Olympia 2025 Predictions

Welcome to the biggest week on the bodybuilding calendar, Olympia Week! A lot will do down this week as far as photoshoots and expos are concerned, but the main events will take place on Friday and Saturday as the best competitors of the year come together to see who is THE best of the best. And with this being the 60th anniversary of this event, ANYTHING and EVERYTHING can happen. As always, here's our predictions for the female categories as we will do top 5 and a wildcard.

Ms. Olympia

14 women will be competing for the top prize in the women's bodybuilding division, and to be honest with you, this looks like this is gonna be a battle for 2nd place as Andrea Shaw came in to the Rising Phoenix a few weeks ago looking downright unbeatable. Her biggest competitor Natalia Kovaleva was indeed bigger than Andrea at this event but Andrea's conditioning was too good to ignore. I see Andrea winning once again, which will make it her six straight Olympia title, tying the legendary Cory Everson. 2nd and 3rd is a tossup for me between Angela Yeo and Ashley Jones. Ashley had an awesome Ms. Olympia debut and I can see her as a future Ms. O but Yeo is no slouch either and I feel could potentially challenge Shaw as well. In what I feel will be a great rookie debut, I'm gonna give my 4th place spot to Melissa Teich. She looks RIDICULOUS and I feel could shake up the lineup. 5th place I'll go with Natalia Kovaleva. I have a feeling she is going to surpass her Rising Phoenix look big time. My wildcard is the 2025 Masters Ms. Olympia Tiana Flex. I expect the top masters women's bodybuilding competitor to pull out all the stops and find her way to the top 5 of the open division. But no matter what, Tiana will make history the second she steps on stage as she will be the first South African competitor EVER on the Olympia stage.

PREDICTIONS:

1. Andrea Shaw
2. Andrea Yeo
3. Ashley Jones
4. Melissa Teich
5. Natalia Kovaleva

Wildcard: Tiana Flex

All competitors (In order):

1. Alcione Santos Barreto 
2. Leyvina Barro
3. Nadia Capotosto
4. Chelsea Dion
5. Tiana Flex
6. Selyka Givan
7. Hunter Henderson
8. Ashley Lynnette Jones
9. Anastasia Korableva
10. Natalia Kovaleva
11. Martina Lopez
12. Andrea Shaw
13. Melissa Teich
14. Angela Yeo

Women's Physique Olympia

We have 18 women fighting for women's physique top honor. For a while, women's physique has been a two-women show between Sarah Villegas and Natalia Coelho, and for this year, I don't see that changing. Since 2019, they have been in the top 3 every year with them fighting for the top TWO spots since 2020. Sarah has gotten the better of Natalia every year except for 2022. One thing about Sarah, once she loses, she will fight like hell to make sure she doesn't do that again, which is a big reason for her success and I see her nabbing another title this weekend with Natalia falling to her once again. Should that be the case, Sarah will becoming the winninest Ms. Women's Physique Olympia ever, surpassing Juliana Malacarne, which just might close the women's physique GOAT case once and for all. The rest of the top 5 might be intriguing to you all. I'm gonna go with Zama Benta for 3rd, and the woman that pushed her to the brink at the Tampa Pro, Meghan Morrison (fka Santa Barbera) placing 4th (she might be the talk of the Olympia with her Amazonian height and weight, dwarfing the women's physique competitors...our one to watch over all the competitors regardless of division), with Barbara Menage rounding out the top 5. Our wildcard is Paula Ranta. Her social media has seen her put in INSANE work and I have a feeling she is going to do her best to make her presence known in Vegas.

PREDICTIONS:

1. Sarah Villegas
2. Natalia Coelho
3. Zama Benta
4. Meghan Morrison
5. Barbara Menage

Wildcard: Paula Ranta

All competitors (in order):

1. Natalia Abraham Coelho
2. Birgit Andersch
3. Elena Aviles Romero
4. Zama Benta
5. Sarah Crail
6. Julia Glazycheva
7. Sheronica Henton
8. Brittany Herrera
9. Amanda Machado
10. Robyn Mays
11. Barbara Menage
12. Meghan Morrison
13. Evon Pennington
14. Trisha Pollydore
15. Paula Ranta
16. Nana Silva
17. Karla Melissa Torres Cruz
18. Sarah Villegas

Fitness Olympia

11 women will fight for fitness's top prize and I'm very intrigued on how this one is gonna go down with no Missy Truscott, Whitney Jones, Oksana Grishina, and Ariel Khadr in the mix. Looking at the list, on paper, Jaclyn Baker seems to be the favorite to win at the reigning Miss Fitness International but Tamara Vahn has proven that she is fine wine in the fitness world. Jenny Worth is going into the Olympia as the reigning Masters Olympia Fitness Champion and would nothing more than to win the one title she's never won and cap off one of the greatest careers the fitness division has ever seen. Taylor Learmont might not be the biggest or most conditioned on stage, but she more than makes up for her with her routines, which may I remind you is 2/3rds of the overall score in fitness. Michelle Fredua-Mensah has been making serious strides in the fitness division with her physique and routines, so I easily see her in the top five. My wildcard for fitness goes to Amber Steffen. I could see her shaking up the top 5.

PREDICTIONS:

1. Jaclyn Baker
2. Tamara Vahn
3. Taylor Learmont
4. Michelle Fredua-Mensah
5. Jenny Worth

Wildcard: Amber Steffen

All competitors (in order):

1. Jaclyn Baker
2. Anna Fomina
3. Michelle Fredua-Mensah
4. Andrea Glass
5. Amy Hamilton
6. Allison Kramer
7. Taylor Learmont
8. Amber Steffen
9. Tamara Vahn
10. Jenny Worth
11. Jessica Zehr

Figure Olympia

OH BOY...this one is gonna be THE one to watch for the women...which is something I've not been able to say for the past eight years. That is NOT a diss to Cydney Gillion though. In fact, that is a testament to her dominance over the division for nearly a decade winning eight straight Olympia titles, solidifying her as arguably the greatest figure competitor of all time. The figure division is now in the post-Cydney era and it is WIDE OPEN. 28 women have a chance to write a new chapter in the figure division. Jessica Reyes Padilla, the defending Masters Figure Olympia champion, has been runner-up at the Olympia for the past three years, and with no Cydney to deal with hopes that 2025 is FINALLY the year she breaks through. But her new biggest threat to the title is a former FITNESS Olympia champion who looks to make history as the first-ever two division Olympia Champion. I'm talking about Missy Truscott. In her first two shows in figure since leaving the fitness division, she has smoked the competition and is looking to take the figure division by the throat and putting in in a chokehold much like she did in fitness. I see Lola Montez and Nicole Zenobia Graham taking 3rd and 4th while Denise Zwinger-Tynek, who I felt was the best international competitor in the figure division this year, rounds out the top 5. My wildcard for this one is the returning Sandra Grajales. She returned to the stage after many years away and didn't miss a beat, dare I say better than ever. Wouldn't surprise me one bit to see her get a high placing. Figure fans have been wanting a competitive Olympia for a while...and this year, you're finally gonna get your wish! 

PREDICTIONS:

1. Jessica Reyes Padilla
2. Missy Truscott
3. Lola Montex
4. Nicole Zenobia Graham
5. Denise Zwinger-Tynek

Wildcard: Sandra Grajales

All competitors (in order): 

1. Dorethane Agathina
2. Ayra Bahar
3. Kristina Bodnariuk
4. Anna Borin
5. Thais Cabrices Werner
6. Sherlyn Chee
7. Maria Diaz
8. Rhea Gayle
9. Rejoice Godwin
10. Nicole Zenobia Graham
11. Sandra Grajales
12. Nadine Claudia Huber
13. Sophie Jenkins
14. Manuella Lima
15. Tamera Malone
16. Lola Montez
17. Chelsea Mooney
18. Ericka Morgan
19. Adela Ondrejovicova
20. Lena Ramsteiner
21. Jessica Reyes Padilla
22. Taylor Santucci
23. Natalia Soltero
24. Missy Truscott
25. Aksana Yukhno
26. Helen Zavitsanou
27. Jennifer Zienert
28. Denise Zwinger-Tynek

Bikini Olympia

A staggering SIXTY EIGHT WOMEN will be fighting for this year's Bikini Olympia title. SIXTY EIGHT. Good Lord...that number is downright ridiculous for the biggest show of the year, and that is NOT a compliment. No wonder there are changes being made for the bikini divison (and a few others) because that is entirely too many people for one category. Many open shows don't have that many people competing with MULTIPLE divisions!!! Anywhos...back to the competition itself. Lauralie Chapados is aiming to defend her title and Ashley Kaltwasser is aiming to add another Olympia title to her already Hall-of-Fame worthy resume. Ashley is a 3-time Miss Bikini Olympia champion but she has not won the title since 2015. As much as I think Lauralie is gonna bring enough to repeat ac champion, I think Ashley could do just enough to win her first Olympia title in over a decade. She's not the winningest IFBB competitor of all time for nothing, you know. For 3rd place, I'm going with the current Bikini International Champion Vania Auguste, followed by Amiee Delgado in 4th and Jasmine Gonzalez in 5th. My wildcard is definitely a wildcard with the amount of women on here but I'll going to go with the 2022 Ms. Bikini Olympia Champion Maureen Blanquisco, who returned to the stage this year after taking 2024 off. 

