Highlights from the Arnold Classic 2022 Men’s Open prejudging.
The prejudging for the Men’s Open division has been completed at the Arnold Classic 2022. Despite many competitors pulling out of the competition in recent weeks, this division still highlights the event and will bring plenty of excitement during the finals on Saturday night. Rafael Brandao was the first to withdraw from the competition before Nathan De Asha and Mohamed Shaaban suffered injuries. Akim Williams and Cedric McMillan also pulled their names out over the last three weeks.
With Nick Walker not appearing in Columbus, a new competitor was ready to take over as champion. Brandon Curry and William Bonac were the only previous Arnold Classic winners to compete and entered as two of the favorites. Steve Kuclo finished third last year and has a chance to finish in the top three once again. Regan Grimes and Brett Wilkin are dark-horse contenders to make a run at the title as well.
The first callout featured six competitors but the judges seemed to focus on Curry, Samson Dauda, and Justin Rodriguez. They shuffled athletes in and out to get a good look next to one another. Kuclo was also moved into the center late as he showed up with great conditioning. Bonac and Wilkin were also featured in the first callout.
With nine competitors, the final three were featured in the second callout, along with Dauda and Wilkin. This means that the early top four has been set. We have seen in the past that this can change as the competition goes on, especially with the finals being the next day.
The judges made sure to get a look at Curry and Bonac next to each other in the center. Kuclo and Rodriguez were placed on the outside in the third callout. In the fourth callout, Dauda and Wilkin were brought back out, which could be the battle for fifth place. The final callout featured the top four from the third as the judges continued to mix the positioning.
Despite the recent withdrawals, this division might very well come down to the wire during the finals and it still destined to bring plenty of energy. Make sure to keep a close eye on comparisons and the rest of the results leading into the night portion of the event. Stay tuned to Generation Iron Fitness Network as we continue to provide coverage.
Men’s Open Callout Report
First Callout
- Brandon Curry
- Steve Kuclo
- William Bonac
- Justin Rodriguez
- Brett Wilkin
- Samson Dauda
Second Callout
- Fabio Giga Rezende
- Maxx Charles
- Samson Dauda
- Brett Wilkin
- Regan Grimes
Third Callout
- Brandon Curry
- Steve Kuclo
- William Bonac
- Justin Rodriguez
Fourth Callout
- Samson Dauda
- Brett Wilkin
Fifth Callout (Top 4)
- Brandon Curry
- Steve Kuclo
- William Bonac
- Justin Rodriguez
Highlights
Generation Iron Fitness Network will provide full coverage of the Arnold Classic 2022 event including pre-judging reports, analysis, and results updates. Stay tuned to Generation Iron and visit our Arnold Classic 2022 coverage hub right here!