Lifters Push Human Limits as Prize Money Surges at Houston Powerlifting Event

The 2026 Avancus Houston Open & Primetime Invitational was held over the weekend on October 3–4 at the Stafford Centre in the Greater Houston area. The annual meet lived up to its reputation as one of the premier high-stakes events on the Powerlifting America schedule. Featuring a $50,000 cash prize purse alongside direct performance bonuses for broken records, the meet brought together elite raw lifters across multiple weight classes competing under strict IPF/PA sanctioning.

Standout Highlights & Key Performances

1. Jesus Olivares Shatters Records (+120 kg Class)

The undeniable headliner of the weekend was Jesus Olivares, who delivered a historic exhibition in the super heavyweight division:

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• Olivares squatted an astounding 478 kg (1,053.8 lbs) and went on to post a monumental raw total, setting unofficial IPF Raw World Records for both squat and total.

• Continuing to distance himself as one of the most dominant raw lifters in modern history, Olivares capped off the weekend by reinforcing his status as the premier force in raw powerlifting.

2. Sonita Muluh Rules the Squat Deck (Women’s Open)

Belgium’s superstar Sonita Muluh lived up to her billing as the favorite on the women’s roster.

• Sonita put on a squatted a massive 320 kg (705.5 lbs) squat. It was the heaviest women’s squat of the entire meet. Sonita asserted total dominance in the heavy/super heavyweight category.

• We anticipate even higher numbers on her upcoming international platforms debuts.

3. Josh Joachim Hits Massive Squat (105 kg Class)

Josh Joachim came into the weekend riding tremendous momentum following his performance at the 2026 NAPF North American Regional Championships, where he squatted an astonishing 393 kg (866 lbs) to break the IPF raw world record squat in the 105 kg class, alongside a massive 965.5 kg total.

4. Primetime Contenders & Battles

• Angelo Fortino & Brandon Pitre: Coming into the event as top-seeded invitations on GL Points, Fortino and Pitre highlighted the middleweight battles, executing crisp attempt selection and competing head-to-head for high-placing cash shares.

• Demetrius Smith & Jordan McKinley: Both delivered massive totals in their respective flights, locking in podium spots in the Primetime Invitational rankings.

What We Can Anticipate Going Forward

1. The Race to 1,200 kg Raw Total: Jesus Olivares’ current trajectory indicates that an official 1,150–1,200 kg total in sanctioned IPF international competition is well within reach, provided his bench and deadlift remain locked in.

2. Growing Influence of High-Payout Meets: The massive turnout, production quality, and high prize pool hosted by Avancus signify a shifting landscape in tested raw powerlifting. Private brands partnering directly with federation sanctions are creating higher commercial incentives for lifters to peak outside of standard national championships.

3. Implications for the IPF/PA Championship Road: For lifters competing in the Houston Primetime flights, performance data and GL point totals generated this weekend will play a major role in qualifications and seeding for upcoming international qualifiers and world platform appearances.

This story was originally published by Men’s Fitness on Oct 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men’s Fitness as a Preferred Source by clicking here.