PREDICTIONS:

1. Ashley Kaltwasser
2. Lauralie Chapados
3. Vania Auguste
4. Amiee Delgado
5. Jasmine Gonzalez

Wildcard: Maureen Blanquisco

All competitors (in order): 

1. Maria Acosta
2. Vania Auguste
3. Iulia Baba
4. Uyanga Bataa
5. Wu Bi
6. Liang Bin
7. Maureen Blanquisco
8. Jordan Brannon
9. Ariana Brothers
10. Nivea Campos
11. Kate Carroll
12. Lauralie Chapados
13. Xinyi Chen
14. Sara Choi
15. Lu Corzo Argentina
16. Taylor Crowell
17. Viktoria Csicsayova
18. Deanna Dang
19. Aimee Delgado
20. Wenjun Duan
21. Marie-Eve Duchesneau
22. Lawna Dunbar
23. Ivanna Escandar
24. Valeria Fedorenko
25. Jess Feeney
26. Brittany Gillespie
27. Jasmine Gonzalez
28. Gulsah Gorgulu
29. Tara Grier
30. Ashley Hampton
31. Kerryne Henich
32. Chantal Hill
33. Dahye Jeon
34. Adrianna Kaczmarek
35. Ashley Kaltwasser
36. Sally-Anne Kato
37. Nittaya Kongthun
38. Lauren Kralovec
39. Yume Kurokawa
40. Jourdanne Lee
41. Adair Libbrecht
42. Ashlyn Little
43. Jessica Liu
44. Alice Marchisio
45. Zsofia Molnar
46. Ndeye Ndour
47. Yurika Noda
48. Cristobalina Pajares Torres
49. Hye-Yeon Park
50. Ji Bin Park
51. Reyna Perez Mecalco
52. Sara Punzetti
53. Sharon Ramos
54. Lisa Reith
55. Alice Rocha
56. Lacy Rutland
57. Jil Meret Schmitz
58. Anna Setlak
59. Kerry Sexton
60. Eugenia Shatova
61. Li Shuai
62. Allison Testu
63. Patrizia Vaccaro
64. Ally Vatthauer
65. Savannah Watchman
66. Tianna Weymouth
67. Jessica Wilson
68. Mengru Zhang

Wellness Olympia

If it hasn't been obvious yet, this has become THE female division fans have been paying the most attention to these days, and can you blame them? The talent that has come through has been off-the-charts. But there is a big change for this year's event. Last year, Isabella Nunes shocked the world defeating previously unbeaten and inaugural Miss Wellness Olympia champion Francielle Mattos to win the title. As much as folks would love to see a rematch between them, that will have to wait as Francielle will not be competing this year, marking the first time since the Wellness Olympia was created that she will not be competing in this event. HOWEVER, we are going to get a rematch from earlier this year as the reigning Wellness International champion Eduarda Bezerra defeated Isabelle to win the Arnold crown and she would love nothing more than to do it again but this time capture the biggest title in wellness. I have a feeling Isabelle will be ready for Eduarda so I'm going to say AND STILL for Isabelle, but it won't be easy. For 3rd place, I'm going with an improved Rayane Fogal, who has seemingly nailed the wellness look, no longer looking like borderline figure anymore. For 4th place, I'm going to go with Shanique Grant, who (like Missy Truscott) has the opportunity to become a history-making two-division Olympia champion, with Kassandra Gillis rounding out the top 5. My wildcard for the wellness division is Tefani-Sam Genadi Razhi. The fact that Tefani was able to nail her look to win a pro show this year, when some say her look was TOO MUCH for the division, has me thinking she could shake things up. 

PREDICTIONS:

1. Isabelle Nunes
2. Eduarda Bezerra
3. Rayane Fogal
4. Shanique Grant
5. Kassandra Gillis

Wildcard: Tefani-Sam Genadi Razhi

All competitors (in order):

1. Elisa Alcantara
2. Emily Azzarello
3. Eduarda Bezerra
4. Karol Borrero
5. Leonida Ciobu
6. Jade Cristaldo
7. Klaudia Vanessza Csuri
8. Raeli Dias
9. Rayane Fogal
10. Kassandra Gillis
11. Shanique Grant
12. Michelle Ibata
13. Liza Kazanina
14. Valquiria Lopes
15. Camile Luz
16. Giselle Machado
17. Lisa Meiswinkel
18. Daniele Mendonca
19. Lilian Nava
20. Alexis Nicole
21. Isabelle Nunes
22. Maria Rita Penteado
23. Tefani-Sam Genadi Razhi
24. Rosemary Rodriguez
25. Alicia Romero
26. Nicole Salazar
27. Isamara Santos
28. Renata Soares Guaraciaba
29. Sina Maria Teresa
30. Danai Theodoropoulou

And there you have it...my Olympia predictions for this year. I've been hit and miss for the most past these past couple of years and I see this year being no exception. They all are special, but on paper, the fitness and figure divisions will definitely be the most much-anticipated as we are guaranteed new champions in both divisions. Everyone who is stepping on stage this weekend has earned that right to be on there, but only one in each division can call themselves THE ABSOUTE BEST IN THE WORLD. Who will it be? We will all find out this weekend! 

For all things Olympia (interviews, behind-the-scenes, webcast purchasing, etc.), go to https://www.olympiaproductions.com/.

2022 Olympia Predictions

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, ya filthy animals! This is the best time of the year…and no, I’m not just talking about the holidays…I’m talking about the Olympia, which is BACK in Vegas for the first time since the pandemic moved the event to Florida in 2020. This weekend, we will determine the best of the best of all divisions. To make it to this stage is vindication of you as a competitor. It shows that you are among the best in the world at what you do. 196 women will step on the biggest stage in bodybuilding, more than any time in HISTORY. Only 6 can call themselves THE absolute best. Below are my predictions on what I THINK will happen, and nothing more. Please remember that as you read through them. I picked my top six in each category as well as a dark horse (or two). Enjoy!

MS. OLYMPIA

21 women are in this year’s Ms. Olympia contest, including current champion Andrea Shaw. When the Ms. Olympia made its return in 2020, Andrea has represented what I feel most want women’s bodybuilding to be: incredible size, shape, and condition with plenty of feminine qualities, and Andrea has it all and then some. Margie Martin has shown that she is among one of the best in the world and has given Andrea a run for her money ever since the Ms. Olympia resurgence. Helle Trevino has wowed folks for quite some time and has what it takes to do it again. Angela Yeo has some of the biggest buzz I’ve seen for a pro female bodybuilder in some time and when you look at her, it’s not hard to see why. Theresa Ivancik has returned to bodybuilding after a stint in women’s physique and I feel she is in the right division for her, and she will show that this weekend. I also feel MayLa Ash is going to turn some heads as well with her incredible physique. For the Ms. O, I got Andrea remaining queen of bodybuilding and Margie as runner-up. For the rest of the top 6, I have Angela in 3rd, Helle in 4th, Theresa in 5th, and MayLa in 6th. My dark horse is Irene Anderson.

PREDICTIONS FOR 2022 MS. OLYMPIA:

1. Andrea Shaw
2. Margie Martin
3. Angela Yeo
4. Helle Trevino
5. Theresa Ivancik
6. MayLa Ash (Dark horse: Irene Anderson)

WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE OLYMPIA

24 women will compete for the honor of calling themselves the best women’s physique competitor in the world. Last year, Sarah Villegas proved that her win in 2020 over Shanique Grant was no fluke when she successfully retained her title. I know I shouldn’t beat against Sarah given her track record but this year’s crop of ladies is INSANE. Brooke Walker put folks on notice last year with a 3rd place finish. Anne Mohn is the current Arnold UK Champion and is looking incredible. Natalia Coelho has fought and fought and fought for the last few Olympias and would love to FINALLY taste Olympia gold rather than silver for the first time in her career. We finally get to see Ashley Jones make her much-anticipated Olympia debut and I feel that woman is gonna turn some heads this weekend. With that being said, I just don’t see Sarah giving up the title just yet, so I see a 3-peat in her future. I got Anne Mohn in the runner-up spot, followed by Ashley Jones in 3rd (yes, I have her that high for her first Olympia), then Natalia in 4th, Brooke in 5th, and Melissa Teich to round out the top six. My dark horse is Evon Pennington.

