Fitness made for you
PT-designed routines and recipes.
Get real results without the high price tag.
The Pittsburgh Pro has a long-standing legacy, thanks to the guidance and leadership of IFBB president Jim Manion. Athletes from across the world have flocked to its stages, seeing it as a rite of passage before the Olympia.
It’s long featured some of the world’s top pro bodybuilders. However, this has solely been as guest posers, giving it the title of the biggest guest-posing event before the summer. With the recent announcement of the first official Men’s Open, the Pittsburgh Pro 2025 lineup is set to be special.
On May 10–11, 2025, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Pro takes place.
Several top-tier athletes have already made waves in the 2025 IFBB schedule. Derek Lunsford beating the 2025 Mr. Olympia, Samson Dauda, sent shockwaves around the bodybuilding world. With the inclusion of Derek and the hotly anticipated return of Nick Walker, the Pittsburgh stage is firmly set.
Key Information
- The 2025 Jim Manion Pittsburgh Pro will be held on May 10–11, 2025, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The events will start at 9:00 am EST, with the men on Saturday and the Women on Sunday. This will include the bodybuilding competitions, guest posing, and the expo.
- The livestream can be purchased through the official website. Alternatively, tickets to each day’s events or access to the expo can be purchased on the official ticketing page.
- This will be the first-ever Men’s Open event at the Pittsburgh Pro. Notable names include Derek Lunsford, Nick Walker, and Martin Fitzwater. The winner will take home USD 100,000 and earn Olympia qualification.
2025 Pittsburgh Pro Full Division Lineup
These are the 2025 Pittsburgh Pro bodybuilding competitors for all seven divisions. Our Pittsburgh Pro competitors list is in alphabetical order.
Men’s Open Bodybuilding
- Joe Ballinger (UK)
- Pavel Beran (Czech Republic)
- William Bonac (Netherlands)
- Douglas Connor (USA)
- Marcelo Pedro Da Cruz (Brazil)
- Martin Fitzwater (USA)
- Ron Gordon (USA)
- Michal Krizanek (Slovakia)
- Derek Lunsford (USA)
- Vincenzo Masone (USA)
- Justin Musiol (Germany)
- Leandro Sencini Peres (Brazil)
- Vitalii Ugolnikov (Brazil)
- Nicholas Walker (USA)
- Bartley Weaver IV (USA)
Classic Physique
- Zay Adonnis (USA)
- Dom Carter (USA)
- Joe Davis (USA)
- Caike Deoliveira (USA)
- Adk Diaz (USA)
- Camilo Diaz (Colombia)
- Jamir Grady (USA)
- Murat Khan (Australia)
- Brady King (USA)
- Jamie Leroyce (USA)
- Leo Mayrhofer (USA)
- Juan Medina (USA)
- Josema Munoz (Spain)
- Richard Nagy (Hungary)
- Anton Ratushnyi (USA)
- Damion Ricketts (USA)
- Terrence Ruffin (USA)
- James Smith (USA)
Men’s Physique
- Carlos Asiedu Ocran (China)
- Erin Banks (USA)
- Steven Bonini (USA)
- Ricardo Cenat (USA)
- Vitor Chaves (Brazil)
- Jordan Clark (USA)
- Rhyan Clark (USA)
- Riccardo Croci (Italy)
- Tan Dhaliwal (USA)
- Alex Gibson (USA)
- Tunahan Guler (Turkey)
- Brandon Hendrickson (USA)
- Jorge Hernandez (USA)
- Adama Jammeh (Sweden)
- Adams Joseph (USA)
