The Arnold Classic has given the world some of the greatest names in the history of professional bodybuilding. From the first champion Rich Gaspari in 1989 to the defending champ Samson Dauda in 2023, the tournament has a rich history that we’ll explore here. Check out the Arnold Classic winners list here.
Named after the bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Arnold Classic serves as the second biggest event in the sport after Olympia. The best and the most aesthetic bodybuilders from around the world gather in Columbus, Ohio, every year to earn the prestige of holding up the Arnold Schwarzenegger trophy.
In this post, we’re going to take a look at every man who has held the honor of winning the Arnold Classic.
Contents
- 1 Arnold Classic Winners List: From 1989 to 2023:
- 1.1 Rich Gaspari (1989):
- 1.2 Mike Ashley (1990):
- 1.3 Shawn Ray (1991):
- 1.4 Vince Taylor (1992):
- 1.5 Flex Wheeler (1993, 1997, 1998, 2000):
- 1.6 Kevin Levrone (1994, 1996):
- 1.7 Mike Francois (1995):
- 1.8 Nasser El Sonbaty (1999):
- 1.9 Ronnie Coleman (2001):
- 1.10 Jay Cutler (2002, 2003, 2004):
- 1.11 Dexter Jackson (2005, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2015):
- 1.12 Victor Martinez (2007):
- 1.13 Kai Greene (2009, 2010, 2016):
- 1.14 Branch Warren (2011, 2012):
- 1.15 Dennis Wolf (2014):
- 1.16 Cedric McMillan (2017):
- 1.17 William Bonac (2018, 2020):
- 1.18 Brandon Curry (2019, 2022):
- 1.19 Nick Walker (2021):
- 1.20 Samson Dauda (2023):
- 2 Arnold Classic Winners & Runner-Ups List by Year:
- 3 Final Thoughts:
- 4 Frequently Asked Questions:
Arnold Classic Winners List: From 1989 to 2023:
The Arnold Classic was established after a deal between Arnold Schwarzenegger and promoter Jim Lorimer came to fruition after the bodybuilder’s on-stage career was over. What started as a bodybuilding tournament has now evolved into a weekend-long multi-sport festivity called the Arnold Sports Festival (ASF).
First established in 1989, it is now organized by the IFBB Pro League annually and held in Columbus, Ohio. Every year, Arnold Schwarzenegger presents the trophy inspired by him to the winner of the bodybuilding event. The winner not only receives a massive sum of prize money but also a direct qualification to Olympia.
Now let’s move further and learn about all the winners of the Arnold Classic.
Rich Gaspari (1989):
Rich Gaspari was one of the most competitive bodybuilders of his era but he’s best known for being the first-ever Arnold Classic champion. The inaugural edition of the tournament was highly successful as it was broadcast on NBC and the legend Schwarzenegger was on commentary himself.
Mike Ashley (1990):
Mike Ashley was the runner-up at the 1990 Arnold Classic but in a controversial twist, the announced winner Shawn Ray failed a drug test and was stripped of his title. This made Michael Ashley the champion of the 1990 Arnold Classic and every other competitor also moved up a place.
Shawn Ray (1991):
Shawn Ray returned to reclaim his throne a year later and successfully grabbed the title. He didn’t let anything affect his status as the deserved Arnold Classic champion this time.
Vince Taylor (1992):
Vince Taylor was one of the most aesthetic bodybuilders of his era. He won the prestigious Arnold trophy in 1992 and also won the Iron Man Pro a week before the event. He also went on to win the Pittsburgh Pro soon after the tournament but then finished in sixth place at the 1992 Mr. Olympia.
Flex Wheeler (1993, 1997, 1998, 2000):
Flex Wheeler won the Arnold Classic during his professional debut year and also won the 1993 Iron Man Pro. He went on to win three more Arnold Classics and won every contest he entered in 1997. His symmetry and posing are known as one of the best in the history of the sport.
Kevin Levrone (1994, 1996):
Kevin Levrone winning the 1994 Arnold Classic was a surprise for many with several big names competing for the belt. However, he had an incredible season that year by winning four shows in total. He went on to win the Arnold Classic once again in 1996.