PREDICTIONS FOR 2022 WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE OLYMPIA:

1. Sarah Villegas
2. Anne Mohn
3. Ashley Jones
4. Natalia Coelho
5. Brooke Walker
6. Melissa Teich (Dark horse: Evon Pennington)

FITNESS OLYMPIA

At least one division will have a new champion as Whitney Jones will not be defending her title due to health issues she’s working on. She will be having other roles at the Olympia this weekend. 20 fitness women (as of this writing) are set to compete this weekend. To me this is going to come down to three ladies: current Fitness International Champion Ariel Khadr, and former Fitness Olympia Champions Missy Truscott and Oksana Grishina. All three come in with crazy physiques and insane routines that have wowed the crowd for quite some time. My pick to win goes to Ariel slightly because she has tasted winning one of the big ones in the form of the Fitness International title and she would love nothing more but to leave Vegas as the UNDISPUTED Queen of Fitness. Missy wants to come back with a vengeance after losing her title in 2021, but I feel she will be runner-up again…but it will be by a very slight margin. As far as the rest of the top 6, I have Oksana in 3rd, Tamara in 4th, Jaclyn in 5th, and Minna in 6th, with my dark horse being Sarah Kovach.

PREDICTIONS FOR 2022 FITNESS OLYMPIA:

1. Ariel Khadr
2. Missy Truscott 
3. Oksana Grishina
4. Tamara Vahn
5. Jaclyn Baker
6. Minna Pajulahti (Dark Horse: Sarah Kovach)

FIGURE OLYMPIA

39 women are set to compete for figure’s top prize, which for the last few years has been dominated by one woman…Cydney Gillon. Since 2017, Cydney has been the standard for the figure division. Last year, she arguably became the greatest figure competitor of all time by winning her fifth-straight title. She will look to continue to put herself in the history books by winning an sixth-straight Olympia title. VERY few have done that, but if anyone can do it, It’s her. HOWEVER…it won’t be easy. Jessica Reyes Padilla has had one of the most impressive winning records this year of any figure competitor, and to me will be the one woman that keeps Cydney from winning title number six. But big time players always show up in big time moments, hence why I’m going to give the notch to Cydney but barely. I have Jessica as runner-up, followed by Nicole Zenobia Graham in 3rd, Lola Montez in 4th, Natalia Soltero in 5th and Bojana rounding out the top six. I’m going to pick TWO dark horses for figure: Wendy Fortino (who has went a WHOLE new level this year) and Angelita Lopez (who I feel is going to shock many folks this weekend)

PREDICTIONS FOR 2022 FIGURE OLYMPIA:

1. Cydney Gillon
2. Jessica Reyes Padilla
3. Nicole Zenobia Graham
4. Lola Montez
5. Natalia Soltero
6. Bojana Vasiljevic (Dark horses: Wendy Fortino and Angelita Lopez)

BIKINI OLYMPIA

Bikini’s top honor will be contested by 54 women….54 WOMEN!!! BRUH! That’s a lot of women to judge in one division. EASILY the biggest category of the weekend, male or female. Last year, Jennifer Dorie won the Bikini Olympia for the first time in her career, and honestly…I don’t see her wanting to give it up that easily. But at the same time, I can see Ashley Kaltwasser (the most winningest champion in IFBB history) want to win the Olympia again (she hasn’t won it since 2015) to add to her impressive resume. And then there’s Erin Stern, who has made quite the amazing transition from figure star to bikini star who I feel has finally found her footing in bikini. Janet Layng would love to be Bikini Olympia champion once more. With that being said, I’m going go with Jennifer repeating, with Erin as the runner-up, then Ashley in 3rd, Janet in 4th, Elisa in 5th, and rounding out the top 6 with Daraja. My dark horse is India Paulino, a woman that is NO stranger to being a top bikini star.

PREDICTIONS FOR 2022 BIKINI OLYMPIA:

1. Jennifer Dorie
2. Erin Stern
3. Ashley Kaltwasser
4. Janet Layug
5. Elisa Pecini 
6. Daraja Hill (Dark horse: India Paulino)

WELLNESS OLYMPIA

Last year, history was made with the first-ever Wellness Olympia. This year, we have 38 women looking to add their name to the list…or technically 37 women to add their name to the list and only one to make sure she IS the list…the current champion Francielle Mattos. Once all the ladies made their Wellness walks last year, it was clear that Francielle would be the one to make history. She looks to keep it going this weekend as she has VASLEY improved on her physique, which some folks will say her winning again is a foregone conclusion. The first-ever Wellness International Champion Isabelle Nunes will have something to say about this, as she looks to become the first-ever Undisputed Wellness Queen (winning both the Arnold AND Olympia Wellness titles). Yarishna Ayala did not come in at her best at last year’s Olympia. I have a feel she will right that wrong and MAYBE witness her dream of becoming an Olympia champion. The Andrews sisters are going to bring it like very few can, especially Dr. Sunny, who has continued WOW fans all over. Jacqueline Rios and Rayane Fogal are two ladies that many folks say will turn the Wellness Olympia on its head should they come in. Kassandra Gillis has made an incredible transition from figure to wellness and has proven she belongs on the big stage. Amanda Burnett and Maria Paulette have made folks speechless with their social media content. I have a feeling that will translate well into the Olympia. I can’t front, this is a crapshoot for me to make predictions but here we go anyways: I have Isabelle winning the show, following by Francielle as runner-up, then Rayane in 3rd, Kassandra in 4th, Yarishna in 5th, and Dr. Sunny in 6th, with Maria Paulette as my dark horse. This is the category that I have the LEAST amount of confidence in picking, so please don’t place bets on this one. LOL.

PREDICTIONS FOR 2022 WELLNESS OLYMPIA:

1. Isabella Nunes
2. Francielle Mattos
3. Rayane Fogal de Souza Santana
4. Kassandra Gillis
5. Yarishna Ayala
6. Dr. Sunny Andrews (Dark horse: Maria Paulette Aranguren)

There you have it. My predictions for quite LITERALLY the biggest Olympia in history. We are in for a special weekend before Christmas, and Santa Claus is gonna give a few competitors a Christmas present they will never forget in the form of calling themselves Olympia Champions. To everyone in Vegas competing, good luck to you all! To everyone in Vegas that is competing or just there for the festivities, please be safe and have fun! For everything Olympia, including the full list of all competitors and how to order the PPV, go to https://www.mrolympia.com. Also make sure to follow our Instagram as we hope to have some exclusive content from various folks that will be in Vegas. 

2022 Arnold Predictions

Another year, another Arnold. Last year, it was just the Fitness and Bikini divisions that got to shine due to COVID restrictions. This year, everything is back: The entire experience is back (expo and all)…with one noticeable exception. Women’s physique will not be represented again this year, and despite the return of female bodybuilding to prominence especially at the Olympia due to Jake Wood, women’s bodybuilding is STILL not back at the Arnold. It is disappointing that neither of these divisions are being represented, but it shouldn’t take away from the female divisions that ARE being represented: fitness, figure, bikini, and (making its debut) wellness. 

As everyone knows the Arnold is invite-only and this year, each female division has 10 competitors, which I respect that as it makes the Arnold that much more prestigious as not everyone can (nor should) be able to compete. With that being said, here’s my predictions on the female divisions being represented at the Arnold this year. Let me say that these are just PREDICTIONS. I have no inside info on the show or competitors (never have) so I have no clue how the Arnold is gonna go down. The judges can only judge what is in from of them THAT DAY (and yes, I’ve disagreed plenty of times and will continue to do so when warranted). Do not take these predictions personally. It’s just for fun. 

