{"id":21119,"date":"2026-05-27T17:05:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T17:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldbodybuildingnews.com\/?p=21119"},"modified":"2026-05-27T17:05:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T17:05:00","slug":"jake-wood-reveals-mr-olympia-could-go-international-once-every-five-years-fitness-volt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldbodybuildingnews.com\/?p=21119","title":{"rendered":"Jake Wood Reveals Mr. Olympia Could Go International Once Every Five Years \u2013 Fitness Volt"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Olympia owner Jake Wood believes the sport\u2019s biggest show of the year might see major changes soon. In a YouTube video from May 27, 2026, Wood hinted that the Mr. Olympia could go international every five years.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Since 1965, the Mr. Olympia<\/a> has served as the most consequential bodybuilding event of the season. The Men\u2019s Open winner has long been considered the number one bodybuilder in the world. The annual showcase is massive and features participants from every IFBB Pro League<\/a> division.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In 2025, Derek Lunsford<\/a> made history and secured his second Mr. Olympia title. He took home an impressive $600,000 winner\u2019s purse and became the second bodybuilder since Jay Cutler<\/a> to reclaim the Sandow trophy after losing it onstage. With just under four months until the event returns to Vegas, Wood opened up on where he sees the brand going in the future.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Jake Wood Says Mr. Olympia Is Considering Expanding Outside the U.S Once Every 5 Years\u00a0<\/h2>\n

During the interview, Wood confirmed that the Mr. Olympia brand is considering an expansion outside of the U.S.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u201cAnd with all that said about bouncing around, we are also taking a look at the idea of taking the Olympia outside of the country once every five years or so.<\/p>\n

Yeah, so we are thinking about that. We\u2019re not announcing that it\u2019s happening, but we\u2019re looking at the possibilities and examining what the benefits and what the losses will be on that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Wood also addressed the challenges of moving the event\u2019s venue each year:\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe\u2019re doing the best we can. Every single year, we\u2019ve been dealing with the issue of that we\u2019ve been changing venues every year, so we need to adapt our show and whatnot.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m hoping to spend a good period of time exactly as we\u2019re setting up this year, Palms Hotel, with the Orleans Arena, and of course, LBCC, that way we can actually start to refine and do better for the athletes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

He added that they are continuing to test other venues to make it a richer experience for fans and athletes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe\u2019ve been bouncing around trying out some of the theatres, give everybody a different experience. There\u2019s a large part of the bodybuilding industry that really favors the theatre setting.<\/p>\n

Sometimes they can be very vocal. They are absolutely right, it is a better way to see a bodybuilding show for those fans who are actually in the audience, the difficulty is you can\u2019t fit nearly enough people in there,\u201d Jake Wood said<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Olympia Owner Jake Wood hasn\u2019t been the only one to float a possible expansion. Bodybuilding legend Shawn Ray has been adamant that it\u2019s only a matter of time before the Olympia takes place in Dubai<\/a>, United Arab Emirates.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s going to be a matter of time before I think the Mr. Olympia winds up here on some level, and it\u2019s going to open a whole other door of growth in our sport,\u201d Ray said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Should the Mr. Olympia announce a show overseas, Fitness Volt<\/em> will have the story. For now, attention turns to the 2026 Mr. Olympia, slated to take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, from September 24-27.\u00a0<\/p>\n

RELATED:\u00a0<\/strong>Jay Cutler Suggests Mr. Olympia Should Start Doing UFC-Style Post-Show Press Conferences<\/a><\/p>\n

Watch the full video from the Stage Ready Media YouTube channel below:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n