On Episode 276 of The Menace Podcast, host Dennis “The Menace” James was joined by Jose Raymond and Milos Sarcev to dissect all the small print from the 2026 Arnold and, in the course of 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 somewhat shocked,” shared The Menace. “The man that positioned ninth. How did he get beat? I don’t know,” he said.
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 Dangle Niu (tenth). “So, for me, Sam would have been ninth or tenth,” added James.
Dennis James Counsel Sulek Might 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 may placed on, and go into Open and see what the place you at. As a result of for Traditional, that’s not you. Even should you make weight, that doesn’t imply something.”
James added that Sulek may nonetheless earn money even when he didn’t compete in any respect, due to his YouTube following and sponsorship offers. “You gained’t be capable to reside off of prize cash,” stated James. And Milos Sarcev agreed that Sulek wants so as to add extra dimension 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 clever,” 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. In case 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 potential means. However I suppose it was such a weak line up on the Arnold novice final yr.”
All Eyes on the Arnold UK for Sulek’s Subsequent Look
Sulek has an opportunity to show James mistaken nevertheless, as a result of he’s scheduled to enter the Arnold UK within the Traditional division, going down March 27 to 29, 2026. Little doubt, the outcomes can be much more fascinating after The Menace’s feedback.
To look at the total episode, the place the panel went by the opposite outcomes on the 2026 Arnold U.S., and different topical bodybuilding information, see beneath.