FITNESS INTERNATIONAL

10 incredible athletes make up this year’s Fitness International field. To me, this will come down to two people: current Fitness International Champion Missy Truscott and Ariel Khadr. Both ladies have (along with Oksana Grishina and Whitney Jones, two women who are not competing at the Arnold this year) the most insane physiques in the fitness division and the most entertaining routines in the industry. Missy would love nothing more than to successfully defend her Arnold crown and become a 3x Champion while Ariel would love to finally break through and win one of the big ones. Based off what I’ve seen of their preps, it will come down to who truly wants it more and who can avoid that one mistake. With that being said…I’m going to go with Missy to win her third-straight Fitness International title as she wants to begin her road to redemption to regain her Fitness Olympia title at the end of the year. Ariel in 2nd, followed by Sara in 3rd, Tamara in 4th, Jacklyn in 5th, and Minna to round out the top 6.

PREDICTIONS:

1. Missy Truscott

2. Ariel Khadr

3, Sara Kovach

4. Tamara Vahn

5. Jaclyn Baker

6. Minna Pajulahti

Other competitors: Amanda Ciani, Kate Errington, Allison Kramer, Aurika Tyrgale

FIGURE INTERNATIONAL

Despite the immense popularity of the wellness division, the figure division is still growing strong, and the 10 invitees for the Figure International prove it. Some are making their Arnold debuts but there is no shortage of OLYMPIA-level talent being in Ohio, including the current 5x Figure Olympia champion Cydney Gillon. Cydney has not lost a contest since the 2018 Arnold Classic Australia, and to be quite honest with you, as amazing as everyone else is, unless they can crake the Cydney code or hopes she comes in very off, I just don’t see her losing at the Arnold. But that’s not to say others won’t give her a run for their money. Natalia Soltero has been hitting on all cylinders the last couple of years, and TECHNICALLY she is the defending Figure International champion as her title was not on the line last year. Jessica Reyes Padilla has been one of the most dominant competitors in the division for quite some time, especially last year where she won 7 out of her 8 competitions, with the Olympia being the only one she didn’t win. Bojana Vasiljevic has one of the most amazing shapes in any division, and she looks like she’s going to come in CRAZY once again based off her prep footage. With all that being said, I got Cydney winning, followed by Jessica in 2nd, Natalia in 3rd, Bojana in 4th, Da Jeong in 5th, and Wendy BY A HAIR rounding out the top 6. 

PREDICTIONS:

1. Cydney Gillon

2. Jessica Reyes Padilla

3. Natalia Soltero

4. Bojana Vasiljevic

5. An Da Jeong

6. Wendy Fortino

Other competitors: Latoya Farley, Nicole Zenobia Graham, Lola Montez, Larhannah Robinson

BIKINI INTERNATIONAL

10 beautiful women will look to make Columbus, Ohio the most beautiful place on Earth (if only for a few days) with the crowning of a new Bikini International champion. The reigning champion Jennifer Dorie will not defend her crown, making a way for a new champion to emerge. Considering the roll she has been on, I don’t see how you can NOT have Ashley Kaltwasser as the favorite here. She has won 31 contests, more than any male or female IFBB athlete EVER and she just keeps getting better and better each contest with no plans of slowing down anytime soon. When someone like that is on a roll, good luck trying to stop them…especially in their hometown. I have a feeling she will win her first Big One since 2015. For the remaining top six, I have Elisa in 2nd, followed by Maureen in 3rd, Jourdanne in 4th, Alessia in 5th, and Danielle in 6th.

PREDICTIONS:

1. Ashley Kaltwasser

2. Elisa Pecini

3. Maureen Blanquisco

4. Jourdanne Lee

5. Alessia Facchin

6. Danielle Phelps

Other competitors: Lauren Dannenmiller, Phoebe Hagan, Lucia Malavaze, and Allison Testu.

Wellness International

Maybe THE most anticipated event in the pro shows male OR female, this year marks the debut of the Wellness International. This class has taken the IFBB by storm and based off the quality of competitors from its inaugural season, wellness might just be THE division of the IFBB for quite some time. Only 10 women can say they were in the first-ever Wellness International, but only one can say that she was the very-first Wellness International Champion. Everyone competing in this historic event was part of the first-ever Wellness Olympia back in September, including everyone that placed in the top 6 with the only exception being the Wellness Olympia Champion Francielle Mattos, who will not be competing at the Arnold. Based off the Olympia, Angela Borges should be the favorite, but this isn’t the Olympia and everyone has had time to improve. Two people who have improved TREMENDOUSLY since the Olympia are Dr. Sunny Andrews and Yarishna Ayala. Based off their prep files going into the Arnold, Sunny is going to come in crazier than she did at the Arnold and Yarishna learned her lesson from coming in TOO soft, which I feel costed her the Olympia crown. This one (to me) will be the hardest to predict hut here it goes…I’m going with Yarishna to win the inaugural Wellness Olympia crown, followed by Angela in 2nd, Sunny in 3rd, Isabelle in 4th, Kassandra in 5th, and Lorena to round out the top six.

PREDICTIONS:

1. Yarishna Ayala

2. Angela Borges

3. Sunny Andrews

4. Isabella Nunes

5. Kassandra Gillis

6. Lorena Ragusa

So there you have it, my predictions for the 2022 Arnold on the pro female side. I know everyone is going to have a blast with this being the first time the Arnold goes on in full since 2020 (RIGHT when everything went to hell in a hand basket..even though they still managed to have the pro events). To everyone attending, be safe not just due to COVID but be safe period. Don’t let a good time be your last. To all the competitors in a few days, best of luck to you all. You worked through the holidays to get here. Give the folks a show. The Arnold is BACK-back and the competition season is finally here! LET’S GO!!!!!

For more on the Arnold, go to their website at https://www.arnoldsportsfestival.com/. And to order the PPV (right now $24.99 but will go up to $34.99 after March 4), go to https://fanmio.com/products/arnold-sports. 

Arnold 2019 Predictions

Photo credit: Arnold Sports Festival website

It's time for the biggest weekend that is NOT the Olympia...the Arnold Sports Festival! Also known as the "kickoff" to the competition season, some of the best in women's physique, fitness, figure, and bikini (as well as the men's divisions) take over Columbus, Ohio, and one of the most simple cities in America becomes the muscle capital of the world for one weekend. There's a very good chance I butchered my predictions here (wouldn't be the first time. LMAO), but here are my predictions for how I think the weekend will play out:


WOMEN'S PHYSIQUE INTERNATIONAL (PREJUDGING AND FINALS FRIDAY)


The Women's Physique International has never had a repeat champion since the contest's debut in 2015. That trend will continue this year as last year's winner and current Ms. Physique Olympia Shanique Grant will not be defending her title. After an amazing year last year for Natalia Coelho, she is considered by many to be the odds-on favorite to win her first major title. People have seemed to forgotten how good Natalia really is despite her success in the industry thus far, but I have a feeling people are going to get a very good reminder of just how amazing of a competitor Natalia really is. Her biggest competitor in my eyes might be a surprise to a lot of you: I have Lauren Rutan challenging her for the title. Lauren is one of the most incredible muscle athletes of all time and her IFBB career has barely begun. She has competed in powerlifting, weightlifting, and CrossFit at the Arnold, and with her competing in women's physique, she will enter a class of her own being the only person (male or female) to compete in the Arnold in four different events. I can't think of any other person that has done this feat. If it indeed comes down to Lauren and Natalia, we are in for a treat. The rest of the field is kinda a toss-up to me. I have Sheronica in 3rd, Valentine in 4th, Antoniette in 5th, and Margita rounding out the top 6. My dark horse for this event is Diana Schnaidt, one of the most underrated competitors in women's physique. Maybe 2019 will be the year she shakes things up there!

My Women's Physique International predictions:

1. Natalia Coelho
2. Lauren Rutan
3. Sheronica Henton
4. Valentina Mishina
5. Antoinette Downie
6. Margita Zamolova
DARK HORSE FOR THE TOP SIX: Diana Schnaidt


FITNESS INTERNATIONAL (PREJUDGING AND FINALS FRIDAY)


2018 saw the post-Oksana Grishina era of the fitness division begin with a bang with Whitney Jones winning 2018 Fitness International title (with a torn ACL!) as well as the 2018 Fitness Olympia, making her the new Queen of Fitness. This weekend, Whitney will be defending her title against some great competition, however there will be no Ariel Khadr (injury) or Myriam Capes (business ordeals) in this year's events. Looking at the field, I expect Whitney to repeat as champion. Ryall Graber, who was the 2018 Fitness Olympia runner-up, to me is her top competitor. I also predict Missy to have her best finish at the Arnold to date. Kate Errington came out of nowhere last year and was the 2018 Fitness International runner-up. I have her finishing 4th because of how good Ryall has been and how improved Missy has become. Definitely not a knock on Kate, mind you. I have Sara and Allison rounding out the top six, with Tiffany Chandler as my dark horse pick.

