Arnold Schwarzenegger is arguably still the face of professional bodybuilding, at least to the casual fan, thanks to his successful transition to Hollywood entertainment. His Arnold Sports Festival, held annually in Columbus, has also become a marquee event, headlined by the Arnold Classic, which nearly rivals the Mr. Olympia in its profile.
However, the Olympia is still the gold standard of IFBB competition and has been since Weider founded it. Schwarzenegger was the third champion crowned, following Larry Scott (1965-66) and Sergio Olivia (1967-69). Schwarzenegger won the Olympia six straight years before making a comeback win in 1980.
While Schwarzenegger does hold the record for the youngest Mr. Olympia ever (23 years, 2 months), he does not hold the record for the most victories. That record stands at eight and is shared by Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman.
Shawn Rhoden holds the record for the oldest Mr. Olympia at 43 years and five months.
Haney, Coleman, Olivia, Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane, Dorian Yates, Jay Cutler, and Phil Heath make up the list of competitors who have won the Mr. Olympia three or more times. That’s the group that Lunsford is looking to join this weekend.
Lunsford is also looking to become the first repeat champion since Mamdouh Elssibay won in 2020 and 2021.
The reigning champ will have to fend off 2024 Olympia winner Samson Dauda and 2026 Arnold Classic winner Andrew Jacked to retain the title. Other top competitors like Nick Walker and Martin Fitzwater should have a chance to make an impression at the finals as well.
In all, 22 IFBB pros qualified for the 2026 Olympia Open.
The finals are scheduled to begin around 7 p.m. local time (10 p.m. ET) at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Fans hoping to catch the action from home can follow the live stream at OlympiaProductions.com.
A look at the complete 2026 field can be found here.
