Does Mike Sommerfeld’s Arnold Win Mean That He’s The New Face Of The Classic Division?

On October 12, 2024, six-time Classic Physique champion Chris Bumstead shocked the world by announcing his retirement. Aside from sending shockwaves throughout the division, it left a huge hole, with many wondering who would be next.

Bumstead has been nothing short of sensational since moving to the Classic Division. His six Olympia titles are the most in the division’s history. None of his competitors have come close to knocking him off his throne.

However, as the division moves on, many have looked towards Mike Sommerfeld as the new shining star. His second-place finish behind Chris at the 2024 Mr. Olympia was arguably way closer than most imagined. With this, excitement grew in anticipation for this year’s Arnold Classic Division showdown. 

The results of the Arnold Classic reaffirm Mike as the man to beat. However, what does it mean for his Olympia chances? Can Mike Sommerfeld a.k.a Mike The Badass, really be the new face of the classic division?

Mike Sommerfeld’s Second Big Statement In The Classic Division

Coming second behind Chris Bumstead at the 2024 Mr. Olympia represented a huge step-up in Sommerfeld’s competitive aspirations. It meant a six-place jump from the previous year, with one judge giving the title to him. Even with this, many were unsure whether it was a one-off, with the other main competitors coming in off.

The 2025 Arnold Classic represented the first big event of the competitive season. It was the first opportunity for Sommerfeld to put down a statement and show he was a contender. 

On February 28, 2025, Sommerfeld won the Arnold Classic Division title, making his second big statement following Chris’s retirement. To many, it showed that his second-place Olympia finish wasn’t a fluke. It was just the beginning of what could now be a meteoric rise to classical stardom. 

Here’s what Mike had to say following his first major win of the new season.

“Amazing, for one simple big reason. Today, we were able to prove that work is necessary to create something beautiful, and as you put in the work, you dedicate it, you’re passionate, life can be great, this is what we proved today.”

Following Bumstead’s retirement, five other names stood out as the main challengers. These are the guys who have been in and around the top five for several years. In the case of Logan, it’s someone who many have tipped as the front-runner purely based on his incredible shape.

• Urs Kalecinski. 
• Ramon Rocha Queiroz. 
• Breon Ansley.
• Wesley Vissers. 
• Logan Franklin. 

Mike’s second-place finish at the 2024 Olympia meant that he beat each of the five men on the list above. In winning the Arnold Classic Division title, he beat two of them yet again, namely Wesley Vissers and Logan Franklin. 

This should put him as the firm favorite going into the 2025 Mr Olympia. However, debate continues as to whether he truly represents what the classic division stands for. Before we discuss this question in more detail, let’s first look at his background and competitive history.

Who Is Mike Sommerfeld?

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Mike Sommerfeld, also known as Mike The Badass, is a professional German bodybuilder. After earning his IFBB Pro card in 2018, he began competing in the 212 division before switching to classic. Following his statement win over fellow German Classic Division competitor Urs Kalecinski, many regard him as the best German prospect. 

Growing up in Munich, Germany, Sommerfeld began strength training at an early age. This was largely due to the influence of his father Uwe Sommerfeld, who was also an IFBB Pro.

Sommerfeld earned his pro card at the 2018 Royal London Pro. Following this, he made his professional debut at the 2019 Romania Muscle Fest Pro 212 division, coming a disappointing 13th. 

After switching to the classic physique, his placings immediately changed. This led him to realize one thing: Classic Division was his home. 

Winning the 2021 Extreme Bodybuilding & Fitness Pro event marked his first major pro title. It also meant he beat his German rival Urs Kalecinski for the first time, which earned himself Olympia qualification. 

While he came in the top ten in his first three Classic Olympias, he never really challenged for the title. This was until the 2024 Mr. Olympia, where he sensationally took second behind Classical icon Chris Bumstead. This marked the first major step in his incredibly quick rise to becoming a future Classic star. 

