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On March 1, 2025, Derek Lunsford shocked the world by taking the 2025 Arnold Classic Open crown. He sensationally beat 2024 Mr. Olympia Samson Dauda, someone who many thought was unbeatable leading up to the event.
His Arnold win was his first major victory of the 2025 season. Alongside taking home the title, he earned $500,000 in prize money and $10,000 for the best poser award. His win represented his first major victory after teaming up with new coach Chris Aceto.
As we continue to recover from a weekend of excitement and shocking results, it’s time to reflect on Derek’s victory. What does his performance mean for his Olympia aspirations? What are his chances of taking the 2025 Mr. Olympia title?
Key Takeaway
On March 1, Derek Lunsford took the 2025 Arnold Classic Open crown in what was an unforgettable showdown. In doing so, he beat Mr. Olympia champion Samson Dauda and elite competitor Andrew Jacked.
Derek’s Arnold victory marks his first major win after his recent Olympia disappointment. It puts him as one of the clear favorites for the 2025 Mr. Olympia title as the new season begins.
While the Arnold represents a huge milestone, the Olympia judging criteria are noticeably different. Because of this, it’s important not to take too much from his recent win.
Derek’s Champion Performance Sets The New Open Marker
On March 1, 2025, Derek Lunsford clinched the Arnold Classic Open title, marking his first major win of the year. In doing so, he beat the current Mr. Olympia champion Samson Dauda, who came second. Andrew Jacked rounded out the top three.
As the dust settles on a memorable weekend, the shock of Derek’s win continues to dominate the headlines. While many counted him out, including myself, his Arnold win proved why he’s still firmly in the conversation.
Leading up to the Arnold, there was doubt cast over whether Derek would even compete again before the Olympia. His third-place finish at the 2024 event represented a huge setback in his title aspirations. It suggested a shift in the judging criteria from proportions and structure to overall size and stage presence.
Derek was off at the Olympia. His conditioning wasn’t there, especially in his legs. He was outclassed and outsized in pretty much every pose.
With his coach, Hany Rambod, retiring, many thought taking some time off would be the sensible option. Derek could fix some of his Olympia criticisms and take some time to find a new coach.
However, his late announcement that he would be entering the Arnold Classic was met with surprise. Alongside this, his new partnership with coach Chris Aceto represented a new chapter but was met with widespread criticism.
As soon as Derek stepped on stage at pre-judging, it was clear that he had made noticeable improvements. You could see a huge difference in conditioning, especially in his leg separation. He was arguably as good as, if not better than, his 2023 Mr. Olympia showing.
Samson still looked great, bringing a similar package to what won him the 2024 Mr. Olympia title. However, there was a noticeable difference in his ability to control his midsection in his transitions.
If you look at the scorecards, four of the judges gave Derek first at pre-judging. Samson managed to dry out for the finals, which gave him an extra vote, but it was too little too late.
Derek’s performance has set the new marker. After the event, IFBB Vice President Tyler Manion discussed the reasoning behind their choices.
“When it comes down to overall separation and polish and conditioning, Derek was just next lever at this show. For me, that was the main deciding factor between these two on Saturday night. I think this shows that it’s very, very exciting at the top of the IFBB Pro League right now. The Past three Mr. Olympias are all on each other’s heels, and you never know who’s gonna beat one another.”
The Arnold judges were mainly looking for someone who could control their midsection. Derek made noticeable improvements, while Samson stayed the same.
Dereks Arnold win sets the new open marker. The Arnold judges rewarded conditioning and structure on stage instead of just overall size. This gives Derek vital momentum leading into the new season and the Olympia toward the end of the year.
The Olympia often has slightly different judging criteria than the Arnold. Therefore, we can’t take too much certainty from his win. But it gives him some new confidence and a renewed sense of belief.
One thing is for sure. It sets the stage nicely for an exciting and unpredictable season ahead.
How Does The Arnold Classic Match Up To The Olympia?
