What’s it actually all about?
So on a Saturday morning, me and two mates got into my car from Liverpool at 7.30am and drove straight to Birmingham NEC for the Arnold Sports Festival. Two hours on the M6, arrived knackered but ready for it. £45 each for the ticket — fair enough, not cheap but you get the full expo, no queues, straight in.
The place was buzzing. Halls were rammed, supplement stalls everywhere, blokes in string vests and girls in gym leggings promoting the brands they work for. Clothing brands, protein bars, the lot.
I went round with my mates, filming content, and had a proper laugh about the latest fitness trends. They had a full gym setup right in the middle with machines, benches, racks — obviously I had to get a few sets in, it would be rude not to.
The bodybuilding stage was mental, the crowd was packed out. We also went to see the strongman section and the Hyrox section. We also spotted some big names walking around including Samson Dauda and Andrew Jacked.
Overall a successful and enjoyable trip — loads of content banked and a fun day out. Definitely back next year.
Andrew Jacked Wins the 2026 Arnold Classic UK
The 2026 Arnold Classic UK took place in Birmingham with multiple divisions: Men’s Open Bodybuilding, Classic Physique, Men’s Physique, Fitness, Bikini, Wellness, and Wheelchair.
Andrew Jacked came into this competition fresh off his victory at the 2026 Arnold Classic in Columbus, having stunned the bodybuilding world with a record-setting $750,000 prize. He went into Birmingham looking to continue momentum — and did just that with another victory.
2026 Arnold Classic UK: All Division Winners
– Men’s Open: Andrew Jacked
– Classic Physique: Mike Sommerfeld
– Fitness: Michelle Fredua-Mensah
– Wellness: Rayane Fogal
– Men’s Physique: Vitor Chaves
– Bikini: Ashlyn Little
– Pro Wheelchair: James Berger
Men’s Open Full Results: 1st Andrew Jacked, 2nd Brandon Curry, 3rd Patrick Moore, 4th Martin Fitzwater, 5th Blessing Awodibu, 6th Akim Williams, 7th Abou Konate, 8th Hassan Mostafa.