My Fitness International predictions:

1. Whitney Jones
2. Ryall Graber
3. Missy Farell
4. Kate Errington
5. Sara Kovach
6. Allison Ethier
DARK HORSE FOR THE TOP SIX: Tiffany Chandler


FIGURE INTERNATIONAL (PREJUDGING AND FINALS FRIDAY)


The figure division just gets deeper and deeper each year, with Candice Lewis-Carter and Cydney Gillon running things in 2018 winning the Figure International and Figure Olympia titles respectively. Candice will not be stepping on stage for the foreseeable future and Latorya Watts is still hoping to return sometime this year (still recovering from last year's injury/surgery) as well as no Heather Dees or Ivana Ivusic this time around, leaving Cydney as the odds-on favorite to win her first Figure International title. I see her biggest competition being Nadia Wyatt, who came from almost out of nowhere last year and placed 3rd at the 2018 Figure International. She definitely looked great alongside Cydney and could potentially upset Cydney and win her first major title. Jessica, Sandra, Bojana, and Maria all finished well at the 2018 Olympia, and I personally expect nothing less from them and see them rounding out the top six. One person who I think could shake things up is Wendy Fortino, who will be making her long-overdue Figure International debut. If anyone can make the top six, it's her.


My Figure International Predictions:

1. Cydney Gillon
2. Nadia Wyatt
3. Jessica Reyes Padilla
4. Sandra Grajales
5. Bojana Vasiljevic
6. Maria Luisa Baeza Diaz
DARK HORSE FOR THE TOP 6: Wendy Fortino



BIKINI INTERNATIONAL (PREJUDGING AND FINALS SATURDAY)


For the last couple of years, Angelica Teixeria has ruled the bikini division, but she will not be defending her Bikini International title this year. I feel Janet Layng is long overdue for her first major title, and I do think she has a chance to win this weekend, but because the Arnold is in Columbus and hometown folks do everything in their power to come in at their best in front of their family and friends, I'm going to go with Ashley Kaltwasser to win another Bikini International title. I see Ashley as a SLIGHT favorite but not by much. This might be the tightest contest of the night when it comes to the difference between 1st and 2nd place, but I could be wrong here. Rounding out my top 6 are Elisa, Marcia, Camile, and Frida, who I feel on the verge of a breakout in the bikini division. My dark horse pick is Ashley Jenelle. (NOTE: I had India Paulino on my top 6, but I was informed that she is not competing this weekend. My apologies)

My Bikini International predictions:

1. Ashley Kaltwasser
2. Janet Layng
3. Elisa Pecini
4. Marcia Goncalves
5. Camile Periat
6. Frida Paulsen Stern
DARK HORSE FOR THE TOP SIX: Ashley Jenelle


This is shaping up to be quite the event. For those that are not in Columbus, Ohio this weekend, you can view the festivities at this link: https://www.arnoldsportsfestival.com/visitor-info/asftv/19-asf-livestream/. REDCON1 will be providing over 70 hours of LIVE coverage of all the big events of the Arnold Sports Festival. And we will do our best to keep you all updated on the pro events via our social media platforms. Best of luck to all the competitors this weekend!

2018 Olympia Predictions

It's here. The Olympia has arrived!
Credit to the original owner

Super Bowl.
NBA Finals.
Stanley Cup Finals.
World Series.
Wrestlemania.

You haven't "made it" until you have competed in the biggest event of your profession. This weekend, the best physique athletes in the world compete in the Super Bowl of bodybuilding, The Olympia. Usually people have a good idea of who exactly will take home the titles but this year, there is a lot of mystery, especially with Oksana Grishina retiring from competing in fitness and Juliana Malacarne not defending her title this year. While this hasn't been brought up more than it has, but Nicole Wilkins for the first time in years will NOT be stepping on stage as well. Regaine Da Silva, a top fitness competitor, is also not competing at the Olympia this year.

Women's Physique Olympia
The world was shocked when Juliana Malacarne, arguably the greatest women's physique competitor of all time, decided a few weeks ago that she would not be defending her title at the Olympia, meaning we are guaranteed a new champion. Her reasons for not competing are very respectable, and as we mentioned, the direction of this division will be decided by who will walk away with the title this weekend. As of now, it seems to look like two women are the front-runners for becoming the next Ms. Physique Olympia: Shanique Grant and Natalia Coelho. Shanique will be entering her first Olympia, but this is her third time qualifying for the event. She was set to compete in 2016 but thugs not only cost her to be on the shelf for a while, but were close to ending her life. She also qualified to compete last year but she had to step out due to eye issues, thus delaying her Olympia debut. Now after winning this year's Physique International and no other obstacles in her way, she is set to make her much-anticipated Olympia debut and a huge favorite to win the biggest title in the industry. Many say it's already won...and it would be true, if Natalia wasn't competing. Natalia, like Shanique, is a competitor that has no equal. This will be her third Olympia but her first as a women's physique competitor. Mere weeks after competing at the Olympia in figure, she decided to do women's physique (with no training specifically for the division) and SMOKED the competition on the word go, qualifying her for this year's Physique Olympia event. In fact, the only contest she lost as a women's physique competitor thus far has been when she faced Shanique at the Physique International earlier this year (she placed 2nd in a close race). I'll be honest with you all, there are two showdowns here: Shanique vs Natalia for who will be the next champ and who will be runner-up, and everyone else fighting for the rest of the spots. The rest of the field is definitely not bad, it's just that Shanique and Natalia are just too damn good right now, and they have yet to reach their peak as competitors. PONDER ON THAT.

MY TOP SIX PREDICTIONS AND DARK HORSE:
1. Shanique Grant
2. Natalia Coelho
(You can easily flip these two. That's how close it will be)
3. Jennifer Taylor
4. Michalea Aycock
5. Melissa Pearo
6. Autumn Swansen
DARK HORSE: Penpraghai Tiangngok

Fitness Olympia
This is one division where, to me, there is no ONE clear-cut favorite at all, as Oksana has retired from competing. First, you got Myriam Capes, who will be entering her 10th Olympia (yes her TENTH appearance at the big one!) and will be looking to secure her spot at the best fitness competitor on the planet. She has already secured her spot at the best Canadian fitness competitor of all time with over 40 shows (which includes multiple Arnolds and Olympias) but I think she would want the Best in the World title just a bit more. Then you have Bethany Wagner, who has one of the best physiques in the fitness division as well some very entertaining routines. Ariel Khadr is considered a prodigy who has honed her physique to match (and at times surpass) her more-experienced competitors and her routines have been the highlight of many shows, and she plans on unveiling a new one this year that I'm pretty sure will steal the show, if her past routines are any indication. Jenny Worth will be returning to the Olympia stage for the first time since 2003, and she is looking better than ever before. Over the last couple of years, she has shown that she's still got it, and how big will this be to see her return to the biggest stage in the industry in nearly FIFTEEN YEARS and win it?! Kate Errington shocked the world earlier this year by coming out of nowhere and placing 2nd at the Fitness International and following that up with winning the Arnold Australia Fitness title. And speaking of the Fitness International...what about Whitney Freaking Jones, ladies and gentleman?! She won the Fitness International title practically on one leg (torn ACL/MCL) after coming back from neck fusion surgery. If you don't have her as a threat, you're crazy. The fact that someone is about to win their first Fitness Olympia title this year is gonna make the fitness division must-see this weekend. Hold on to your hats, folks, and get ready to see why competitive fitness is more alive than ever before.

MY TOP SIX PREDICTIONS AND DARK HORSE:
1. Myriam Capes
2. Whitney Jones
3. Kate Errington
4. Bethany Wagner
5. Ariel Khadr
6. Jennifer Worth
DARK HORSE: Missy Farrell

Figure Olympia
For the last couple of years, this division has been run by three women: Candice Lewis-Carter, Latorya Watts, and the current champion Cydney Gillon. This year, things are gonna be significantly different as Latorya will be at the Olympia but she will not be competing due to medical issues. She is hoping to return to the stage at some point next year. Also not competing is 4x Figure Olympia Champion Nicole Wilkins, who decided to take the entire year off of competing on stage to focus on competing in triathlons. One would assume that it will be a two-person battle between current champion Cydney and Candice, who many consider to the best to not (as of yet) win the biggest championship in pro figure. But Heather Dees MIGHT have something to say about that. Heather has come into her own over the last couple of years and has been the only woman to currently give the three ladies a run for their money. From what I have seen, I definitely see a top three finish for Heather. Ivana Ivusic is another one who is coming into her own as a competitor and could be a force to be reckoned with this weekend. Bojana (your choice for Figure Competitor of the Year) has impeccable shape and will fighting for a top 5 spot. Two newcomers I'm definitely think will turn some heads at the Olympia will be Alexia Sullivan and Felisha Livezey. Those two women have legs for days with some of the best conditioning, shape, and size I've seen on figure competitor in quite some time barring Tina Nguyen(Another one being Stacy Fujarski, who I predict will step on the Olympia stage sometime next year). And it we truly want to focus on shape, I feel Wendy Fortino SHOULD be in the top ten, but I'm not too sure how her lack of size (in comparison of most competitors) will pan out on the sport's biggest stage.

