Keone Pearson captured his fourth consecutive Men’s 212 Olympia championship on Friday, September 25, 2026, in Las Vegas, defeating runner-up Lucas Garcia and third-place finisher Shaun Clarida to retain his title.
Pearson brought a combination of symmetry, muscular development, and conditioning to the stage, earning a perfect score of 5 from the judging panel. The victory secured him the $50,000 top prize at the 62nd Mr. Olympia competition.
Garcia earned second place and $20,000 after advancing past former champion Clarida in the final standings. Clarida, a two-time 212 Olympia winner, finished third with a score of 17, taking home $12,000.
Vitor Alves Porto De Oliveira placed fourth to receive $7,000, while Nihat Kaya rounded out the top five with a $6,000 payout. Felipe Moraes finished sixth, followed by Naotaka Yokokawa in seventh, Nasser Mohammad in eighth, Cameron George in ninth, and Radoslav Angelov in tenth.
| Place | Competitor | Country | Score | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keone Pearson | USA | 5 | $50,000 |
| 2 | Lucas Garcia | Brazil | 10 | $20,000 |
| 3 | Shaun Clarida | USA | 17 | $12,000 |
| 4 | Vitor Alves Porto De Oliveira | Brazil | 18 | $7,000 |
| 5 | Nihat Kaya | Turkey | 26 | $6,000 |
| 6 | Felipe Moraes | Brazil | 29 | – |
| 7 | Naotaka Yokokawa | Japan | 35 | – |
| 8 | Nasser Mohammad | Kuwait | – | – |
| 9 | Cameron George | USA | – | – |
| 10 | Radoslav Angelov | Bulgaria | – | – |
Prior to the event, Pearson emphasized his focus on execution rather than matching heavyweights in size.
“It’s not about playing the size game. I’ve got to play to my strengths,” said Keone Pearson, 212 Olympia Champion.
The victory prolongs Pearson’s championship streak in the division, following previous title wins in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Former bodybuilder Shawn Ray offered strategic advice regarding Pearson’s divisional positioning following his previous Open class appearance.
“I personally don’t think it’s time for Keone to go in the Open. There’s Open shows he can win, but you have to be strategic,” said Shawn Ray, former Mr. Olympia runner-up.
Ray noted that other successful 212 competitors maintained strict focus on their primary division throughout their championship reigns.
“Flex Lewis wasn’t out there competing in a bunch of Open shows,” said Shawn Ray, former Mr. Olympia runner-up.
Reflecting on Pearson’s early Open class debut, Ray evaluated the physical comparison on stage against larger competitors.
“You put him on that Open stage and he disappeared,” said Shawn Ray, former Mr. Olympia runner-up.
Eight-time Mr. Olympia winner Ronnie Coleman offered a different perspective regarding Pearson’s future potential in the Open class.
He expects Pearson “to climb up to that Open class probably in the next 2-3 years,” said Ronnie Coleman, former eight-time Mr. Olympia champion.
Coleman expressed high expectations for Pearson’s trajectory should he complete the transition to the Open category.
“He’ll win it,” said Ronnie Coleman, former eight-time Mr. Olympia champion.
Pearson’s victory leaves him three titles behind Flex Lewis, who holds the record of seven 212 Olympia titles won between 2012 and 2018.