- Michael Kent (UK)
- Burak King (USA)
- Mengyi Liu (China)
- Gage Moran (USA)
- Bruce Nolte (USA)
- Maiki Ono (Brazil)
- Edvan Palmeira (Brazil)
- Shayan Parvaz (Iran)
- Brehon Perry (USA)
- Victor Ramirez (Venezuela)
- Ahmed Saleh (USA)
- Ren Yi Xie (China)
- Miguel Zapata (USA)
Women’s Physique
- Natalia Abraham Coelho (USA)
- Justine Albert (USA)
- Birgit Andersch (Austria)
- Alejandra Chacon Velazquez (Spain)
- Rachel Daniels (USA)
- Sheronica Henton (USA)
- Jihye Lee (South Korea)
- Barbara Menage (France)
- Anna-Lena Prinz (Germany)
- Xin Qi (China)
- Kristine Salinas (USA)
- Natalie Rae Wolfe (USA)
Women’s Wellness
- Wynter Addams (UK)
- Jasmine Amato (USA)
- Sophie Brewster (UK)
- Sandra Colorado Acal (Spain)
- Casey Delong (USA)
- Chery Figueroa Calix (Spain)
- Rayane Fogal (Brazil)
- Kassandra Gillis (Canada)
- Melitza Guerrero (USA)
- Monika Jedras (Australia)
- Leonida Leo (Moldova)
- Whitney Lobreau (Canada)
- Valquiria Lopes (Brazil)
- Ruth Martinez (USA)
- Lisa Meiswinkel (Germany)
- Jasmine Payne (USA)
- Ruth Petizco (Spain)
- Nikki Raymond (USA)
- Sirke Virkkunen (Finland)
- Minju Yoon (South Korea)
- Jennifer Zollars (USA)
Women’s Figure
- Cierra Alexis (USA)
- Desiree Alferes (USA)
- Michelle Blaze (Slovakia)
- Melissa Brodsky (USA)
- Nicole Drobot (Canada)
- Spree Dyess (USA)
- Rebecca Farrell (UK)
- Clarissa Fortunem (USA)
- Nicole Zenobia Graham (USA)
- Jennifer Johnson (USA)
- Jeanne Kassel (Germany)
- Manuella Lima (Brazil)
- Daniella Means (USA)
- Lola Montez (Canada)
- Ericka Morgan (Guatemala)
- Adela Ondrejovicova (Slovakia)
- Kiira Poux (USA)
- Hannah Prause (Germany)
- Lena Ramsteiner (Germany)
- Natalia Sharapova (Russia)
- Natalia Soltero (Mexico)
- Tamika Tucker (USA)
- Jennifer Zienert (Germany)
- Melissa Zingale (USA)
Women’s Bikini
- Maria Acosta (USA)
- Brookelinh Aquilino (USA)
- Iulia Baba (Romania)
- Holly Baxter (Australia)
- Liang Bin (China)
- Maureen Blanquisco (USA)
- Torey Braly (USA)
- Jordan Brannon (USA)
- Ariana Brothers (USA)
- Oksana Bryhidyr (USA)
- Jenny Chan (USA)
- Maiwenn Crausaz (Switzerland)
- Aimee Delgado (USA)
- Ivi Escandar Fernandez (USA)
- Ashley Hampton (USA)
- Bailey Harrison (USA)
- Sasa He (China)
- Dahye Jeon (South Korea)
- Ashlyn Little (USA)
- Ji Bin Park (South Korea)
- Sharon Ramos (Dominican Republic)
- Fatima Rashid (USA)
- Lexus Redmond (USA)
- Alice Rocha (USA)
- Lacy Rutland (USA)
- Ali Taylor (USA)
- Kallie Travers (USA)
- Ally Vatthauer (USA)
- Vikki Wey (China)
- Jessica Wilson (USA)
Guest Posers & Special Appearances
The Pittsburgh Pro is renowned for top-tier guest posers and special guest appearances. Throughout the years, we’ve seen reigning Mr. Olympia Champions such as Big Ramy and Breon Ansley take to the stage. Historical icons, including Phil Health and Jay Cutler, have also given us a final showcase of what made them special.
The tradition of top Olympians and historical icons taking to the stage has continued for many years. With this year set to be the first official Open Class showcase, the calibre of guest posers remains the same.
