by Christian Duque
I’m going to come out and say it, I didn’t think Derek should have competed in Pittsburgh after winning the Arnold Classic but he did anyways, and then he went and he won the Olympia. He was able to score what he called a triple crown in 2025 and that’s great. He did everything he could have done in 2025 to make himself the biggest and most respected bodybuilder on the planet. That said, I am very proud of him for having the common sense and the big picture mentality not to gamble his luck at the 2026 Arnold Classic. In reality the money is huge, the bragging rights are tremendous, but the risk is far too great.
I think that what Derek did here speaks volumes about what he’s going to be able to accomplish in 2026. Not only is he not doing the 2026 Arnold Classic but he is focusing 100% on his Olympia defense next year at the Palms. I think that’s going to really be the magic ticket to potentially keeping that title and growing an even stronger legacy. I also think that it makes a lot of sense for the champ to give his body a rest and focus on the goal, the only goal, the goal that every bodybuilder strives for, and that goal is winning Mr Olympia. I think that it sets a tremendous example for the other competitors as well. It’s a lesson that Samson should’ve learned and had to learn the hard way with his embarrassing defeat at ‘25 ASC.
Derek’s reign is not going to be undermined by a possible defeat anywhere but the Olympia. I think that this really threw a monkey wrench into Samson’s whole year as the greatest bodybuilder in the world. It’s very difficult to hold that distinction when you have been defeated at the second largest bodybuilding show. In fact, I think that for most of the year after he lost in Columbus, Samson was very much in Derek’s shadow. I mean try to visualize that. You really don’t have to try very hard because the year we’re talking about is the current one. Samson had a lot on his plate. For starters he had the defeat with Derek, then he had another threat in Hadi, who a lot of people thought should never have lost the Olympia, and then there were all the up and comers. I think that Derek having this big picture mindset, however, is very important because wherever he goes he’s going to be the undisputed champion of the world. He defeated Samson, he defeated Andrew Jacked, and he defeated a very impressive Hadi Choopan. And Hadi was not off. Hadi was very much on but he still couldn’t beat Derek. Did he win some poses? Absolutely, that almost goes without saying but he wasn’t able to take him out. He wasn’t able to defeat Derek.
What I really like is that the Arnold Classic is going to use Derek for promotional purposes. Even though he’s not defending his Arnold Classic title he’s going to be at the contest. He’s going to be there repping his sponsors and he’s going to be there for ambassadorial purposes, not only as defending champion but also as the reigning Mr Olympia. That’s the way that it needs to be. and I think that this approach is going to get Derek more money in the long term. Of course he’s not going to have the ability to earn at this particular contest but this particular contest is just one show. If he’s able to keep the Olympia then it’s going to make him so much more money in the long run. But let’s say that he’s not able to win the Olympia in 2026, then what? Will that mean that his decision to sit out the Arnold Classic was a mistake? I would argue that it is not. I think that him sitting out the 2026 Arnold Classic will only strengthen him physique-wise and also gain him more fans. Because whoever wins the Arnold Classic or whoever wins the New York Pro or whoever wins in Pittsburgh they are not the best in the world. That’s going to be reserved only for the winner of the Mr Olympia. So I think that in reality what he’s doing is he’s setting up a great stage for himself in 2026 in Vegas. And now every competitor that competes at shows throughout the year is going to be trying to get to the stage to battle him, Derek, for the top title. That’s the way that it should be.
I think what happens is the sport of bodybuilding likes to go to extremes. For the vast majority of years in the past the reigning Mr Olympia would not compete anywhere else. We would only see him once a year in Las Vegas and that was it. I know that that led a lot of fans to frustration because they felt that they could never see the champ on stage. And sometimes that was the case as with Big Ramy. Big Ramy only competed once a year and then he disappeared, but I don’t think that’s going to happen with Derek. Although he’s not going to compete at any other shows, I think we’re going to see him all over the place. I think we’re going to see him at expos, I think we’re going to see him at gym appearances, I also think we’re going to see him at big bodybuilding contests. There’s also the room for guest posing appearances. I mean who wouldn’t want to see the reigning Mr Olympia pose at a local or Regional NPC show? And that right there would sell tickets. People want to be around Mr Olympia – even though he’s not competing. I think there is a healthy middle ground that doesn’t involve Mr Olympia putting himself at risk of losing face at smaller shows. Who can forget what happened in 2002 with The Big Nasty at the GNC Show Of Strength?
That was a very small show where Gunter Schlierkamp stunned the world and defeated RONNIE COLEMAN!! That wasn’t just a show, that was a nightmare for Coleman. Ronnie is the G.O.A.T., he’s an eight-time MR Olympia, but he can never live that contest down because he was defeated – not by Jay Cutler or Gustavo Bedell – but by a guy who normally couldn’t hold a candle to him. Yes Gunter was a top five guy, but my goodness, Ronnie never in a million years thought that he could be toppled at a smaller show like that. And that’s the danger with Mr Olympias doing smaller shows. That’s why I couldn’t help but scratch my head at why Samson would think it was smart to compete at the Arnold Classic after barely winning his first Sandow or why he thought it was a smart move to compete in Prague after losing his title. Smaller shows can be alluring because of the perception of them being low-hanging fruit, but they can also set the stage for a major upheaval.
On the flip side, if a reigning Mr O brings their best to a smaller stage and arguably puts as much into that contest as they would for the Olympia, then it stands to reason that their body may not be able to bounce back. Now granted, the Arnold Classic is substantially before the Olympia but what is the point of peaking twice at that level in one year? Especially since Derek has already won the Arnold Classic title? Do you guys know how many times Ronnie Coleman competed at the Arnold Classic as Mr Olympia? One time. Do you know why it was only one time? Because the one time he did it he nearly got his ass handed to him by Jay Cutler at the Olympia later that year. It’s just not a good idea. So again, I applaud Derek for his maturity and not being tempted by an easy payday in Columbus, but what say you? Do I think that he could win? Absolutely he can win. Do I think he would? Yes, I actually think there’s a very high likelihood that he would, but at what expense? If he won in Columbus would he win again in Vegas? I don’t know. Neither does he. So why take the chance?
Sometimes you have to take a step back and look at the bigger picture and that’s exactly what I think Derek is doing. I want to applaud him for it. I think that he’s also serving as a positive role model for his fellow competitors. It’s not just about making money right now, it’s about the bigger picture. I know that I’ve used that term several times in this article but I think it’s important to do so. Because I think that a lot of guys fail to see the potential for the future. They’re just thinking about the here and now. There’s a lot more to think about than that. And I think Derek is showing us the way.
As always, I leave the final word to you, the loyal readers of IronMag. Is Derek Lunsford making the right move sitting out the 2026 Arnold Classic? I look forward to reading your feedback in the comments. Please be sure to copy and paste a link to this article on all your social media feeds. It’s bound to generate lively conversation.
