On Episode 303 of The Menace Podcast, host Dennis James was joined by Milos Sarcev and Jose Raymond, and with round every week to go earlier than the 2026 Mr. Olympia is topped in Las Vegas, the panel debated the significance of dimension when flexing on bodybuilding’s greatest stage.
2026 has seen numerous dialogue round dimension on the earth of bodybuilding. From Samson Dauda packing on the muscle to avenge his Olympia standing from final yr, to Nick Walker’s mutant-like physique dominating the IFBB Tampa Professional. There’s little question that the Open division is the preferred class on the Olympia, the place the largest our bodies are on show, however with regards to the judges, how vital is being colossal whereas treading the boards? With three former elite bodybuilders making up the panel, James, Sarcev, and Raymond chopped it up
“Does dimension matter?” requested Sarcev, who’s two-time Mr. Yugoslavia, noting that he’d heard s earlier dialog between “The Menace” and Jay Cutler, the place James had shared a view that he wished he hadn’t chased dimension a lot throughout his personal profession. “Regular fan(‘s imagine) simply greater, higher,” added Sarcev. “… going into this Olympia, Derek (Lunsford) is making an attempt to be greater, Andrew (Jacked) is making an attempt to be greater clearly. Nick (Walker), Samson (Dauda), all people is making an attempt to be greater. Is that this the fitting name?”
Will ‘Greater’ Be ‘Higher’ on the 2026 Mr. Olympia?
“If I may flip again the time, I wouldn’t chase dimension,” shared Dennis James, who was a bodybuilding champion in Germany and competed in seven Mr. Olympia finals, putting fourth in 2003.”
Milos Sarcev instructed the panel that if 2025’s Mr. Olympia, Derek Lunsford, continues to get greater, “he’s going to destroy his form.” This was an statement that James agreed with, noting that Lunsford could already be on the level the place he can’t placed on far more weight. “I believe this might damage him,” added The Menace.
Jose Raymond shared that Lunsford just lately weighed in at 252-pounds, which is big for somebody who’s 5’6”. “He was an elephant,” mused Raymond. “It was thoughts boggling.” And but, the 2015 Arnold Basic 212 champion stated that Lunsford was trying nice for his efforts.
The panel agree that the success of this technique round dimension can be revealed when the athletes get their judges scores on September 27. Will the winner be the largest bodybuilder, the best poser, or the athlete with the very best definition and conditioning? We’ll discover out very quickly.
To see this dialog in full on The Menace Podcast, the place the panel additionally mentioned the most recent bodybuilding information, test it out on the Muscle & Health YouTube channel.