Alongside the new Open Division, there will be guest poses from Samson Dauda, Keone Pearson, Mike Sommerfeld, and Ramon Dino. Each athlete has shown their skill as world-class competitors who belong at the top of their respective divisions. In Samson’s case, he is the current Mr. Olympia reigning champion.
Show organizers have promised a showdown like no other. This means that we’re going to get a posedown between the world’s greatest athletes from multiple divisions. If that doesn’t excite you as a bodybuilding fan, I don’t know what will.
If this wasn’t enough, fitness icon Sam Sulek will be making a special guest posing appearance. After recently earning the quickest IFBB Pro card in history, many are touting him as the next ‘Chris Bumstead”. While time will tell, he’s certainly not slowing down in his quest for stardom.
In under one week, we’ll have champions, previous champions, and top-level competitors posing down on stage. Get ready to see all your favorite athletes on stage as we build towards an iconic weekend!
Impact On Olympia Qualification
The Pittsburgh Pro plays a vital role as a prestigious qualifying event at the start of the Pro bodybuilding 2025 season. Winners from each of the seven divisions gain automatic Olympia qualification if they haven’t already done so. This makes it one of the best shows to compete in if you’re seeking early qualification.
Athletes who don’t directly win their categories have the chance to earn points if they finish in the top five. This is part of the Olympia qualification system. Athletes gain points throughout the season, after which the ones with the most points also qualify.
Besides the Olympia qualification, the Pittsburgh Pro has long been seen as a distinguished event in the bodybuilding calendar. This is because of its long-standing association with Jim Manion, president of the IFBB and part of the Manion family.
It’s one of the most respected and heavily watched shows on the calendar. Furthermore, athletes are expected to compete and show up if asked to guest pose.
A top finish can significantly boost an athlete’s reputation and potential sponsorship opportunities. With this, the Pittsburgh Pro is much more than just another date on the calendar. It’s a key event that should be seen as a vital part of the year in the run-up to the Olympia and beyond.
Expert Predictions & My Thoughts
With the athlete spotlight firmly on the main competitors, these are the expert predictions on this weekend’s event. Alongside this, I’ve shared some of my thoughts on what I think will go down on stage.
Expectations From Bodybuilding Experts
Former top-level bodybuilder Shawn Ray gave his thoughts leading up to this weekend’s event.
“I think Derek wins the show and Nick and Fitzwater are going to be battling it out for second place. But we got one other guy I’m looking at coming out of Brazil at the Arnold Classic that might throw a monkey wrench in this whole thing.”
Shawn Ray
Shawn’s top three:
- First Place — Derek Lunsford.
- Second Place — Nick Walker/ Martin Fitzwater.
- Third Place — Good Vito.
Former bodybuilder Lee Priest also weighed in on his recent YouTube video. This was before the announcement that Derek Lunsford would compete.
“It’s going to be hard because Martin is a bit more symmetrical and that sort of thing and Vito and Nick, similar on the freaky muscle size…It’s going to be interesting to see. People always talk about Nick’s varicose veins when you’re looking at the legs. Good Vito’s legs just look a lot cleaner lines because he hasn’t got the veins. I think it’s going to be very close between the three of them.”
Lee Priest
My Predictions
I watched the 2024 Mr Olympia and 2025 Arnold Classic events intently while covering both weekends. I was blown away by Samson’s shape and size at the Olympia. However, Derek was in a league of his own at the Arnold.
Martin Fitzwater is hard to predict. He’s arguably one of the brightest rising stars who has the potential to be a future Olympia champion. However, I just don’t think he’s quite there yet.
Nick Walker hasn’t competed in a long time, but has that freaky, mass monster physique which draws you to him on stage. However, he’s never had the best shape and symmetry. Good Vito is coming off a dominant win, where he looked arguably at his best on stage.
With all things considered, these are my top five predictions.
- First Place — Derek Lunsford.
- Second Place — Martin Fitzwater.
- Third Place — Nick Walker.
- Fourth Place — Vitalii Ugolnikov (Good Vito).
- Fifth Place — William Bonac.