MY TOP SIX PREDICTIONS AND DARK HORSE:
1. Cydney Gillon
2. Candice Lewis-Carter
3. Heather Dees
4. Bojana Vasiljevic
5. Ivana Ivusic
6. Maria Baeza Diaz
DARK HORSE: Alexia Sullivan


Bikini Olympia
Angelica Teixeria is one of the best young athletes in the bikini division and will look to repeat as champion this weekend. Everyone that placed in the top 5 last yeat will be back to do better than they did with Angelica being the exception, as she wants to leave Vegas as a two-time champion. But two returning competitors are going to give all five of these ladies a run for their money. First up, India Paulino. After missing the Olympia stage last year due to motherhood, she has returned right where she left off, being a top star in the bikini scene and looking to win her first-ever Bikini Olympia title. Also returning is arguably THE greatest bikini competitor of all time, Ashley Kaltwasser. A 3x Bikini Olympia, she returned to the stage after taking some time off last year and is more dominant than ever before, winning all her shows that she entered in this year. While Angelica is an amazing competitor, with how India and Ashley have been able to return better than they were before, Angelica has got to be at her all-time best if she is to retain her title this weekend...and even then, I'm not sure it will be enough to stop them.

MY TOP SIX PREDICTIONS AND DARK HORSE:
1. Ashley Kaltwasser
2. Angelica Teixeria
3. India Paulino
4. Jennifer Ronzitti
5. Romina Basualdo
6. Narmin Assria
DARK HORSE: Stacy McCloud

So there you have it, my predictions for what I think will go down this weekend at the biggest show of the year for this industry. The way things have went down this year, there's a good chance that my predictions will look like garbage compared to the actual results, but honestly, I wouldn't mind that one bit. Unpredictability in life, especially in this industry, is a good and necessary thing. Competition is a great thing. And with at the very least two new champions being crowned, new stars making their debuts, and returning stars aiming to return to top form, we might be in for one of the most exciting and thrilling Olympia weekends in recent memory, at least on the female side of things. We at FitGems Nation wish every single competitor the best of luck and hope all of them bring their A-game!

This year iHerb will be sponsoring the Olympia webcast, and like it's been for the last several years, it's FREE to watch! Go to https://iherb.com/olympia for the webcast and times to watch the events. To see the list of everyone competing, go to http://www.ifbbpro.com/events/2018-joe-weiders-fitness-performance-weekend/.

Our 2018 Arnold Predictions (UPDATED)

This weekend is the 30th Arnold Sports Festival event. It has evolved over the last 30 years and has reached several continents, but the main show is always the one in Columbus, Ohio, which this year's event will be this weekend (March 1-4). We haven't done this in a while, but we thought we would give our predictions for the pro female events. Just to be clear...THESE ARE MERELY PREDICTIONS so PLEASE don't get into your feelings, people. On that note, read and enjoy. (NOTE: Due to some new information we received over the past 24 hours, we made some changes to the article)


Fitness International

This show begins the new era of the fitness divsion, because one of the greatest of all time Oksana Grishina retired at the 2017 Olympia, leaving room for a new queen of fitness to emerge. In addition to no Oksana, Myriam Capes (who many consider to be a frontrunner for the Fitness Olympia title later on this year) is also not competing, so it's safe to say that this year is the first time in a long time the Fitness International title is wide open. Based off this year's list and their previous performances, we could see either Bethany Wagner, Regaine Da Silva, or Ariel Khadr taking home the fitness title this year. Kristine Duba has been bringing it year after year and could easily be champ as well. We're happy to see Whitney Jones return to the stage after an injury sidelined her last year. One of the most powerful-looking physiques in the division, we expect her to return to top form and make a run for a top spot. Ryall Graber is also a consistant competitor who is no stranger to placing high in shows, so we think she could be a top-6 placer. Many will be bringing in new routines, so it will be interesting to see how the judges will place everyone this year with Oksana and Myriam not in the line-up.

Our predictions:

1. Regaine Da Silva
2. Bethany Wagner
3. Ariel Khadr
4. Kristine Duba
5. Whitney Jones
6. Ryall Graber

Figure International

For the first time in a while, the top three will NOT be Cydney Gillon, Candice Lewis-Carter, and Latorya Watts. The main reason?! Latorya Watts will not be competing this year. Cydney and Candice are though, as Candice will be defending her Figure International title, and Cydney will try and join Latorya, Jenny Lynn, and Nicole Wilkins as only the fourth woman to win BOTH the Figure International and Figure Olympia titles in their careers. Heather Dees is coming off one hell of a breakout year and could challenge Cydney and Candice for the title easily. Bojana Vasiljevic, the 2017 FitGems Nation Pro Figure Competitor of the Year, has been looking insane during her Arnold prep and could easily be top 6. Ivana Ivusic and Sandra Grajales had amazing shapes last year and are threats in any competition they enter, and this will be no different.

Our predictions:

1. Cydney Gillon
2. Candice Lewis-Carter
3. Heather Dees
4. Bojana Vasilijevic
5. Ivana Ivusic
6. Sandra Grajales

Bikini International

Coming out of her first-ever Bikini Olympia win, we see Angelica Teixeria, our 2017 Pro Bikini Competitor of the Year winner), continuing her winning ways and adding the 2018 Bikini International title. The remining top 4 from the Olympia (Jennifer Ronzitti, Romina Basulaso, and Casey Samsel) will also be competing and there's a good chance they will occupy the top 6 and maybe even challenge Angelica for the title. Frida Paulsen Stern has a very strong presence that we love a lot and could also be a top placer as well this weekend. Justine Munro has one of the most consistantly best physiques in the bikini division and is a top placer in nearly each contest she competes in, and this year's Arnold should be no different.

Our predictions:

1. Angelica Teixeria
2. Jennifer Ronzitti
3. Romina Basualdo
4. Casey Samsel
5. Frida Paulsen Stern
6. Justine Munro

Women's Physique International

There are a lot of great competitors in the women's physique division, with Juliana Malcarne as the reigning 4x Women's Physique Olympia champion. And honestly, anyone has a shot at the Women's Physique International title, as we have seen some surprise placings since this event began in 2015. However, we gotta be honest, it's gonna be downright impossible to beat Natalia Coelho and Shanique Grant this weekend, assuming they are on. If they are, the best everyone else can fight for is third place. Natalia and Shanique are two of the most gifted women in not only the IFBB Women's Physique Division, but in the entire IFBB as a whole. What's scary about the both of them is they are not even at their peak. Let's take Natalia. She competed in a women's physique show WEEKS after competing at the Olympia as a figure competitor. She had been training for figure and not women's physique and DESTROYED the competition. No one was at her level. She's had time to add size and refine her shape for women's physique now. PONDER ON THAT FOR A BIT. After you do that, let's talk about Shanique for a bit. Shanique competed in figure a couple of years ago and was great there. Weeks after that, she did women's physique (again, was training for FIGURE at the time) and dominated HER competition as well. Many called Shanique the biggest threat to Juliana in 2016 AND 2017, but due to unfortate circumnstances (cowards nearly ending her life in 2016 and a injury in 2017) we didn't get the Shanique/Juliana showdown. Now 2018, we could see Juliana vs Shanique AND Natalia in one of the craziest Women's Physique Olympia battle in history. This weekend could be witness to the most insane Women's Physique International showdown to date (and to us, quite possibly the future of an entire division) in Natalia and Shanique. Kira Neuman has been doing her own share of putting in work and could be a top 3 finisher, especially after her previous performances as of late. Rounding out our list is Diana (who has made crazy gains ever since jumping from figure to women's physique), Priscila, and Brooke.

