New York Pro 2026: Results and Burtons triumph

On the weekend of May 8-9, 2026, Teaneck, New Jersey experienced an incredible bodybuilding show. At the prestigious New York Pro 2026, which is considered one of the season’s most important milestones after the Mr. Olympia and Arnold Classic, the Men’s Open royal category saw drama that will be remembered for a long time.

The main attraction was not only the prestige and the prize money, but above all the direct qualification for Mr. Olympia 2026. Brutal volumes clashed with elegant aesthetics on stage and the judges had their hands full.

Clash of the Titans: Tonio Burton versus Michal Krizanek

The entire semi-final and final was a close battle between two heavyweights – American Tonio Burton and Slovakian giant Michal “Kriz” Križánek. The judges kept them in the middle of the stage from the very first comparison.

The champion Tonio Burton: Life form and symmetry

American professional Tonio Burton went into this competition with a clear goal. After finishing a brilliant eighth place at both the 2023 and 2025 Mr. Olympia, he knew he needed to bring something special to move forward. And he did just that in New York.

Burton showcased incredibly round muscles, deep separation and absolutely flawless posing. His strengths were final tightness and perfect abdominal wall control. He scored an identical 4 points from the judges in both rounds, giving him a close but well deserved victory.

Michal Križo Križánek: Brutal volume on the second place

Slovak “Mass Monster” Michal Križánek was one of the biggest favourites of the audience. Križo brought breathtaking volumes to the stage, especially in the arms and shoulders, which visibly overshadowed Burton.

However, with a difference of only two points in the overall score (10 vs. 8 points for Burton) he missed out on the gold. In a close fight, the judges favored the slightly better tightness and readiness of Tonio Burton’s back stance. However, second place is a confirmation for Kriz that he is still one of the absolute world’s best and his progress to the Olympia is only a matter of time.

Bronze for Rafael Brandao and the rest of the field

The third place went to the Brazilian aesthetic king Rafael Brandao, who impressed with his great lines and elegant presentation, but this time he lost out to the top two in volume. Fourth place went to the crowd’s favourite, showman Blessing Awodibu, who made a very solid return to form, and the elite five were rounded off by the superbly prepared Italian Daniel Goss.

Official results and scorecards (Men’s Open)

Check out the full top ten standings and judges’ scorecards. The rule in bodybuilding is that the less points a competitor receives, the better his result.