In the realm of professional bodybuilding, the Arnold Classic and Mr. Olympia events stand at the top of the pile. Both bring world-class physiques to the stage and set the standard for the smaller competitions. With both battling to take the top spot, huge increases in prize money have tended to dominate the headlines.
Despite sharing many similarities, they differ in judging criteria and impact. Because of this, how much Derek’s Arnold open win can affect his Olympia aspirations is an interesting debate.
The Arnold Classic uses an invite-only system. Competitors are selected based on their physique and performances throughout the previous season.
Competitors qualify for the Olympia by winning an IFBB Pro event, one of which includes the Arnold Classic. They also qualify by coming in the top three at the previous Mr. Olympia or accumulating enough points.
With this, the Arnold is seen as a springboard-type event that sits just below the Olympia rather than on par. It carries huge weight in the IFBB Pro calendar but doesn’t quite match up to the exclusiveness of the Olympia.
In terms of judging, the Arnold Classic tends to focus on muscle development, conditioning, and posing routines. In the Olympia, more focus is placed on muscle mass, proportions, and overall stage presence.
Derek’s recent win represents a huge step in his quest for another Olympia title. However, this clear difference in judging between the competitions means we can only take so much from his Arnold victory.
Both competitions demand elite-level physiques to be even considered on stage. However, the Olympia is generally regarded as the tougher competition that brings more world-class competitors.
This shouldn’t take away from Derek’s win. However, it should hopefully provide some perspective on exactly what his win means for his Olympia aspirations.
Derek’s Chances Of Winning The Olympia According To Industry Experts
In a recent YouTube video, four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler discussed Derek’s Arnold performance. In this, he also talked about his admiration for Samson and why Derek won.
“I think Samson is phenomenal. I think he’s the best bodybuilder in the world. I wasn’t rooting against Samson because I think he has the best body, but he just…I don’t know what it is. It’s just something, he needs to bring it in a certain level and circumstance, Derek just showed up at his all-time best.”
Derek’s coach, Chris Aceto, also confirmed that this was the best Derek he had ever seen.
“It’s like a rhetorical question. It’s not even the same person who won the Olympia when he won the Olympia. He will tell you that, not me. His legs were bigger than ever. His condition was far better than it’s been. He’s never had lines in his pecs, and they were striated.”
Alongside predicting that the 2025 Mr Olympia will be the best of all time, Aceto gave his top four predictions. While it’s a little too early to say, Aceto’s credibility has definitely risen after Derek’s title-winning performance.
“I’m framing that because when you ask me, I mean I think Derek can win the Olympia, I think Samson can win the Olympia, I think Andrew can win the Olympia, and I think Hadi can win the Olympia. Depending on how they come into the show, those four can absolutely win the Olympia.”
The Future Of The Open Division Is Bright
The success of the recent weekend reaffirms why the Arnold is one of the best bodybuilding competitions in the world. Derek’s recent win throws the doors wide open for an exciting 2025 IFBB Pro season. It shows us that the competitive landscape is constantly evolving, leaving many exciting questions unanswered.
As we continue to digest the open results, the New York Pro will most likely be the next big showpiece. Stay tuned as we provide the key build-up and results for what promises to be another legendary showdown!
Frequently Asked Questions
Derek’s Arnold win gives him renewed confidence following his disappointing 2024 Olympia placing. Furthermore, it provides some much-needed momentum as he looks to build his relationship with his new coach, Chris Aceto. Both of these improve his chances of winning.
Following his victory, Derek said that he would take time off to process his win and decide his next step. He’ll most likely look ahead to the Olympia and take some time to make further improvements.
The Arnold uses an invite-based system, while the Olympia requires qualification. Furthermore, the Arnold tends to focus on muscle development and conditioning, while the Olympia looks at muscle mass and proportions.
His main competitors are Samson Dauda, Andrew Jacked, and Hadi Choopan. Other notable competitors include Martin Fitzwater and Nick Walker. Any of these men has a good chance of winning if they bring their best package.
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