Chad Nicholls recently revealed who he believes will be the new champion at the 2022 Arnold Classic.
The 2022 Arnold Classic is right around the corner and that means there will be plenty of predictions coming out. Chad Nicholls recently shared his opinion on who could take over as the new champion in Columbus.
The Arnold Classic is back where it belongs taking place from March 3-6. With the event returning to the beginning of the year, there are many big names that will be present. This does not include Nick Walker, who won the show in 2021 but will continue to focus on the 2022 Olympia. This means there will be a new champion and Nicholls, a bodybuilding coach and sports nutritionist, recently gave his pick.
Nicholls joined The Menace Podcast on the Muscle and Fitness YouTube page and this is where he broke down some of the biggest names in the show. Before we get into what Nicholls had to say, let’s take another look at the Men’s Open lineup for the 2022 Arnold Classic.
2022 Arnold Classic Lineup
- William Bonac (Netherlands)
- Rafael Brandão (Brasil)
- Maxx Charles (USA)
- Brandon Curry (USA)
- Samson Dauda (United Kingdom)
- Nathan De Asha (United Kingdom)
- Regan Grimes (Canada)
- Steve Kuclo (USA)
- Cedric McMillan (USA)
- Fabio Giga Rezende (Brasil)
- Justin Rodriguez (USA)
- Mohamed Shaaban (Egypt)
- Brett Wilkin (USA)
- Akim Williams (USA)
Brandon Curry
It has been quite a run for Brandon Curry. He was crowned Mr. Olympia in 2019 and has finished as the runner-up in back-to-back years to Big Ramy. When looking at the field, Curry has to be considered one of the favorites, if not No. 1 on the list. He has his sights set on taking back his Olympia crown but will appear at the second biggest show of the year first.
Nicholls has always liked Curry to come out victorious at the Arnold Classic and he has not changed his opinion.
“I think Curry’s going to win this. I’ve always though that Curry’s going to win this. I think just that the level that he’s at right now, based off of where everybody’s ay, if he shows up anywhere close, I don’t think anybody beats him.”
Brandon Curry has a victory at the Arnold Classic from back in 2019, the same year he won the Olympia. There is a chance that he could bring home his second in about six weeks.
William Bonac
Walker might have won the Arnold Classic in September but would it have happened this way if William Bonac was there? The 2020 Arnold Classic champ was unable to make the trip but will return to the stage this year. According to Nicholls, this does not mean that he will make an immediate impact.
“I think that the things he has lacked over the last couple of years are finally starting to catch up with him. I think he was downsized a bit and his conditioning was also behind in 2021. I think he had very little time to correct that.”
Brett Wilkin
There are many big names returning to the Arnold Classic this year. Steve Kuclo finished third last year, Regan Grimes continues to improve, and Cedric McMillan and Nathan De Asha always have eyes on them. Nicholls believes another up-and-comer could steal the show.
Brett Wilkin is a rising star in the sport but has not taken that next step just yet. This might not be the year that Wilkin takes home the title but he has a chance to finish in the top three. Nicholls believes that he could be a threat to Curry.
“”He matches Brandon structurally. Obviously, Brandon’s got that massive back and that width and you know, that shoulder to waist ratio but Wilkins isn’t that far off. I think he might be bigger so it’s gonna be interesting.”
It is going to be an intense and entertaining battle to see who finishes in the top five. Wilkin could be the name that makes the biggest jump during this event. As of now, Brandon Curry seems to be the competitor to beat at this point.
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