Okay so we need to talk about this milestone achievement with regard to a surging bodybuilding sensation, Andrew Jacked. Andrew was able to win two bodybuilding shows in one month with $1 million in total earnings. He was able to win two shows associated with the second most prestigious bodybuilding title in the world. Andrew won the Arnold Classic in Columbus Ohio, the second most important bodybuilding show on the planet with the biggest payday ($750,000). Then he went across the pond and won the Arnold Classic UK with a purse of $250,000. So in one month’s time Andrew won a boatload of cash, something which is unheard of in the sport of bodybuilding. What’s crazy is that people are already comparing him to early versions of Ronnie Coleman at his height. Because he is presenting a physique that is increasingly difficult to beat. It’s difficult to beat in terms of aesthetics, it’s difficult to beat in terms of symmetry, and it’s very difficult to beat in terms of flow. Some people believe – as do I – that this competitor will be Mr Olympia in 2026. He may also be a multi-year champion – something the fans have been yearning for since Phil Heath. Some thought Ramy would hold the title for a good run, but that was back in 2013. By the time he won the Sandow, he was already on borrowed time. Andrew is very much hitting his prime – now. But most people are hyper fixated on the prize money.
The idea that a bodybuilder could win a million dollars in a month is not only unheard of but it is refreshing to hear. It signals perhaps a new era of the sport. For a long time, this kind of money seemed all but unreachable. Nobody ever thought that this could be done. But sometimes it takes someone doing it for people to really broaden their horizons. This is not to say that what Andrew accomplished was an easy feat by any means. It should be noted that he was up against fierce competition in Columbus and he was up against stiff competition in the United Kingdom. I mean, Brandon literally caused jaws to drop, but Andrew bested him, too.
Andrew’s win was key, particularly at the Arnold, which is often considered a merits-driven show where politics are virtually non-existent. Now this is not to say that there is politics involved at the Olympia or the New York Pro, but historically speaking the Arnold Classic has always been the most impartial and the most fair. And this might be because of its namesake. Even though Arnold is not a judge and does not have any control over the scorecards, it has become a well-known fact that he has a strong preference for aesthetic physiques. If a mass monster without any lines or without any real separation takes the stage, it’s unlikely they’ll do well. A guy that does not come dialed in, cannot win here. Whereas in other contests we have seen guys that almost look out of shape do very well, it doesn’t happen here. And I think one of the insurance policies is that the Arnold is an invitational. They invite people based on several criteria including the quality of their physiques, but also with regard to the size of their following.
Andrew is an individual that has been paying his dues for quite some time. Often considered to be Mr Olympia material but at the same time overlooked for guys who ran their mouth more. In fact, Andrew doesn’t do any of that. He’s not a bullshiter, he’s not a hater, he’s simply just a very hard-working low-key competitor that does the business of bodybuilding. And he is an example that if you are the best it’s only a question of time until you rise to the top. It doesn’t matter what you say on Instagram or who you trash on YouTube, rather, it’s more about what you do on stage. I don’t think Andrew has ever been interested in being the best bodybuilder on social media as so many others are. I see so many guys posting some of their best content in the weeks before the show so that they can get maximum hits, maximum clicks, but that is short-sighted. I also see guys trying to win over a crowd and this is something that I believe Andrew fell victim to not too long ago at the Olympia. The judges were not too happy with him, but I think he learned his lesson. I think Jacked had a real come to Jesus moment because of the fact that you cannot do that and expect to be successful. Anytime the judges get pissed, that’s not a good look. The judges are the ones that can make or break you. I’m not saying that Andrew is perfect in all regards, but I think he’s matured as a top tier competitor.
When you make mistakes, but you learn from them – you become a better person. That’s what you call real growth. I think that Jacked has been able to show that he is a bodybuilder’s bodybuilder as well. I think that a lot of competitors have a lot more respect for a guy who has cut their teeth with tough placings and who has had to make changes both to his physique but as well as to his on stage personality in order to be successful. Guys who don’t pay their dues and win everything in sight are usually considered to be handed stuff. I think that having the respect of your peers is also very important as you get closer to being the best in the world. Unlike other guys who could potentially be the best, Andrew is really a guy who has an attainable and realistic path to being the number one in the world. It’s one thing to potentially be the best and that’s another thing to have a very high probability of reaching the top of the mountain.
Winning two Arnold Classic contests in one month is a strong indicator that Andrew is well on his way to becoming the number one bodybuilder in the world. But how does his physique compare to the others?
Well, I can tell you that with the exception of Samson, nobody is going to look better on stage than Andrew. And this is not to say that Samson looks better than Andrew right now, it’s just to say that Samson could and has looked better than Andrew in the past. The reality of the matter is that Andrew is tall, has the aesthetics, and has the flow. And he would be up against what I would consider to be anklebiters. As much as short people might be offended by that assessment, I still can’t believe that guys like Hadi and Derek were able to win the Open Olympia. This is nothing against short people, but these are guys who were big in the 212 and then did the crossover and started winning the open shows. I’m not saying that bodybuilding is a tall man’s sport by any stretch of the imagination because it’s not, but I also don’t think that having a Mr Olympia that doesn’t surpass 5’6 is the desired look, either. Back in the 90s and the 2000s those guys got dwarfed by the mass monsters. And even though the shorter guys looked just as impressive, shorter looks did not inspire the same level of interest that the taller guys got. When you have competitors towering over you it’s not a good look. No matter how much muscle you have, they still look small. A guy like Andrew isn’t going to be the tallest guy on stage, but he is amongst them, and the fact that he has such a dense amount of muscle will prove tedious for guys like Hadi and Derek if he comes dialed-in. Andrew at 100% is very dangerous? I think that that question has been answered. I think Andrew has more than planted the flag and more than drawn the line in the sand. Now it’s a question of what he is going to do next?
The temptation in my opinion would be to continue competing and making money but I also think that would be short-sighted. I think at this point what would make the most sense is for Andrew to hunker down and prepare for Mr Olympia. But before preparing for the Mr Olympia, he should give his body a little bit of a break. Maybe take off a couple of weeks, then go and do a tour of the world. And why just a couple of weeks? Because more than a couple of weeks might ruin what he built. At the same time, he needs to be able to breathe a little bit and kick back. Plus, there’s a lot of interest in him right now. I don’t know that competing is the only way to making big money. He could do several guest posing tours, he could make appearances, he could do seminars, really – the sky’s the limit. There are many ways to earn money given the position that Andrew finds himself in right now. But with regard to competing, I’m of the opinion that he needs to wait until the Olympia. Because he has the best shot of his entire career right now, in 2026, of going to Las Vegas Nevada and leaving with the Sandow.
In closing, I would like to send a strong congratulations to Andrew and everyone in his team. I’m sure that his camp is elated to see his success, but I’m also sure they’re not surprised. This is a man who, like I said, has paid his dues and has now come to collect what is rightfully his. Could he win the Olympia? I say absolutely. Will he win the Olympia? That all depends on what his next moves are.
As always, I hope you enjoyed reading my article, here, at IronMag. 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.
Author Bio:
Christian I. Duque is the owner of StrengthAddicts.com, a physique and strength website founded in 2008. He has worked for a number of bodybuilding websites, including RX Muscle and Muscular Development. Christian has written nearly 1,000 published articles for IronMag Blog, as well as articles for StrengthAddicts, RX Muscle, and others. By day, he is also a licensed attorney practicing in the areas of family law, immigration, and criminal defense.