Mike Francois (1995):
Mike Francois was the first hometown athlete to win the Arnold Classic despite the event taking place in Columbus, Ohio, every year. His upset to Flex Wheeler will always be remembered in the history of this sport.
Nasser El Sonbaty (1999):
Egyptian bodybuilder Nasser El Sonbaty became the runner-up twice at the Arnold Classic before finally grabbing the coveted title in 1999. However, it was his only win that season and the final victory of his career.
Ronnie Coleman (2001):
Ronnie Coleman is considered among the greatest bodybuilders of the modern era. He became the only reigning Mr. Olympia champion to also win the Arnold Classic in 2001.
Jay Cutler (2002, 2003, 2004):
After finishing as the runner-up to Ronnie Coleman in 2001, Jay Cut went on to win the Arnold Classic for three consecutive years from 2002 to 2004. He’s the only man to do so in history.
Dexter Jackson (2005, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2015):
Dexter Jackson holds the record for winning the most Arnold Classic titles. He first won the prestige in 2005 and then successfully defended his belt the next year. Jackson then won it back in 2008 and then waited for five years for his next victory. Finally, he won it one more time in 2015 to break Wheeler’s record.
Victor Martinez (2007):
Victor Martinez surprised everyone by winning the 2007 Arnold Classic and breaking Dexter Jackson’s hopes of winning the belt for three consecutive years to match Cutler’s record.
Kai Greene (2009, 2010, 2016):
Kai Greene is another man to have won multiple Arnold Classic trophies. He first won the title in 2009 after returning from a leg injury and then won it again next year. The monstrous man then won it one more time in 2016 after being absent from the Olympia a year before.
Branch Warren (2011, 2012):
Branch Warren won his first Arnold Classic in 2011 after being the third-place holder for two consecutive years. However, he had to miss the Olympia that year due to a quadriceps injury. The champ then returned at the Arnold Classic 2012 and successfully defended his belt to surprise and inspire the fans.
Dennis Wolf (2014):
Dennis Wolf was widely known as the ‘best to never win a big show’ before he won the 2014 Arnold Classic. The massive victory came during his eighth year as a professional bodybuilder.
Cedric McMillan (2017):
The late Cedric McMillan had one of the most memorable victories at the Arnold Classic in recent times. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2022 after suffering a heart attack at the age of 44.
William Bonac (2018, 2020):
William Bonac won the Arnold Classic 2018 on his debut in the tournament. He went on to win it one more time in 2020 after defeating huge names like Dexter Jackson and Big Ramy.
Brandon Curry (2019, 2022):
Brandon Curry won the 2019 Arnold Classic after finishing fifth at the 2018 Olympia. He beat Bonac to win the title and then beat him once again to claim the Mr. Olympia title. Curry returned to the 2022 Arnold Classic and won the tournament, beating Bonac once more.
Nick Walker (2021):
Nick Walker won the 2021 Arnold Classic victory after his victory at the New York Pro. This made “The Mutant” a prodigy to watch out for in the sport. He also cracked the top five at Mr. Olympia in the same year and then finished in the top three next year.
Samson Dauda (2023):
Samson Dauda is the defending Arnold Classic champion after winning the belt in 2023. He’ll be competing at the Arnold Classic 2024 against major names like 2022 Olympia winner Hadi Choopan, Arnold Amateur winner Remeco Bose, and several others. It’s going to be a tough year for Dauda.
