A complete guide on how to watch the 2022 Arnold Classic. Including Pro Bodybuilding, Strongman, Slap Fight Championships & More.
The 2022 Arnold Classic and Arnold Sports Festival takes place on March 4-5, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. The event is one of the largest pro bodybuilding competitions second only to the Mr. Olympia. It is also one of the biggest sports festivals in the world featuring 60+ sporting events. As for the pro bodybuilding competition specifically – divisions will be split up across both days with the Men’s Open pre-judging on Friday and the Finals on Saturday. Not able to make it to Ohio in person? Here’s our complete guide on how to watch the 2022 Arnold Classic.
The Arnold Classic is considered by many to be the official start of the IFBB Pro and NPC bodybuilding season. While there are occasionally competitions that crop up earlier, the floodgates open up after the Arnold Classic’s early March event date. Being the second largest pro bodybuilding competition – it’s also seen as a predictor of what we might expect later in the year at the Olympia 2022.
Also of note is that the Arnold Classic has switched up their scheduling a bit compared to previous years. Typically, the pre-judging and the finals for Men’s Open occur in the same day. This year, the event seems to be following a similar format to the Mr. Olympia – with the pre-judging capping off Friday night followed by the finals on Saturday.
While seemingly insignificant, this provides a different timing between the two rounds of the competition. After pre-judging, competitors often adjust as much as they can based on the scoring of the comparison rounds in the hopes of locking in the best possible result. With 24 hours between rounds instead of just 5 or 6 – the tactic on how to improve in that time period changes. Giving more room for improvement… or a stumble.
How To Watch The Arnold Classic 2022
Unlike previous years, the 2022 Arnold Classic will be a pay-per-view event on FanMio for $24.99. This price gets you entire access to the event including not only the Pro Bodybuilding competition but also Strongman, the newly announced Slap Fighting Championships, and many more of the 60+ events. Once purchased, The PPV can also be watched on any device and screencast onto your television via devices such as Roku, Chromecast, or other major streaming services.
You can buy the PPV event via FanMio at their official website right here.
2022 Arnold Classic Men’s Open Line Up
Unfortunately, many elite competitors announced that they will no longer be able to compete at the 2022 Arnold Classic. This includes Cedric McMillan, Nathan De Asha, Mohamed Shaaban, Akim Williams and Rafael Brandão.
That being said, there is still an exciting lineup with a guaranteed new champion – as 2021 champ Nick Walker is not competing. Here’s the current line up as it stands now:
- Brandon Curry (USA)
- Brett Wilkin (USA)
- William Bonac (Netherlands)
- Maxx Charles (USA)
- Samson Dauda (United Kingdom)
- Regan Grimes (Canada)
- Steve Kuclo (USA)
- Fabio Giga Rezende (Brazil)
- Justin Rodriguez (USA)
Arnold Classic 2022 Schedule
The 2022 Arnold Classic PPV live stream is including a lot of options for events to watch over the course of the entire weekend. You can see the full schedule on their official website. We’ve broken down the highlights and key events below:
FRIDAY
- 12pm-2pm (EST): Classic Physique, Fitness, & Figure Pre-Judging
- 3pm-7pm (EST): Arnold Strongman Classic Events
- 5:30pm-7:30pm (EST): Arnold Strongwoman Classic Events
- 7pm-9:30pm (EST): Classic Physique, Fitness, and Figure Finals + Men’s Open Pre-Judging
SATURDAY
- 10am-12pm (EST): Men’s Physique, Bikini, and Wellness Pre-Judging
- 12pm-1pm (EST): Pro Wheelchair Pre-Judging and Finals
- 2pm-7pm (EST): Arnold Strongman Classic Events and Finals
- 2pm-5pm (EST): Slap Fighting Championships
- 5pm-7pm (EST): Arnold Strongwoman Classic Events and Finals
- 7pm-10pm (EST): Men’s Physique, Wellness, Bikini, and Men’s Open Finals
SUNDAY
3pm-5pm (EST): Arnold Showcase Seminar (Post-Produced)
What To Expect
Of the nine competitors lined up for the 2022 Arnold Classic Men’s Open – two have previously one the prestigious title. Brandon Curry won not only the 2019 Arnold Classic but later went to be the 2019 Mr. Olympia champion. William Bonac is a two-time Arnold Classic champion – earning his titles in 2018 and 2020.
As it stands now, Brandon Curry is the favorite to take the prize this year – but Bonac has proven himself to be a true threat in every show he competes in. But with his sixth place finish at last year’s Mr. Olympia has many questioning what kind of shape we may see Bonac in. As it stands now – he might come back with a vengeance showing miraculous improvement. Or will he show that his prime years are starting to fade.
That being said, we can’t count out other competitors on this list from rising tall and causing an upset. Relative newcomer Brett Wilkin has been catching a lot of hype based on his physique updates on social media. Regan Grimes has also been turning heads especially with his announcement last year of working with Milos Sarcev as his coach. Steve Kuclo, a consistent bodybuilder with an impressive physique, is also predicted by many to get into the top 3 or at least the top 5. Only time will tell.
Generation Iron will be providing complete coverage of the event including pre-judging reports and analysis, breaking news, and final results. Make sure to check out our official coverage page right here for updates.