With his Arnold Win, Derek will have too much for the other competitors if he comes remotely close to his recent package. Martin has one of the best shapes on stage and should take second if he comes in conditioned enough.
While Nick is a true mass monster, the competitive landscape seems to be shifting away from his physique. He’s good enough to place top three, but wont be near the title in my opinion.
How To Watch The Pittsburgh Pro 2025
The 2025 IFBB Pittsburgh Pro takes place on May 10–11, 2025, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.
You can watch the livestream bodybuilding events by purchasing access through the official website. This will feature expert commentary from Dennis James and Fouad Abiad, with coverage beginning at 9:00 am EST. You can also follow social media updates on the official Pittsburgh Pro Instagram page.
If you want to attend the event in person, tickets can be purchased on the official ticketing page. This allows you to purchase access to the pre-judging or finals on Saturday or Sunday. Alternatively, you can purchase the expo pass, giving you access to different sporting events and athletes across the weekend.
Here is a breakdown of the official ticket prices. All prices are in American Dollars or USD.
| Event | Ticket Price |
|---|---|
| Saturday, May 10 — Men’s Divisions Judging | General Admission — $60.00 VIP Seating — $100.00 (Sold out) |
| Saturday, May 10 — Men’s Divisions Finals | General Admission — $70.00 VIP Seating — $120.00 (Sold out) |
| Sunday, May 11 — Women’s Divisions Judging | General Admission — $60.00 VIP Seating — $100.00 |
| Sunday, May 11 — Women’s Divisions Finals | General Admission — $70.00 VIP Seating — $120.00 |
| Saturday, May 10 and Sunday, May 11 — Fitness Expo 2025 Pass | Saturday — $30.00 Sunday — $30.00 All Weekend — $50.00 |
This is the official schedule as stated on the Pittsburgh Pro website. Please note that times may be subject to change depending on the competition and organizers. All times are in Eastern Standard Time or EST.
| Timeline | Event |
|---|---|
| Friday, May 9 | Mandatory Polygraph Tests — 8:00 am Mandatory NPC Championships Weigh-In/ Check-In — 4:00 pm — 8:00 pm Mandatory IFBB Check-In — 5:00 pm — 8:00 pm |
| Saturday, May 10 | Mandatory Polygraph Tests (NPC Women) — 8:00 am NPC Men’s Prejudging — 9:00 am IFBB Men’s Prejudging — Immediately Following IFBB Pro Men’s Finals — 6:00 pm NPC Men’s Finals — Immediately Following |
| Sunday, May 11 | NPC Women’s Prejudging — 9:00 am IFBB Women’s Prejudging — Immediately Following IFBB Pro Women’s Finals — 5:00 pm NPC Women’s Finals — Immediately Following |
Final Thoughts
With mere days left until this year’s event, excitement builds for a true bodybuilding spectacle. The star-studded line-up of elite-level competitors continue prepping for one of the year’s biggest events. As the first Open Class event in the competition’s rich history, we’re surely in for a showdown like no other.
Follow along on the weekend as we bring you the latest results as they develop. Whether you’re watching online or attending, we hope you have an amazing weekend at this Olympia qualifier 2025 event!
Frequently Asked Questions
The total prize money for the Men’s Open has been set at USD 200,000, which includes USD 100,000 for the winner. The second-place finisher will be awarded USD 50,000, while the third-place finisher gets USD 25,000.
The 2025 Pittsburgh Pro takes place during the Pittsburgh Power & Fitness Festival on May 10–11, 2025. It will be held at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, United States.
The Pittsburgh Pro is an official IFBB event, meaning it directly affects Olympia qualification. The winner of each pro division gains automatic qualification if they’re not already qualified. Furthermore, athletes who finish in the top five places earn points.
The Pittsburgh Pro 2025 event will include seven divisions in total. This includes the Men’s Open, Men’s Classic Physique, and Men’s Physique. The women’s divisions include Women’s Bikini, Women’s Figure, Women’s Physique, and Women’s Wellness.
About the Author
Chris Marshall, MSc, PT Personal Trainer
0 Comments