Arnold Classic Winners & Runner-Ups List by Year:
Here is a list of all the Arnold Classic winners, runner-ups, and third-place holders from 1989 to 2023:
| Year | Winner | Runner-Up | Second Runner-Up |
| 1989 | Rich Gaspari | Robby Robinson | Gary Strydom |
| 1990 | Mike Ashley | Mike Christian | Andreas Munzer |
| 1991 | Shawn Ray | Renel Janvier | Vince Taylor |
| 1992 | Vince Taylor | Mohammad Benaziza | Sonny Schmidt |
| 1993 | Flex Wheeler | Lee Labrada | Vince Taylor |
| 1994 | Kevin Levrone | Vince Taylor | Porter Cottrell |
| 1995 | Michael Francois | Flex Wheeler | Charles Clairmonte |
| 1996 | Kevin Levrone | Flex Wheeler | Paul Dillett |
| 1997 | Flex Wheeler | Nasser El Sonbaty | Mike Francois |
| 1998 | Flex Wheeler | Nasser El Sonbaty | Vince Taylor |
| 1999 | Nasser El Sonbaty | Kevin Levrone | Chris Cormier |
| 2000 | Flex Wheeler | Chris Cormier | Kevin Levrone |
| 2001 | Ronnie Coleman | Chris Cormier | Dennis James |
| 2002 | Jay Cutler | Chris Cormier | Dexter Jackson |
| 2003 | Jay Cutler | Chris Cormier | Markus Ruhl |
| 2004 | Jay Cutler | Chris Cormier | Dexter Jackson |
| 2005 | Dexter Jackson | Chris Cormier | Gustavo Badell |
| 2006 | Dexter Jackson | Branch Warren | Victor Martinez |
| 2007 | Victor Martinez | Dexter Jackson | Toney Freeman |
| 2008 | Dexter Jackson | Phil Heath | Kai Greene |
| 2009 | Kai Greene | Victor Martinez | Branch Warren |
| 2010 | Kai Greene | Phil Heath | Branch Warren |
| 2011 | Branch Warren | Dennis Wolf | Victor Martinez |
| 2012 | Branch Warren | Dennis Wolf | Evan Centopani |
| 2013 | Dexter Jackson | Ben Pakulski | Toney Freeman |
| 2014 | Dennis Wolf | Shawn Rhoden | Cedric McMillan |
| 2015 | Dexter Jackson | Branch Warren | Justin Compton |
| 2016 | Kai Greene | Cedric McMillan | Josh Lenartowicz |
| 2017 | Cedric McMillan | Dallas McCarver | Maxx Charles |
| 2018 | William Bonac | Dexter Jackson | Cedric McMillan |
| 2019 | Brandon Curry | William Bonac | Luke Sandoe |
| 2020 | William Bonac | Dexter Jackson | Mamdouh Elssbiay |
| 2021 | Nick Walker | Iain Valliere | Steve Kuclo |
| 2022 | Brandon Curry | William Bonac | Steve Kuclo |
| 2023 | Samson Dauda | Nick Walker | Andrew Jacked |
Final Thoughts:
These are all the Arnold Classic winners till now. A new name will be added to this list very soon as twelve men compete for the prestigious belt, prize money worth $300,000, and a direct qualification to the 2024 Olympia on March 1 and 2 in Columbus, Ohio. It’ll be interesting to see who’ll lift the trophy this year.
Who are you rooting for? Will Samson Dauda defend his title or will Hadi Choopan add another accolade to his illustrious career? Whatever happens, we’ll keep you posted. Stay tuned.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Here are the most frequently asked questions about the Arnold Classic winners:
Who has won the most Arnold Classic?:
Dexter Jackson holds the record for winning the Arnold Classic most number of times. He won the prestigious contest in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2013, and 2015. Legendary bodybuilder Flex Wheeler comes second as he has won the coveted trophy four times in 1993, 1997, 1998, and 2000.
Who is the first winner of the Arnold Classic?:
Rich Gaspari was the first man to win the Arnold Classic in the debut edition of the contest in 1989. Robby Robinson was the first runner-up of the contest and Gary Strydom was the first-ever third-place holder.
Who is the winner of the Arnold Classic 2023?:
Samson Dauda is the winner of the Arnold Classic 2023. He defeated Nick Walker and Andrew Jacked in the finals to lift the prestigious trophy. The two other men were placed second and third, respectively.
Who is the unluckiest bodybuilder at the Arnold Classic?:
Chris Cormier is the unluckiest bodybuilder at the Arnold Classic as he was placed second for a record six consecutive years from 2000 to 2005, and was also placed third in 1999. Cormier is widely known as one of the best bodybuilders to never win Mr. Olympia or Arnold Classic.
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