The Olympia is the Superbowl of Bodybuilding. Whosoever wins this contest in any of the ten divisions offered can say they are the best in the world. That’s the whole point of competing at the highest level of physique-based sports. I don’t care who we’re talking about, if you choose to compete in the NPC (National Physique Committee), you have two goals – one is to turn pro and the second is to compete at The O. It’s as simple as that. While other federations pride themselves on having a top show, the Olympia is the top of the heap. Even rival federations, for example the IFBB Elite Pro, have no choice but to recognize the Olympia as being a cut above the rest. They may shy away from admitting so publicly, but they all know it’s true. There’s simply no other contest like it. Nothing compares to its history, and nothing comes close to its reach. This is just a fact. It may pain others to admit it, but it’s true. There can be only one winner in each division. From there, however, there are other top honors to discuss. There’s the runner-up spot, Top 3, and Top 6. If someone takes 2nd or 3rd, a strong case can be made for them being the uncrowned champ. Anyone in the Top 6 is in the mix, as well. These honors are reserved for a select few, but there’s one other group that needs to be included, and that is the Olympia Top 10.
Being a Top 10 Olympian means that you’re on the brink of greatness. It’s a tremendous accomplishment that can result in sponsorships and commands media attention. There are competitors who spend an entire career waiting for this accomplishment. Whether you’re 7th or 10th doesn’t really matter. It’s about getting there. A Top 10 competitor could be in the Top 6 as well. In fact, guys who wind up in the Top 10 might have battled on some level during first callouts. Imagine making it to the Super Bowl of Bodybuilding and having been on a stage in the same group as the champ! That’s huge! And that doesn’t just happen. If you’re in the first callout, that means you’re doing the business of bodybuilding. It means that you did what was needed to be done during your prep. It also means that you stood tall and posed hard. It means that the judges thought enough of you and your physique to include you with the very best in the world. Once a competitor makes Top 10, now they get a certain level of deference when doing other shows. They also get a much closer look at future Olympias they compete in. This is because they’ve proven themselves. And isn’t that a huge part of physique-based sports, anyways? Everything is a test. Everyone wants to know what you’re made of.
So, who do I think will be in the Top 10 at the 2026 Olympia? This is perhaps the most fun of the whole year because the readers want to see what the writers and talking heads have to say when it comes to predictions. I remember back in the good ole days of the message boards, the regulars would have all out battles on who placed where. In the end, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but the thing with predictions is that people get very offended if their favorite stars don’t get love. In fact, many top bodybuilders will take to DM’ing and/or blocking media outlets if they don’t a favorable prediction. That’s where I think a lot of competitors need to get a grip.
At the end of the day, predictions don’t matter. I mean all that matters is what the judges say, right? Yes and no. Some competitors feel that their fans need to show loyalty and heart. And what better way to prove this than by predicting them to win or receive top honors? I don’t get down like that. I never have. That might explain why I’ve been blocked by guys like Phil Heath, Nick Walker, and others. But f*ck it! I write what I see and what I believe, and the same goes for my predictions.
I won’t be giving you by Top 6 predictions today, but I promise you that is coming on a future article. I will tell you the guys who I think will get 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th. I won’t put them in order, but I’ll tell you which four guys I think will get these spots. Please don’t get upset, but if you do, oh well. Here goes!
James Hollingshead (aka The Shed) strikes me as being a top contender for the Top 10. I like his attention to condition and the fact he poses hard. Hollingshead earned my respect by keeping his head during tough contests like Portugal and China. China was most definitely a trial by fire. When the whole bodybuilding world thinks you got robbed, but you keep your cool, that shows tremendous wherewithal. The Shed just kept coming back better and better. Even in Tampa, he held his own against Nick Walker in a number of poses. If he could do that, then he can definitely be in the Top 10, maybe as high as 7th. James brought his best to Atlanta and gave Regan a huge wake-up call – though maybe not a big enough one because he went on to lose in Texas, as well.
Behrouz Tabani is a guy who I think belongs in the Top 10. Look at what he did in China. Despite the highly likely fate of not getting a visa, he stayed in tunnel vision and he didn’t let up. The fact he got a visa at the last-minute and had to take a crazy flight at just a day or two out, would have spelled catastrophe for just about any other competitor. Tabani stayed focused and didn’t deviate from his prep. Any competitor who can stay focused given that level of chaos, is someone who’s very dangerous. Moreover, I like that he has slabs of dense, conditioned muscle. I think that Behrouz can be a force to be reckoned with in the Top 10.
Patrick Moore really impressed me with
the Texas Pro. I have often thought of him as a Classic Physique competitor trapped in the bodybuilding division. But I’ll admit that when he stood strong against Regan, I was very impressed. Sure, the size difference was undeniable, but his aesthetic physique and classic lines were enough to put the much larger Grimes to shame. Even though bodybuilding falls prey to the size game, anytime you see a guy with an artistic look who comes in dialed-in, they can always make a stand. And that’s exactly what Patrick did at the Texas Pro. By all accounts, this was Regan’s show to lose, and lose he did. Patrick won in commanding form, sending Grimes all the way to Europe to fight for a qualification at the very last show.
But we’re not done with Regan just yet. At least I’m not. Even though Regan is said to be an Instagram bodybuilder and even though he shot himself in the proverbial foot with his goofy costumes in Atlanta and Texas, I really like what he brought to the Austria Pro. I also like that he’s locked in for the first pro show of 2027. I suspect Grimes is in the zone. I like what Armon Adibi said about suffering for a show and I think Grimes may have taken those advices to heart. Not only could Regan be in the Top 10 in 2026, but he could be a future Olympia champion. For now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I could see him at 7th or 10th. It all depends on how hard he works.
So what say you? Do you agree with me that these four guys will be in the 2026 Olympia Top 10? Or do you have other guys in the mix? Don’t forget that I still have to write an article about my Olympia Top 6 predictions. Be on the lookout for that piece, shortly.
As always, I hope you enjoyed reading my article here – at IronMag. I look forward to reading your feedback in the comments. Please be sure to copy and paste a link to this story on all your social media feeds. It’s bound to generate lively conversation.
Author Bio:
Christian I. Duque is the owner of StrengthAddicts.com, a physique and strength website founded in 2008. He has worked for a number of bodybuilding websites, including RX Muscle and Muscular Development. Christian has written nearly 1,000 published articles for IronMag Blog, as well as articles for StrengthAddicts, RX Muscle, and others. By day, he is also a licensed attorney practicing in the areas of family law, immigration, and criminal defense.