• 2014 Arnold Classic Europe (Amateur) — 3rd. 
• 2018 Royal London Pro — Earns IFBB Pro Card.
• 2019 Romania Muscle Fest Pro (212) —13th.
• 2020 British Grand Prix (Classic Physique) — 2nd.
• 2020 Romania Muscle Fest Pro (Classic Physique) — 6th.
• 2021 Extreme Bodybuilding & Fitness Pro (Classic Physique) 1st.
• 2021 Mr. Olympia (Classic Physique) —7th.
• 2021 Poland Supershow Pro (Classic Physique — 1st.
• 2022 Mr. Olympia (Classic Physique) — 5th.
• 2023 Mr. Olympia (Classic Physique) — 8th.
• 2023 Battle Of Bogota Pro (Classic Physique) — 1st.
• 2024 Mr. Olympia (Classic Physique) — 2nd.
• 2025 Arnold Classic (Classic Physique) — 1st.

Take one look at his physique and you’ll see why he has done so much better in the Classic Division. He has an incredible v-taper which many have come to admire. However, this is also the reason why many wonder if his physique actually represents what classic should be.

When you look at him compared to the other competitors, he has the most muscle by quite some margin. Because of this, many think he belongs as an open bodybuilder or 212 competitor when considering the previous judging standards.

This opens the debate to what a classic bodybuilder should look like. Should a huge and muscular physique with better classic lines than the open be rewarded? On the other hand, should a less muscular but old-school classic-style physique be what we’re looking for going forward?

If you ask a group of random people the same question, you’ll most likely get the same split opinion. Bodybuilding is a subjective sport in nature, and it’s arguably up to the judges to decide. However, it should also be up to the public to help guide the sport to better represent the changing times.

Chris Bumstead was about as classic as you can get. He had great muscle maturity with genetically-amazing classical lines. His domination of the division, followed by Mike’s statement win, is what’s confusing most people.

Coming second at the Olympia and winning the Arnold means that we now know what the judges are looking for. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it seems to represent where they want the division to go.

Time will tell whether or not it’s going that way for sure. As we know from the results of the Open Division, things can quickly change. 

Does His Recent Performance Justify His Place As The New Classic Champ?

On paper, Mike is the firm favorite to be the new classic physique icon. With his incredible physique, he deserves all the credit despite splitting opinions. With this, we have to think that he will be the new face of the division.

When you look at him on stage, your eyes are drawn to how big his upper body is. Technically, he has the shape to make him classic. The main issue is his overall amount of muscle density makes him look like a 212 or Open competitor. This is the main issue that many people are concerned with.

His Arnold win was interesting for many reasons. Logan Franklin would arguably be way more classic in most people’s eyes. However, he is nowhere near Mike for overall muscle density and size. 

This represented a battle that shows us muscularity vs. classic lines. It gave us a good idea of where the judges’ heads are at.

As we all know, the Olympia and Arnold tend to judge differently. So, we can’t take much away from his recent win. However, the fact that he won the Arnold surely means that he is the firm front-runner despite splitting opinions.

With this, it will be interesting to see what he does for the rest of the year. Will we get a better idea of how dominant he will be? Whatever happens, he’s the favorite for the Olympia and in many ways, fully deserving of the title. 

“You get one chance on stage to show your physique, and the beauty and flow, and you need to make sure that these seconds on stage, all eyes on you, are the best that you can create. You need to create a story, you need to show your strength, and if you’re able to create motions in the audience, that’s the magic.”

If this doesn’t mean classic, I don’t know what does. 

Personally, im a big fan of his physique and would like to see him as the new face of the division. I know that hes not technically classic but I think hes a great ambassador and clearly has an amazing physique. While it might not be classic in everyones eyes, its certainly an Olympia-worthy physique that deserves its place on stage. 

As we go through the year, it wil be interesting to see how the division develops. Mike will always have the biggest win, but they’ll surely be more developments.

Conclusion

Debate will likely continue regarding Sommerfeld’s place as the next Classic Division icon. He might not be as classic as some people’s tastes. However, his two recent statements cement him as the firm favorite for the 2025 Olympia Classic Division title.

Time will tell as to whether he can continue his rise to Olympia glory. As the season develops, we’ll be providing all the major updates as the division develops. Stay tuned for an exciting 2025 IFBB Classic season!