{"id":15811,"date":"2026-03-20T20:47:07","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T20:47:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldbodybuildingnews.com\/?p=15811"},"modified":"2026-03-20T20:47:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T20:47:07","slug":"dennis-james-had-hadi-choopan-winning-2026-arnold-classic-and-nick-walker-battling-for-3rd-place-fitness-volt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldbodybuildingnews.com\/?p=15811","title":{"rendered":"Dennis James Had Hadi Choopan Winning 2026 Arnold Classic and Nick Walker Battling For 3rd Place \u2013 Fitness Volt"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Bodybuilding veterans have begun dissecting the 2026 Arnold Classic results<\/a>. On March 12, Dennis James explained why he thought Hadi Choopan could have won the event.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Columbus, Ohio, turned into a battleground from March 5-8. In the headlining Men\u2019s Open class, Chinedu Andrew \u2018Jacked\u2019 Obiekea<\/a>, Nick Walker<\/a>, and Hadi Choopan<\/a> were in the running for gold. After a tense showdown in the finals, Jacked emerged victorious, with Walker settling for silver, and Choopan securing bronze.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As with most high-profile bodybuilding contests, the results have been debated. Shawn Ray<\/a>, a 1990s standout known for his aesthetics, thought Choopan deserved the nod<\/a> over \u2018The Mutant.\u2019 The latest to unpack the top placings was Dennis James, who gave his unfiltered opinion on the competition below.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dennis James Thought Choopan Could Have Won 2026 Arnold Classic, Had Walker Fighting for 3rd \u00a0<\/h2>\n

In the video, James shared that he didn\u2019t have an issue with Jacked winning. He also acknowledged that Walker was on, but thought Choopan could have won.<\/p>\n

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\u201cFirst, let\u2019s just say this: Andrew winning the Arnold, absolutely okay for me. I have no issues with this. I\u2019m just a little\u2026 I mean Nick looked fucking great. Don\u2019t get me wrong. Nick was on. I had Hadi\u2026 I had Hadi in a spot where I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if he would have won, especially Saturday night.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess the score sheets tell a totally different story,\u201d he adds<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In his opinion, Walker and Brandon Curry<\/a> were battling for third place.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u201cFor me, it would have been Andrew, Hadi one and two, Nick, and then Brandon. Nick and Brandon would have battled for third place.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

According to Nick Walker, his victory over Choopan was made possible thanks to his midsection control, posing, and dry conditioning. He described it as a \u2018milestone\u2019 moment for his career<\/a> since this was his first time beating Choopan onstage.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Attention has quickly turned to the upcoming 2026 Arnold Classic UK<\/a>, set for March 27-29 in Birmingham, United Kingdom. While Walker doesn\u2019t plan to compete, fans are excited to see a rematch between Jacked, Choopan, and Martin Fitzwater<\/a>, who are all currently on the roster list.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Moving forward, Walker will need to win a Pro show to secure his qualification for the 2026 Mr. Olympia<\/a>. The 2026 Mr. Olympia will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, from September 24-27.\u00a0<\/p>\n

RELATED:\u00a0<\/strong>Arnold Schwarzenegger Says Shaky Posing On Stage \u2018Inexcusable,\u2019 Explains Why Andrew Jacked Won 2026 Arnold Classic<\/a><\/p>\n

Watch the full video from the Muscle and Fitness YouTube channel below:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n