Ryan Terry has won the last three Men’s Physique Olympia titles. If he wins one more, he will tie Jeremy Buendia’s record of four titles, the number that has defined this division since its inception.
Here’s what makes it interesting. Buendia isn’t competing this September. He’s sitting it out and publicly handicapping the race, including whether his own record survives it.
Finals are Saturday 26 September at the Orleans Arena. Here’s where the division stands.
Ryan Terry: Chasing Number Four
Terry has been the most reliable man in Men’s Physique for three years. Tight waist, balanced proportions, and the Superman pose that’s become his signature.
He earned his third title through sheer hard work. The 2025 final pitted him against four former champions: Erin Banks, Brandon Hendrickson, and Buendia, who had returned to the competition. Ali Bilal, meanwhile, had noticeably improved his physique, the same physique that had earned him the silver medal. The fight became a four-way battle. Terry responded with a visibly broader back and the excellent physical condition that has characterized him for a decade. Bilal took second place for the second year in a row, while Hendrickson finished third.
His 2026 prep has been public and detailed, right down to a 4,852-calorie day of eating he shared during the build.
Buendia’s read on him is generous and blunt at the same time. He says Terry is bringing his all-time best, that Terry wants number four, that he wants to tie him — and that it’s been a goal of his for a long time. If it happens, Buendia says he’ll be the first to congratulate him.
Case for: Three straight titles, a judging panel that clearly rewards his package, and no obvious weakness. Case against: He’s now the target for a lineup that’s deeper than any he’s faced.
Kyron Holden: The Pick Everyone’s Making
If there’s an upset in this division, the money is on Holden.
He won the 2016 Pittsburgh Pro, and since then, the reaction to his physique has only grown. Fouad Abiad directly compared the two and favored Holden, stating that he prefers his waist, considering it smaller and better structured, and describing his chest, shoulder, and back muscles as more voluminous. His verdict was emphatic: Terry has a problem, and if Holden maintains that same physique at the Olympia, he will beat him.
Three days ago, Nick Walker went even further on the Men’s Physique Radio podcast, stating that if Holden shows up with the same physique he had in Pittsburgh, he will win the competition, and that he doesn’t even need to change anything, just replicate it.
Buendia agrees Holden can win, though he framed it as conditional: bring the Pittsburgh package, or the look from Legion in 2022, and there’s a real chance at a first Olympia title.
When the man whose record is at stake, a former Arnold champion, and a current Open contender all independently name the same challenger, that’s worth paying attention to.
Case for: The best structure in the division right now, and momentum from a major win. Case against: He has never done it on the Olympia stage. Peaking in May is not peaking in September.
Ali Bilal: Twice the Bridesmaid
Bilal has finished runner-up to Terry in each of the last two years. Nobody in the division has been closer without winning.
The Afghan-born athlete keeps improving year on year, and he arrives with the clearest possible motivation. Buendia has him in his top four. Two second places usually means one of two things — a ceiling, or a breakthrough coming. This is the year that question gets answered.
The Former Champions
Brandon Hendrickson is a three-time champion who took third in 2025. He’s still in the top-four conversation and has beaten most of this field at some point.
Erin Banks won the 2022 title and finished third in 2024. Across 19 recorded pro contests he has nine wins — a 47% win rate — plus two Arnold Classic titles. He’s shut down retirement talk more than once.
Jeremy Buendia is the one who isn’t here. The four-time champion sits on 10 points in the season standings, well outside qualifying range. The record-holder is watching from the sidelines while the man chasing his record gets his shot.
The Field Is Still Growing
Men’s Physique is a points division under the 2026 rules, which means the lineup isn’t final.
Athletes need two pro wins or a top-25 points finish to qualify. Roughly two dozen have secured places outright, and more will be added when the standings lock on 30 August. Emanuel Hunter and Emerson Costa have been leading the points chase, with Isai Kesek and Heng Zhao close behind.
That’s why the division keeps getting called one of the most stacked in its history — the qualified list is deep before the points additions even land.
The Verdict
Terry is the reigning champion and the favorite, having overcome every challenge for three consecutive years. But the buzz surrounding Holden isn’t just amateur hype; it comes from professional physique judges, and they all agree.
Don’t miss Saturday morning’s preliminary round. The Men’s Physique title is decided in the comparisons, where waist and shoulder-to-waist ratios are meticulously analyzed. If Holden is next to Terry in the first round and holds his own, the record will truly be on the line.
If not, Terry ties Buendia and the division has a new benchmark.
Check Out: Men’s Open Preview and Qualified Athletes
Quick Answers
Who is the reigning Men’s Physique Olympia champion? Ryan Terry, who has won three consecutive titles.
What is the Men’s Physique Olympia record? Four titles, held by Jeremy Buendia. Terry can tie it in September.
Is Jeremy Buendia competing in 2026? No. He didn’t qualify and has been sharing predictions instead.
Who is the biggest threat to Ryan Terry? Kyron Holden, the 2026 Pittsburgh Pro champion, named as the main challenger by Buendia, Nick Walker and Fouad Abiad.
When is the Men’s Physique final? Saturday 26 September at the Orleans Arena, with pre-judging that morning at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Contender information verified across contest reporting and athlete statements on 21 August 2026. The Men’s Physique field is not final until qualification closes on 30 August — we’ll update this preview then.
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