete with the best Most Muscular Pose and the best posing will each receive $ 10,000. Compared to the winning prizes of the Mr. Olympia 2019 The money paid out here is of course significantly lower, but still impressive:
Arnold Classic: Classic Physique
Also this year the Classic Physique class of the Arnold Classic was eagerly awaited. It was only the third time this class was held in this competition. Neither the winner from the year 2018 (Breon Ansley) still his successor and champion of the year 2019 (George Peterson) were represented in the field of participants this year. So it will definitely be one new title holder give in this division.
The Classic Physique is characterized by the fact that depending on the height of the athlete a specific weight limit applies. This should ensure that aesthetic lines and not sheer muscle mass dominate the competition.
The field of participants
In the Classic Physique were at the Arnold Classic 2020 in total 14 athletes reported. The following table lists all registered participants in this class. With Alex Cambronero was formally only one participant of the Mr. Olympia 2019 Classic Physique in the participant field. Nevertheless, the competition and quality of the athletes in this division was also very high. Due to his previous achievements, among other things Steve Laureus with some advance praise.
| List of registered participants | |
| Santiago Aragon | Steve Laureus |
| Alex Cambronero | Abner Logan |
| Jun Choi | Orlando maldonado |
| Toto Djong | Rickey Moten |
| Klaus Drescher | Terrence Ruffin |
| Kwon Hyong Joo | Abtin Shekarabi |
| Brandon Kidd | Jason Strayhand |
The prejudging of the Classic Physique
A three-way battle for victory in the Classic Physique is already emerging in pre-judging. As expected in advance, Steve Laureus delivers a strong performance. With his lines and height he is the epitome of classic bodybuilding. But in line with Alex Cambronero and Terrence Ruffin it becomes clear that he cannot bring this level of form (condition) to the two. So Laureus is taken out of the comparison in favor of a duel between his opponents. At this point, it seems Cambronero and Ruffin will tie first and second among themselves, with Laureus appearing to be third-place favorites.
The final of the Classic Physique
The new champion in Classic Physique is Alex Cambronero! Mit einer sehr guten Form konnte er sich mit 5 Punkten gegen seine Konkurrenten Terrence Ruffin (10 Punkte) und Steve Laureus (15 Punkte) durchsetzen. Insgesamt konnten sich in einem spannenden Wettkampf letztlich 13 der 14 gemeldeten Athleten (mit Ausnahme von Toto Djong) platzieren.
| Final result Classic Physique | |
| 1. | Alex Cambronero |
| 2. | Terrence Ruffin |
| 3. | Steve Laureus |
| 4. | Abner Logan |
| 5. | Ricky Moten Jr. |
| 6. | Santiago Aragon |
| 7. | Abtin Shekarabi |
| 8. | Jason Strayhand |
| 9. | Orlando maldonado |
| 10. | Hyoungjoo Kwon |
| 11. | Jun Choi |
| 12. | Klaus Drescher |
| 13. | Brandon Kidd |
You can find the official scorecards of the competitions here:
The first callout of Classic Physique:
The final posing of the top 6 in the Classic Physique Division:
An analysis of the final placements in the Classic Physique of the Arnold Classic 2020:
Classic Physique prize money
In addition to the great prestige of a good placement, a good placement in the Classic Physique class of the Arnold Classic is associated with considerable prize money. Compared to the Men's Open Division, however, the prize money is much lower. The 6th and 5th place receive $ 1,000 each, and the 1st place still receives $ 7,000. If you put this in relation to the proud $ 130,000 for winning the Men’s Open, the sporting success outweighs the Classic Physique. Also in relation to the prize money of the Classic Physique class at Mr. Olympia 2019 (30,000, 10,000, 5,000, 3,000 and 2,000) the premiums at the Arnold Classic are significantly lower:
Summary
Men's Open
William Bonac could claim the victoryas seen on the scorecards (15 points for 37 and 38), clearly before Dexter Jackson and Big Ramy to back up. Even if I personally don't find it very aesthetic due to its small body size, it has an enormous muscle density and with its great shape shows a lot of details in every part of the body. The wafer-thin lead of just one point over Dexter Jackson in second place over Big Ramy is mainly due to the form. Big Ramy towers over both Dexter and Bonac in size and clearly also in muscle mass, but was weaker in shape and details of the muscles.
In the weeks before Arnold Classic originated in Ohio a big hype about Mamdouh Elssbiay alias "Big Ramy". The photos and videos from his training sessions showed a combination of large muscle mass with outstanding form for him at these times. One could hope that at this show he would finally stop playing the crowd game and finally take part in the competition in outstanding form. Many experts and fans are sure that he in optimal form, almost unbeatable for any other athlete should be. Once again, however, as his coach revealed, he charged enormous amounts of carbohydrates beforehand and allegedly weighed 310 pounds (about 140 kilograms). Unfortunately, this was again at the expense of its formwhich was not on point compared to William Bonac.
The places 4 and 5 are in my opinion Steve Kuclo and Sergio Oliva Jr. okay. Above all, Oliva Jr. (son of the legendary Sergio Oliva) showed a clear improvement and was able to celebrate a great success with 5th place. Cedric McMillan remained (as the winner of the Arnold Classic 2017) with 6th place as always well below his possibilities. If he comes in excellent shape, he can use his stature to intervene in the battle for first place.
I was a little disappointed personally with Patrick Moore, which, after his spectacular debut at the Mr. Olympia 2019, was a big surprise for some. Unfortunately, he was unable to regain his Olympic shape, so his lower muscle mass compared to the other athletes was a major factor. A 10th place is to be seen as a success for him.
Josh Lenartowicz After his serious illness (brain tumor) he brought a considerable package within the scope of his possibilities, even if he of course lacked time for better preparation through his recovery. Morgan Aste competed in his first professional competition and proved that sheer muscle mass and very good form are not enough to place yourself far ahead. Unfortunately, compared to the other top athletes, he is slowed down by his structure, which he cannot improve any further. It brought a really impressive hardness and details (see video) that Big Ramy could only dream of. Big Ramy should definitely have brought this to have a chance of victory. But as I said, with its size and structure, it was simply no longer possible. For Morgan Aste it was certainly a success, the penultimate place up Johnnie jackson to have achieved. In the end, this was able to stir the drum for himself a little, but was of no sporting importance.
In direct comparison, it becomes clear how unbeatable Big Ramy would be if he finally competed in a competition with a competition weight of well under 300 pounds, but in the form of Morgan Aste:
Classic Physique
Places 1 to 3 were already taken in pre-judging and I think that this is also justified. Alex Cambronero could clearly advance the victory Terrence Ruffin and Steve Laureus win. In my opinion the order is okay, but I'll start with 3rd place first. Steve Laureus was separated from Alex Cambronero and Terrence Ruffin at an early age. For many, Laureus has the most beautiful and aesthetic lines, but this time it was not in top form compared to its two competitors. In my opinion, 3rd place was the logical consequence.
In the duel between Cambronero and Ruffin, the placement was too clear for me, Cambronero won with 5 points to 10 points. Probably the combination of lines and shape was weighted more heavily, but I would have expected a smaller distance due to Terrence Ruffin's incredibly good shape. Personally, I would not have found a win by Ruffin undeserved.
All in all, a very high-class competition in which - behind the 3 favorites - some underdogs were able to attract attention due to the absence of other top athletes of the Mr. Olympia.
I will continue to add and update this post over the next few days and weeks. I hope you had fun reading it and I would be delighted if you check out my blog again.
If you liked this post, have a look at my post "Mr. Olympia 2019: Results and Summary“Stop by and find out how the most important bodybuilding competition of 2019 went.
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