The 2026 Olympia will be one to remember for many, especially this year’s champions.
By Roger “Rock” Lockridge, Managing Editor
Bodybuilding Champions, Leaders, and Fellow Fans,
The 2026 Olympia Weekend is in the history books, and almost a week later, fans are still buzzing about what happened in Las Vegas. The weekend culminated with the crowning of the 20th Mr. Olympia, Nick Walker. Congrats to “The Mutant” and the other 11 Olympia champions who made history of their own by winning world championships in their respective divisions. Each athlete who graced the stage faced their own challenges and adversities to get there, and I hope they took a moment to acknowledge the magnitude of what they accomplished. They have a legitimate claim to be among the best in the world at what they do.
I also want to thank and congratulate the members of Team Muscle Insider who stepped up to provide the best coverage possible for the fans who were not able to be in Las Vegas last weekend. Owners Andrew and Grace Bukowsky were in meetings and doing interviews with superstars such as MUTANT’s latest partner, Method Man. They were also at the Orleans Arena to watch the show and connect with athletes and industry personalities.
Johnny Styles and Simon Lau were both behind the cameras capturing iconic moment after iconic moment for you to see, enjoy, and be inspired by. Johnny was also creating art and graphics in real time throughout both days of competition. We even had international contributor Vance Ang provide analysis of the Australian competitors who made the trip to the Olympia. And Jessica from our social media team was posting throughout the entire weekend to keep our followers up to date. My thanks to all of them for making such an impact and capturing the Olympia experience for our thousands of followers. If you missed any of our coverage, you can look back on our social media pages to catch up.
The Olympia will likely continue generating headlines in the days and weeks ahead, but the business of the sport moves forward, and there is already a lot of buzz surrounding the 2027 Arnold Classic. Walker and 2026 Arnold Classic champion Andrew Jacked didn’t even leave Las Vegas before committing to compete in Columbus, Ohio, next March, and the Arnold Sports Festival has already announced the Arnold Arch for next year. We will have a report with details on that coming soon.
There will be more industry news and updates to share before 2026 is over, and we have every intention of staying on top of all of it. We believe the Olympia served as evidence that our united approach to being the best for the industry leads to greater coverage of the athletes for the fans. The feedback we received throughout the Olympia weekend validated that our strategy is making a difference. There are plenty of media outlets out there providing gossip and debates about issues off the stage, but we saw a need to objectively elevate fitness and strength sports. Many of the leaders in this space spoke to us about a desire for more of a journalistic approach to bodybuilding, strongman, and other aspects of the fitness industry. If you were one of those who shared that message, please know you were heard and that we intend to deliver. All we ask is that you support us as we do so. By working together on this mission, we can open the doors for new athletes, fans, and brands to join us and make the fitness space even greater throughout the rest of 2026 and beyond.
Subscribe to the free Muscle Insider newsletter for the latest fitness industry news, Olympia coverage, and product releases.
