The 2026 Mr. Olympia is approaching quickly, leading Chris Aceto to discuss the event in detail. On June 22, 2026, via YouTube, he opened up on whether the Olympia should raise its prize money and Derek Lunsford’s chances heading into September.
In 2025, Derek Lunsford cemented his legacy in the IFBB Pro League with a dominant season. He claimed three consecutive titles at the Arnold Classic, Pittsburgh Pro, and Mr. Olympia. After recapturing the Sandow trophy, he became the first Open bodybuilder to win it back onstage since Jay Cutler.
While Lunsford opted for an off-season to improve his upper body, his rivals carried on. Chinedu Andrew ‘Jacked’ Obiekea emerged as a top threat, claiming over $1 million in prize earnings with victories at the Arnold Classic Ohio and UK shows. Aceto, who coaches both Lunsford and Jacked, opened up on how the event might play out when competitors meet in Vegas.
Chris Aceto Talks Prize Money at Mr. Olympia & Derek Lunsford
In the video, Aceto was uncertain as to whether Mr. Olympia would raise its prize money, and said there wasn’t ‘a need’ for it.
“I’m on the fence this year, I don’t know [If Jake Wood raises prize money beyond $750K].”
“It’d be great if it did, but yeah, it’s moved awfully fast, awfully quick, the last three years. It’s hard to say. I don’t think there is a need.”
“You don’t think the Olympia, which is the Super Bowl of Bodybuilding, needs to have the number one prize money?” asks Dave Palumbo.
“No, I used to sneeze at it, and off the record make fun of it, and say it was despicable when it was say 200, but if I said that now, it’d be an insult to the people working hard to promote the show,” said Aceto.
He argued that if the Arnold Classic offers the most prize money, it detracts from Olympia’s impact on bodybuilding history:
“We’re looking at Arnold lineups going forward with that type of money, which they are the Olympia lineups, period,” he said. “You can’t pass the straight face test, you can’t throw at me Arnold, Haney, Dorian, Jay, Phil, Ronnie, all that stuff, history, it doesn’t matter, none of it matters if the Arnold like has a big discrepancy in prize money.”
According to Aceto, the Olympia is Lunsford’s show to lose, but he refused to count out any contenders, noting they are all capable of bringing their best:
“I think he looks great. I think more than anything, it’s his show to lose, more than win. It’s the same exact lineup. By definition, there is no one there who he has not beaten, yet in the same breath, as his coach, there is no one there that can’t be counted out or should be counted out or should be not seen as capable of winning.”
“It’s the Olympia. It’s a brutal show, right? It’s a brutal show. The dynamics are just so much, meaning if you are coming to the Olympia and you were better last year, you’re not going to get the respect of the judges, no matter what, period.”
Aside from Aceto, head judge Steve Weinberger also discussed the 2026 Mr. Olympia. He believes up to eight contenders can battle for gold when the event returns. Don’t miss the ‘Super Bowl of Bodybuilding,’ set for September 24-27 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
