2019 Mr. Olympia Top Contestants & Predictions

The 2019 Mr. Olympia contest will take place this year from September 12th-15th, 2019 at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. This year marks the 54th annual Mr. Olympia contest, the epic event beginning at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York in 1965. 

Winning the Mr. Olympia title is a very elite category. Only 14 men have held the title since it began and this year will see a new Mr. Olympia champion.

A New Mr. Olympia will be Crowned in 2019

In one of the most stunning developments in bodybuilding’s recent history, 2018 Mr. Olympia Winner Shawn Rhoden was accused of rape and sexual assault last month. In light of these accusations, AMI, the corporate entity that owns the Mr. Olympia title, suspended Rhoden from competing in this year’s Mr. Olympia contest.

As a result of this suspension, a new Mr. Olympia Winner will be crowned on the evening of September 14th, 2019.

This will also be the fourth year for the popular Classic Physique Olympia title. Two time reigning champion Breon Ansley will again be onstage defending his title and looking to add his third Classic Physique Olympia title to his resume. 

Just like last year, Breon will be challenged for the title by a growing number of competitors who want to make history by dethroning the champion and taking the title for themselves.

Below are our predictions for the Top Six Placings in the 2019 Mr. Olympia and Classic Physique Olympia divisions.

2019 Classic Physique Olympia

6. Alex Cambronero

Alex is a new competitor in the Classic Physique division, coming over from the 212 Bodybuilding. The Classic Physique division is a better fit for Alex as he has great shape to his physique. 

The weight reduction from the 212 division has helped him out by making his already small waist even tighter. 

Alex won the first pro show he entered in the Classic Physique division this year and he should finish off the year with a top six placing at the Olympia.

5. Henri-Pierre Ano

Henri had a strong fourth place finish in 2018 and he should make his way into that top six again this year. Henri used to compete in Men’s Open Bodybuilding but his tiny waist combined with his wide shoulder structure make him a natural for Classic Physique. 

His height also helps Henri to literally stand above most of the line-up and his conditioning is always on point so look for Ano to storm into the top five again this year.

4. George Peterson

George is one of the most heavily muscled competitors in the Classic Physique division and his win at the Arnold Classic earlier this year will make him a strong contender for the Classic Physique Olympia again. Last year, George took third place at the Olympia. 

George has the best back development in the Classic Physique division and one of the best backs in bodybuilding period. 

He doesn’t have the tiny waist that many of his competitors have but he should still be a strong contender in the Classic Physique Olympia again this year.

3. Keone Pearson

Keone Pearson could be the wild card at the Classic Physique Olympia this year. Pearson is a young guy with an incredible structure. His front double biceps pose brings to mind the legendary Robby Robinson with his tiny waist, flaring lats and super peaked biceps. 

Classic Physique is primarily about flowing lines, structure and, of course, conditioning. 

If Keone shows up in top condition for the Classic Physique Olympia, he could possibly upset a lot of the top competitors and make the top three. 

2. Chris Bumstead

For the last two years, Chris Bumstead has taken second place to Breon Ansley at the Classic Physique Olympia. Chris has an incredible physique that features a very wide shoulder structure, small waist and fantastic legs with a great quad sweep. His front double biceps pose is one of the best in the sport and Chris always comes onstage in top shape. 

If Chris has one weak point, it would be his back thickness. When he is compared in the line-up to other top competitors like Ansley and Peterson, this weakness becomes very apparent. 

Chris should make a very strong run for the title again this year but, unless he has brought up his back thickness in the rear double biceps pose, he could be in the runner-up position again.

1. Breon Ansley

Breon Ansley will be gunning for his third Classic Physique Olympia title this year and our prediction is that he will get it. 

Ansley has worked hard in the off season and has made significant gains in muscle mass and thickness. The Classic Physique Olympia competitors have weight restrictions based on their height so Breon will have to bring his weight down to the required limit. However, that added thickness will make a big difference when compared to bigger competitors like Bumstead and Peterson. 

Breon has great shape and symmetry and he knows how to dial in his physique to compete super ripped. Those qualities, along with his muscle mass and charisma onstage, should help him to secure his third Classic Physique Olympia title.

2019 Mr. Olympia

The Mr. Olympia this year will be wide open. With the surprising suspension of last year’s champ, Shawn Rhoden, this year will see a new Mr. Olympia champion crowned. 

The last time this happened was in 1998 when the reigning Mr. Olympia, Dorian Yates, retired from the sport leaving the event open to the top contenders. Ronnie Coleman surprised everyone that year by bypassing these pre-contest favorites to win the title: 

• Flex Wheeler
• Nasser El Sonbaty
• Shawn Ray
• Kevin Levrone

There were rumors that both Phil Heath and Kai Greene might be coming back this year in light of the recent developments. However, Kai will be busy filming a new movie in India so he will not be at the contest. 

Phil Heath, who was upset for the title last year by Rhoden, could decide to make a comeback but his original intention was to take a year off to let his hernia heal up. It doesn’t seem likely that he will be a last minute entry without a full year of preparation for the Mr. Olympia. 