Our predicitions:

1. Natalia Coelho
2. Shanique Grant
3. Kira Neuman
4. Diana Schnaidt
5. Priscila Cavilha
6. Brooke Walker

Those are our predictions for the female pro events at the 30th Arnold Sports Festival. We expect top-tier performances that will be the best you'll see all year sans the Olympia. We are looking forward to seeing how each division kicks off 2018! If you want to watch the event but won't be in Columbus for it, Generation Iron will be broadcasting most of the prejudging and finals from the event here: https://generationiron.com/generation-irons-arnold-classic-2018-live-stream-schedule/, as well as ASF TV, which is sponorsed by REDCON1, who will be providing more than 50 hours of live streaming content throughout the weekend: http://www.arnoldsportsfestival.com/asftv/. If you have any predictions, leave a comment below this post. Best of luck to all that will be competing!

FitGems Nation's Crystal Ball for 2016

I thought I would have some fun and post my predictions for 2016 when it comes to the female side of the sport. Remember, I don’t have the inside-scoop (unless it’s told to me personally, which is a rarity), and this is merely just me stating what I THINK might happen in the coming year. Under no circumstances do I see all (or any) of the following predictions happening in 2016, if they do…it’s by pure coincidence. If they all happen to come true…I might end up buying a lottery ticket next year during the holiday season. HAHA!

With that said…on to my top 15 predictions for 2016 (in no particular order)

1. Latorya Watts will win every competition she competes in for 2016, INCLUDING the 2016 Figure Olympia

According to many people, Latorya embodies what figure should represent and many people were downright ecstatic to see her win the biggest title in figure (Figure Olympia) in 2015. It’s going to be downright hard (not impossible, but hard) to see anyone dethrone the champ, and that includes Nicole Wilkins, who I believe will bring her best package to date come the 2016 Figure Olympia. I’m going to say this right now: If Latorya is on the list to compete in any show in 2016, everyone else better get ready for fight for second place.

2. Juliana Malacarne will NOT win the 2016 Olympia Women’s Physique Showdown

Make no mistake, Juliana IS women’s physique. She is the measuring stick of the division. She has two Olympia titles and is the first-ever Physique International Champion. But while she has gotten better, so has her competition. In fact, Kira Newman, the 2015 Olympia Women’s Physique runner-up, might be Juliana’s biggest challenger to date, even bigger than Dana Linn Bailey. If Kira makes some slight improvements for 2016, I truly feel Juliana will not be a 3x Olympia champion in 2016.

3. Wendy Fortino will FINALLY win her first pro show in 2016

I’m going to be straight with you all…Wendy Fortino is LONG OVERDUE for her first pro win. When you have a Hollywood-esque look and curvy yet athletic physique to match like Wendy does, it’s pretty sad how she has yet to win even one pro show thus far in her career. Some of the shows she competed in 2015 (heck, even 2014) I truly feel she should have won. I could go on and on about my own theories on the matter, but I won’t…yet. But if there’s any justice, Wendy won’t have to use the Olympia Qualification Series to compete in her third straight Olympia come 2016. She will be able to qualify outright thanks to a long overdue first pro win.

4. Tina Nguyen will win a pro show and place in the top 3 at the 2016 Figure Olympia

In 2014, we got to see what Tina Nguyen could do on the National stage. She won her pro card in her first attempt. She entered her first pro show this year and was only one spot off from qualifying for the Olympia in her first show. This woman has been turning heads quicker than most who have been in the game for YEARS. She is very knowledgeable about her body and knows what she has to do compete with the pros. Many believe Tina is a Figure Olympia champion in the making, and I don’t see why we would argue that point. The ONLY reason Tina will not be part of the Figure Olympia line-up this year is Tina won’t allow it. Simple as that.

5. Ashley Kaltwasser will become a 4x Bikini Olympia champion

I originally had Ashley winning both the Bikini International and Bikini Olympia titles again in 2016, but she decided not to send in an invite for the Bikini International this time around. To me Ashley embodies what bikini SHOULD be in the IFBB, and I’m glad her look is getting rewarded these days. Despite the changes for the IFBB (more on that later), I don’t see why she should not win the big one again this year. When it comes to the bikini division, she’s the face that runs the place!

6. Jenny Worth will return to the fitness stage

For those who have paid attention to Jenny Worth via social media, she has put in work to build one of the most impressive post-competition bodies in the world today. In fact, she has been blowing people away with her physique so much that there are many who feel Jenny should make a return to the stage. Looking at her this year, one would even ask why she HASN’T stepped on stage yet. She looks that good. Jenny has said “never say never” when it comes to a return to competition. 2016 to us seems like the best opportunity to make it happen.

7. Nicole Wilkins MIGHT give women’s physique a look (emphasis on MIGHT)

I’ll be honest with you, the biggest reason I made this prediction is because of how downright AMAZING Nicole has looked since the 2015 Figure Olympia and the fact that she CLEARLY loves to flex. If you don’t believe us, take a look at her Instagram and Facebook and tell us we’re lying. We highly doubt she will make the switch permanently, but I don’t see it out of the horizon for Nicole to do at least one show in women’s physique just to say she did it. And…let’s be honest, it would be pretty bad-ass to see Nicole on a women’s physique stage. Just once is all we’re asking for, Nicole.

8. Another female fitness personality will join WWE/NXT

Trish Stratus. Victoria. Torrie Wilson. Jamie Keyes. Aksana. Kaitlyn. Alexa Bliss. Dana Brooke. All of the names I’ve mentioned have left their mark in the fitness world and in WWE. In fact the current WWE Divas Champion Charlotte, who was a personal trainer prior to WWE, is on the first cover of Muscle and Fitness Hers for 2016. I honestly feel the fitness trend will continue and we will see someone else from the fitness world make her way to WWE/NXT. Who?! I don’t know. I will say this…with the personality and fanbase she has, I could easily see someone like Dana Linn Bailey join WWE and have a successful run there.

9. Dana Brooke (IFBB Fitness Pro Ashley Sebera) will take NXT and eventually WWE by storm in 2016

Speaking of fitness personalities, I think that Dana Brooke will have a breakout year in NXT come 2016. 2015 was an introduction to who she was and since her debut, she has progressively gotten better in the ring and her overall character is among the most enjoyable heels (bad guys/gals) I’ve personally seen in WWE in quite some time. While there are wrestling critics who fail to give her props, the fans (you know, the voices that actually count) tell a different story. Her social media numbers have went up tremendously with no end in sight. We wouldn’t be surprised if she gets a main roster call-up by the end of 2016.

10. A fitness personality will make her way into a Hollywood movie

It needs to happen, in some form or fashion. There’s too many beautiful women in the fitness industry for Hollywood to flat-out ignore them. Cory Everson made a name for herself in the early 90s and 2000s being on movies such as Double Impact and television shows such as Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Home Improvement. Rachel McLish was in a few movies herself such as Pumping Iron 2: The Women and Iron Eagle III. Kiana Tom was part of Universal Soldiers: The Return. All three women have made quite the mark in fitness and Hollywood. Isn’t it about time for the modern world to have a fitness woman be part of Hollywood?!

11. More fitness personalities will leave the competition world and enter CrossFit competitions

CrossFit has become more popular than many could have ever imagined. In fact, this has given some people a new platform to showcase their fitness. Physique competitions can only do so much, and for some, it’s too subjective and can get political. It’s hard to bring politics into competitions that require you to use your body in unimaginable ways. Former IFBB competitors such as Tina Durkin and Jennifer Gates have converted into CrossFit and are arguably in the best shape of their lives. They won’t be the last to make the switch, trust me.

12. The new NPC/IFBB guidelines will see a significant shift in who wins for figure, women’s physique, and bikini. 

EVENTUALLY, I will talk about the new IFBB guidelines (I was supposed to have talked about them earlier, but hey…things happen). Muscle mass will be significantly reduced for figure, women’s physique, and bikini beginning in 2016 in favor of shape. My own personal thoughts about this aside (for now), it’s pretty obvious that they will try to reward competitors who fit more in line with the new guidelines. If this holds up, expect some potentially unexpected winners in 2016.

13. The NSL could turn some heads in the fitness industry

Competition is a good thing. The Monday Night War between WWE, WCW, and ECW provided wrestling fans with the best wrestling era of all time, regardless of which promotion you were loyal to. As of now, the NPC/IFBB are at the top of the physique world. But things happened with Lee Thompson and now he has created this new federation called the Nspire Sports League, which he claimed to have created to give competitors a fair opportunity. If you have been paying attention, the NPC/IFBB has made some significant changes to some things as of late. SURELY, it has nothing to do with this NSL thing, right?! They might play it cool, but you know the NPC/IFBB will have a close eye on the NSL in the coming year…whether they want to admit it or not.

