The name Arnold Classic is enough to know who it is named after. Nine years after his final Mr. Olympia win, Arnold Schwarzenegger decided to establish the Arnold Classic Championships to help provide a strong platform for bodybuilding and fitness athletes so that they could showcase their progress and strength. Since Schwarzenegger was already influential as he had achieved seven Mr. Olympia titles along with being a Hollywood star, this competition quickly became very popular.

Just within a few years, the contest with the Austrian Oak’s namesake rose in power and prestige. It also started having new categories and went head-to-head with Mr. Olympia. However, some limitations kept it from surpassing Mr. Olympia. 35 years have gone by since the competition started, so let’s take a look at the history and the evolving prize money of the Arnold Classic.

History of Arnold Classic Ohio

The Arnold Sports Festival was started back in 1989 as a one-day professional competition in Columbus, Ohio. This gradually turned into the world’s largest sports festival, and today it spans four days of magnificent competitions and demonstrations along with seminars. The commencement of the Arnold Sports Festival primarily dates back to 1970, when Jim Lorimer, a Columbus sports promoter, proposed an invitation to Schwarzenegger. He was invited to compete in the Mr. World contest that was taking place along with the World Weightlifting Championships.

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As expected, the Austrian Oak emerged as a winner and not only won the contest but also earned $1000. That is when he promised to return to Columbus and collaborate with Lorimer. In 1989, Schwarzenegger and Lorimer soared high with their partnership by founding the Arnold Classic, which is a huge milestone in the journey of the body-building world.

There was just one problem, which was that the prize money was limited and was not going to reach the level of Mr. Olympia at first. Schwarzenegger’s popularity would help the contest of the same name to overshadow Mr. Olympia in the future. Hence, there was a rule that stated that the Austrian could not offer a higher price than Mr. Olympia. Presently, Mr. Olympia (Open Division) receives $400,000 for winning the Sandow Trophy. Meanwhile, the Arnold Classic offers $300,000.

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Every year, the Arnold Sports Festival saw new heights and increased categories, as well as events capturing the spirit of bodybuilding. The ASF, or Arnold Classic Sports Festival, hosts the Arnold Classic bodybuilding contest and the Strong Man Show. Arnold Classic USA has always commenced in Columbus, Ohio, and since its inception, it has been regarded as the most respected contest in the bodybuilding world, just after Mr. Olympia. If a bodybuilding champion wins the Arnold Classic title, it catapults the bodybuilder to the elite level of the industry, and many of the greatest competitors throughout history have their names on the list of this competition.

Arnold Classic winners throughout the years

Some of the best bodybuilders have crossed this stage and held the crystal trophy while taking the top prize. The prize does not just include the hefty money but also a Hummer vehicle and an Audemars Piguet watch. Encompassing a rich and long history compiled with a list of winners, every competitor arrives at this event to compete at higher levels and reach the top. Some of the most legendary bodybuilding champions have achieved the Arnold Classic Trophy in the men’s open category. Let’s take a look at the winners throughout the years:

Arnold Classic Winners

Rich Gaspari, 1989

Mike Ashley, 1990

Shawn Ray, 1991

Vince Taylor, 1992

Flex Wheeler: 1993, 1997, 1998, 2000

Kevin Levrone, 1994, 1996

Mike Francois, 1995

Nasser, El Sonbaty (1999)

Ronnie Coleman, 2001

Jay Cutler: 2002, 2003, 2004

Dexter Jackson: 2005, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2015

Victor Martinez, 2007

Kai Greene: 2009, 2010, 2016

Branch Warren, 2011, 2012

Dennis Wolf (2014)

Cedric McMillan, 2017

William Bonac, 2018, 2020

Brandon Curry, 2019, 2022

Nick Walker, 2021

Samson Dauda, 2023

The 2023 Arnold Classic was by far the most surprising year, especially because of the change in the prize money.

Winners of the Arnold Classic Open Category 2022 and prize money

The Battle Grand Ballroom in the Greater Columbia Convention Center witnessed enthusiastic excitement for the finals of the 2022 Arnold Classic. There were several categories in the competition, such as men’s physique, bikini international, and pro wheelchair. However, the limelight, as usual, was taken by the Arnold Classic Champions.

Former Mr. Olympia Brandon Curry and two-time Arnold Classic winner William Bonac had their callouts by the judges so that they could decide upon the winner. Steven Weinberger made the champions go through two rounds of posing to get the fans more excited and gauge who should become the winner.

The trophy that stole the limelight of the night was the Arnold Classic itself, which ultimately was given to Brandon Curry Bonac, who took the runner-up position, while Steve Kuclo secured the third position for the second year. Other than that, here are the winners and prize money for the 2022 Arnold Classic:

1. Brandon Curry, $200,000
2. William Bonac, $120,000
3. Steve Kuclo, $70,000
4. Samson Dauda, $37,500
5. Justin Rodriguez, $20,000
6. Brett Wilkin, $12,500
7. Regan Grimes, $2,000
8. Maxx Charles, $2,000
9. Fabio Giga Rezende, $2,000

There has been a huge change in the prize money as of 2023, and this came as a shock as well as excitement for the body-building world.

Changes in prize money in 2023 and the winner

The Austrian Oak was also the co-founder and announced that the prize money that would be given to the 2023 Arnold Classic winner would be $300,000. That is almost a 50% hike from the $200,000 prize that was given to Brandon Curry in 2022. This is the second consecutive year where the prize money has exponentially increased. Nick Walker won $130,000 in the year 2021, and this was the normal prize money for several years before that. At the very start of the contest, the competitors got $100,000. Since then, the price has increased, but in 2023, it substantially skyrocketed.

Schwarzenegger even spoke about his verdict and why he wanted to increase the prize money. “From the first time we hosted a bodybuilding championship in Columbus in 1976, my goal has been to increase the prize money to reward these fantastic athletes,” said the champion in part of the announcement. After that, he finally declared,. “I am excited to announce that this year’s winner of the Arnold Classic will win a record $300,000.” The 2023 winner of the Arnold Classic who achieved this new prize money was Samson Dauda.

Watch this story: From Arnold Schwarzenegger to Chris Bumstead, Here Are the Top 5 Most Aesthetic Bodybuilders to Ever Compete in Mr. Olympia

That is also another interesting aspect: no previous men’s physique champions are returning for the upcoming edition of this bodybuilding contest. There is going to be a new men’s physique champion that will emerge in 2024. Not only has the price changed, but even the competitors have, so let’s see what 2024 now holds for us.