Here are our predictions for the Top Six at the 2019 Mr. Olympia based on the competitors who are planning on being there.

6. Luke Sandoe

Luke is having an incredible breakout year. He started off by taking a very impressive third place at the Arnold Classic. Just last month, he pushed Dexter Jackson very hard to take second place at the Tampa Pro. 

Luke has a lot of size but he combines it with an impressive vacuum pose and good conditioning. 

If he hits his peak at the Mr. Olympia, Luke should be able to bypass a lot of the top contenders and make the top six in his first Mr. Olympia contest. 

5. Cedric McMillan

Cedric McMillan is a fan favorite and one of the most genetically gifted pro bodybuilders competing today. Cedric has a great structure along with excellent muscle shape and symmetry. 

He is like the modern version of 8 time Mr. Olympia Lee Haney. Cedric just needs to compete in hard condition to do well. He potentially could win the Mr. Olympia if he comes in both hard and full. 

Cedric has always done well at the Arnold Classic but he always seems to miss his peak at the Mr. Olympia. He is either flat or just not hard enough. Last year at the Mr. Olympia, Cedric could only manage ninth place. 

He was not even qualified for the Olympia this year but he was able to obtain a Special Invitation because he wasn’t able to compete over the summer due to his work commitments with the military. 

Cedric will make a welcome addition to the Olympia line-up, especially this year in light of all the competitors who will not be onstage. With the absence of Rhoden, Heath and Big Ramy, Cedric could have his highest placing at the Mr. Olympia yet. All of his fans are hoping he hits his peak and shows the world his true potential.

4. Dexter Jackson

The incredible Dexter Jackson will be competing in his 19th Mr. Olympia contest. Dexter will be 50 years old this year (November) and his longevity and dedication in the sport is unparalleled. Dexter is normally a top contender in the Mr. Olympia but last year he dropped down to seventh place.

Dexter is hoping to redeem himself and possibly win another Mr. Olympia title this year considering the absence of Phil Heath and Shawn Rhoden. He recently won the Tampa Pro in August and he looked very good, beating out top contender Luke Sandoe in the process. 

Unlike many competitors, Dexter has not shown signs of aging. His leg development (usually the first thing to go) is still strong and he should be in the first callout again this year. 

Regardless of where Dexter Jackson places, his career will stand the test of time in bodybuilding. No other bodybuilder has competed at such a high level for so many years and in so many top professional competitions. 

If Dexter is able to pull off a win again this year, it will be his second Mr. Olympia title and it will take place 11 years after his first win. Just amazing!

3. William Bonac

William Bonac is one of the best bodybuilders in the world, placing in the top five of the Mr. Olympia for the last three years. Bonac packs more muscle mass and density onto his physique than any other competitor on the scene today. When he combines this impressive mass with his characteristic hardness, he is very hard to beat. 

William won the Arnold Classic in 2018 and placed 4th in the Mr. Olympia last year. His only weakness is that his structure tends to place limits on the amount of mass he can hold. At the top competitions like the Olympia and the Arnold Classic, Bonac can get beat by other competitors who have a better structure. 

Bonac fired his contest prep coach Neil Hill this year so he will be preparing for the Mr. Olympia on his own. If he can nail his customary condition of hardness and thickness, he should easily place in the top three at this year’s Mr. Olympia contest.

2. Roelly Winklaar

Roelly Winklaar is one of the true mass monsters in the professional bodybuilding field. His freaky size and monstrous arms earned him third place at the Mr. Olympia last year as well as the People’s Choice Award. Without Big Ramy in the contest this year, Roelly will definitely be the biggest guy in the show. 

When Roelly combines his overwhelming size with good conditioning, he is always a threat to win. Recent video of Roelly taken in Kuwait shows him looking as freaky as ever with good conditioning. 

Coming off his strong third place at last years Mr. Olympia contest, Roelly could go to the very top this year.

1. Brandon Curry

Of all the competitors entering the Mr. Olympia this year, Brandon Curry seems to have the most momentum and drive to win. Brandon won the Arnold Classic this year beating out William Bonac and Roelly Winklaar. 

Since that event in March, Brandon has made even more improvements and he looks significantly bigger and harder leading up to the Mr. Olympia contest. 

Brandon has always displayed a great structure and muscle shape during his pro career. However, he was not able to fulfill that potential until the last few years when he devoted himself to training over in Kuwait away from the distractions of work and his family. 

The sacrifice has paid off big time as Brandon has steadily climbed the bodybuilding ladder to where he is now poised to win the biggest title in the sport.

Bottom Line

Genetics alone won’t make one a Mr. Olympia champion. What is required to be the top bodybuilder in the world? It’s the combination of:

• Genetics
• Drive
• Hard work
• Dedication
• A positive mindset (believing you can win)

Brandon Curry has all those factors going for him and, on September 14th, 2019, it will very possibly be Brandon who is holding the Sandow trophy onstage. 

Do you think Breon Ansley will get his third consecutive Olympia Classic Physique title? And are you rooting for Brandon Curry for the Mr. Olympia title? Let us know your predictions in the comments below!