Baena celebrated the win on Instagram, posting photos from the event holding a sword and shield after being crowned champion. “Your new INBA Iron Gladiator Classic Physique Champion,” he wrote alongside the photos.
The latest victory comes after Baena opened his bodybuilding career with a strong showing at the NPC Natural Colorado State Championships on March 28. During that competition, he finished first in the Men’s Open Bodybuilding Heavyweight Class, Men’s Classic Physique True Novice, and Men’s Classic Physique Novice divisions.
He also earned a silver medal in the Men’s Classic Physique Open Class C category.
“Mission Accomplished! 🥇,” Baena wrote after his first event, sharing stage photos from the competition.
Despite his famous last name, Baena said he waited years before fully committing to competitive bodybuilding. Ahead of the Iron Gladiator event, he explained that 2026 became the year he stopped hesitating.
“This year was the year that I said, ‘Enough being afraid. Enough overthinking. It’s time to commit,’” Baena said in an interview shared on Instagram. He added that the INBA event was only his “second show ever.”
Baena’s path to bodybuilding began long before he stepped onstage. He said he struggled with his weight as a teenager and was cut from both his basketball and soccer teams. Swimming eventually gave him an entry point into fitness.
“Swim didn’t have tryouts, thankfully, and completely changed my life forever,” Baena wrote in a July Instagram post. “That was my introduction to fitness and training.”
Schwarzenegger, who won seven Mr. Olympia titles before becoming a Hollywood star and California governor, has remained closely involved in his son’s preparation. Baena trained with Schwarzenegger at Gold’s Gym in Venice Beach, where the actor helped him refine his posing and prepare for competition.