14. Women’s bodybuilding will officially be put to rest as a division

Let’s be real. The Ms. Olympia for the first time in years didn’t happen this year. The Ms. International competition got discontinued a while ago. The numbers for women’s bodybuilding in local shows are little to non-existent. The numbers for women’s bodybuilding in National shows are getting smaller and smaller. As much as I hate to say it, but I think it’s time to end women’s bodybuilding as a division. If the federation won’t support the division by having it being represented in the Arnold and Olympia, then what good is it to keep it around on life support? Women’s physique is gaining a ton of traction, fitness is holding steady, figure is going pretty well, and bikini is downright INSANE in numbers and they are only going to get bigger. I personally don’t think it should go as it’s the reason the other divisions exist in the first place, but there’s too much going against it that it’s best for the division to completely disappear altogether.

15. Fitness workout shows will find a way back on TV (or Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc.)

People want to get healthier but there’s very few things on TV that shows people the right direction. Most commercials related to fitness (and I’m using that term loosely) is about losing weight and keeping it off. How about we have fitness workout shows like back in the late 80s-early 2000s. Shows like Bodyshaping, Kiana’s Flex Appeal, Cory Everson’s Gotta Sweat, and Denise Austin's Daily Workout gave people a reason to get up and get their workout on. Let’s be honest, they were viewed as sex symbols at that time as well. Kiana even got to be on Playboy! With the array of talent that exist now, why can’t it be done now? And if television isn’t an option, there’s streaming video sites such as Nexflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. I truly feel somehow, someway, there WILL be a fitness workout show in some shape or form come 2016.

So there you have it, our top 15 PREDICTIONS (not rumors) for 2016. Again, I can’t see the future (no one can), but don’t be surprised if you see any of them come true. Do YOU have any predictions for 2016 in the fitness industry? Leave a comment below or send us your predictions to our new email at fitgemsnation@gmail.com. You can also use the hashtag #FGCrystalBall2016 on Twitter to tell us your fitness industry predictions for 2016. We hope to have enough responses to use them in a future post.

Thank you for all of your support in 2015, especially those I was able to meet at the 2015 Arnold. I will never forget that experience as long as I live. Let’s strive to make 2016 a year to remember!

My Quick Arnold Predictions

I'm in the process of going into more detail about who I chose and why on the FitGems Nation website, but for now...here's my predictions for the top six in each of the female divisions:

Ms. International
1. Iris Kyle
2. Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia
3. Betty Atkins
4. Dayana Cadeau
5. Betty Pariso
6. Isabelle Turell-Stampler
WILDCARD: Heather (Policky) Armburst

Fitness International
1. Jenny Hendershott
2. Tracey Greenwood
3. Julie Palmer
4. Tanji Johnson
5. Regiane Da Silva
6. Erin Riley
WILDCARD: Oksana Grishina

Figure International
1. Gina Aliotti
2. Amy Fry
3. Zivile Raudoniene
4. Adela Garcia
5. Erin Stern
6. Kristal Richardson
WILDCARD: Sonia (Adcock) Gonzales

As soon as I'm done with the detailed predictions, I'll post them here. Again, these are just my OPINIONS, meaning that they probably won't happen. If they do, I'll be extremely lucky.

Good luck to everyone this weekend!

Well...it's just about here. The Arnold Classic is just days away, and for the ladies, this will be the official kickoff of the competition season. If you're not in the least bit excited about this contest, then you're probably halfway in a coma. Many interested scenarios will be taking place in Columbus, Ohio this weekend.

For Ms. International, Yaxeni will be looking to defend her title and rewrite her name in the history books, and Iris will look to avenge her controversial loss last year. Like a true champion, Iris came back strong later on in the year and won her fourth Ms. Olympia title, and Betty Viana-Adkins emerged as a serious threat to a major title when she placed second at the O. Something's gotta give.

The Fitness International will see a new champion crown, as Kim Scheideler (2007-2008 Champion) has retired from competition, leaving a new champion to be crowned. Jenny Hendershott has emerged as the one to beat, as she will be in front of her home crowd. However, there are those such as Julie Palmer and Tracey Greenwood, who had their best years to date last year. Tanji and Regaine have been itching to be among the top three, and others such as Heidi and Mindi have made major strides over the last couple of years. If there's any place for someone to step up, it will be the fitness division.

The Figure International will also be one to watch, as Gina Aliotti (defending champion) is an odds-on favorite to repeat as champion, with the 2008 Figure Olympia Champion Jennifer Gates bowing out of the competition. For those that are keeping score, this contest will be just about one year ago that the new figure guidelines, so this will make it the first time the figure guidelines will take place at the Arnold. Judging by the physiques that were judged, will Gina repeat? She does have something big going for her, both Jenny Lynn and Mary Lado (the other Figure International Champions) have won back-to-back Arnold. But with Zivele, Felicia, Adela, Monica, Juliana and Erin (among others) competitng, this won't be an easy feat.

Look for my predictions on the pros sometime Tuesday.

The Arnold Amateur will see up-and coming stars compete, as well as the debut of the much anticipated bikini division. There's been a lot of talk about this division, both good and bad. This weekend, all the talk (or most of it anyways) will be put to rest as we see what bodies are presented on stage and what bodies get judges. All in all, this is one Arnold that is a can't-miss event. Unfortunatley for me, yours truly won't be able to attend the show, so the webcast will have to do. To everyone that is going to the show, have fun, be safe, meet some new friends, and make this a trip you will never forget.

Side note: Thanks to everyone that voted on the American Gladiator poll. I asked Would YOU like to see American Gladiators back? 43% said yes with some major modifications (I wholeheartely agree), 31% would rather not and stick with the ESPN Classics, and 25% of you said yes.

This month's question is After a year in effect, do you consider the new figure guidelines a success or failure? I know I was going to post on this earlier; I will sometime after the Arnold. To everyone competing this weekend...BEST OF LUCK TO ALL OF YOU!!!!!!!!!

AG's Return to be announce this weekend?!

This weekend will be Valentine's Weekend, but according to the Comic Book Resources website, an announcement will be made by Monday, regarding the future of American Gladiators. Yep, apparently, it's not dead after all.

I'll be honest with you; after a couple of seasons, I thought it was down for the count, cause let's face it; the negatives were bigger than the positives, and I'm a optimistic person.

The announcement is set to take place this Sunday at the The Los Angeles Comic Book and Science Fiction Convention. Here's the exact announcement from the Comic Book Resouces website:

AMERICAN GLADIATORS Cast Members MAYHEM (William Romeo), STEEL (Erin Toughill), FURY (Jamie Kovac), HELGA (Robin Coleman), LASER (JIm Starr), and TOA (Tanoai Reed) appear to sign autographs from 12:00 P.M.-3:00 P.M. There is no charge if you bring one item for them to sign, but the cast will have a SPECIAL AMERICAN GLADIATORS POSTER available for purchase that they will all sign together. Though AMERICAN GLADIATORS will no longer be seen on NBC-TV, an announcement will be made at the Convention of where new episodes will air. New Cast Members from the new season of AMERICAN GLADIATORS will also appear.

I'll be keeping an eye on this story over the weekend and will see where this goes from here.

My 10 Ten list for the Olympia...PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!!!

I wasn't gonna do this. I was gonna attempt to see what faith has in store for the ladies at the Olympia. But instead, I'm gonna throw myself in the frying pane and list my top ten for the Ms., Fitness, and Figure Olympia. Keep in mind...this is based on what I've seen so far this year...so DON'T THREATEN ME WITH CHUCK NORRRIS BEATING INVITATIONALS, OKAY?!?!?!

Whew...okay...back to reality, C-Ray. Posture...posture....okay, I'm ready. Here's the list:

Ms. Olympia:

1. Heather Armbrust
2. Dayana Cadeau
3. Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia
4. Iris Kyle
5. Betty Pariso
6. Lisa Aukland
7. Nicole Ball
8. Cathy LeFrancois
9. Debbie Bramwell
10. Brenda Raganot

Fitness Olympia:

1. Kim Scheideler
2. Jenny Hendershott
3. Tracey Greenwood
4. Julie Lohre
5. Julie Palmer
6. Erin Riley
7. Tanji Johnson
8. Heidi Fletcher
9. Trish Warren
10. Regaine De Silva

Figure Olympia:

1. Jennifer Gates
2. Gina Aliotti
3. Jenny Lynn
4. Felicia Romero
5. Mary Lado
6. Sonia Adcock
7. Amy Fry
8. Jessica Paxson-Putnam
9. Julie Ann Kulla
10. Jana Awad

There's my list. Again...please don't kill me...not until after the Olympia. Thank you.