On Episode 276 of The Menace Podcast, host Dennis “The Menace” James was joined by Jose Raymond and Milos Sarcev to dissect all the main points from the 2026 Arnold and, throughout the present, James questioned Sam Sulek’s suitability for the Traditional Physique division.
Sulek made his Professional debut this yr, within the Traditional Physique class in Columbus, OH, and earned a decent eighth place in his first outing, however the social media star didn’t impress Dennis James it appears. “I used to be a bit stunned,” shared The Menace. “The man that positioned ninth. How did he get beat? I don’t know,” he acknowledged.
Whereas the Males’s Traditional Physique trophy went to Wesley Vissers, Sulek’s eighth-place end put him forward of established stars like Paul Kanu (ninth) and Hold Niu (tenth). “So, for me, Sam would have been ninth or tenth,” added James.
Dennis James Recommend Sulek May Thrive within the Open Division
“Sam’s not traditional for me,” James continued. “I don’t see a traditional physique. I don’t know what all people’s speaking about.” The Menace then shared some recommendation to the social media star. “My recommendation for Sam can be, take a few years off, put as a lot weight as you’ll be able to placed on, and go into Open and see what the place you at. As a result of for Traditional, that’s not you. Even if you happen to make weight, that doesn’t imply something.”
James added that Sulek may nonetheless make cash even when he didn’t compete in any respect, due to his YouTube following and sponsorship offers. “You received’t be capable of reside off of prize cash,” stated James. And Milos Sarcev agreed that Sulek wants so as to add extra measurement to be a high contender. “He doesn’t have a Traditional physique,” he commented.
The Menace identified that he feels that Sulek is a pleasant man, and his observations are solely from a technical foundation. “I’m judging strictly, physique smart,” he defined. “He doesn’t have any enterprise in Traditional. He doesn’t have any enterprise anyplace proper now, as a result of he was quick tracked, from zero to professional. Should you put him into the nationals, or the USAs, or any professional qualifier in bodybuilding, there’s no means he’s gonna flip professional. We don’t even wish to speak about Traditional. Not even in Europe. There can be no attainable means. However I suppose it was such a weak line up on the Arnold newbie final yr.”
All Eyes on the Arnold UK for Sulek’s Subsequent Look
Sulek has an opportunity to show James fallacious nevertheless, as a result of he’s scheduled to enter the Arnold UK within the Traditional division, happening March 27 to 29, 2026. Little question, the outcomes shall be much more attention-grabbing after The Menace’s feedback.
To look at the complete episode, the place the panel went by way of the opposite outcomes on the 2026 Arnold U.S., and different topical bodybuilding information, see beneath.
