Bodybuilder Sam Sulek is on the precipice of his IFBB Pro League Classic Physique debut. On Feb. 26, Lee Priest offered Sulek advice ahead of the 2026 Arnold Classic and backed him to finish in the top five.
Sulek’s trajectory in bodybuilding has been swift. He won his amateur debut at the 2025 NPC Legends Classic, securing a spot in the Arnold Amateur event. In Ohio, he showcased improvements, especially in his quads, to secure his Pro card.
While he could have chosen a smaller-scale show, Sulek wanted to test himself in deep waters. At the 2026 Arnold Classic, he’ll face a who’s who of talent, including reigning champion Mike Sommerfeld and frontrunner Wesley Vissers. With the show approaching, Priest predicted how Sulek might perform under pressure.
Lee Priest ‘Hoping’ Sam Sulek Cracks Top 5 at 2026 Arnold Classic, Gives Him Advice
In the IFBB AMA YouTube video, Priest emphasized that Sulek has already proven himself as a worthy Classic Physique bodybuilder. He believes his sharp conditioning could lead to a solid performance in Ohio despite his lack of a coach:
“Talk shit all you want, the proof is in the pudding. He went out there and proved himself. All you fuckin shit talkers online, what have you ever fuckin done? Nothing. The thing I’m most impressed with, when I see people like Wesley, Mike, Andrea Mammoli, he looks good too, but I gotta say: Sam’s conditioning, for someone doing it themselves, thank you very much, Nick is doing it himself.
When I say doing it himself, I’m sure they got to talk to people. They might bounce ideas off of people but no one knows your body better than you. I’ll always say that.”
Priest added that athletes don’t need a coach, noting that family or friends can help out in the final stretch of prep.
“Some people might need them for the mental side more than anything because that’s all it is. Those last weeks or two, you might start questioning yourself, but that’s what I said, if you have a good support group around you, boyfriend, girlfriend, wife, mom, dad, training partner, they should be honest with you enough to tell you how you’re looking. If you’re looking shit or if you need to do this or do that,” he said.
Looking at the lineup, Priest is hoping Sulek can crack the top five or six.
“The secret is believing in yourself and believing what’s up in here, controlling that. Sam, I wish you all the best. I’m still hoping he can get into the top five or the top six, but either way, looking at him now to last year, he’s a winner. He’s improved.”
Though Sulek has more fans than most active IFBB Pros, not everyone is on board. Olympia MC Tim Wilkins recently called out the fitness influencer. He said Sulek was ‘garbage for the sport.’ In response, Priest stressed that no one in the community even knows who Wilkins is.
Sulek looks on track for a strong performance in just one week. The 2026 Arnold Classic is set for March 5-8 in Columbus, Ohio.
Watch the full video from the IFBB AMA YouTube channel below:
Stay Updated with FitnessVolt
Get the latest fitness news, workouts & nutrition tips delivered to your feed
Tip: If you’re signed in to Google, tap Follow.
