The legacy of Dexter Jackson, one of the most consistent stars in bodybuilding history, will receive a special honor.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, the 7-time Mr. Olympia, will honor the 2008 Mr. Olympia winner with the lifetime achievement award, praising his lasting influence on the sport.

Jackson himself revealed the update from Colombia, Ohio, through an Instagram status where he said:

“Let me go on to Spill the Beans. I'm here because Arnold is presenting me with the Lifetime Achievement Award. And I tell you, it's something that I never, ever thought I would be receiving”.

Dexter Jackson not only won a Mr. Olympia title but also 5 Arnold Classic titles.

He also set a record by appearing 21 times in Mr. Olympia and is among the all 7 bodybuilders who have won both the Arnold Classic and Mr. Olympia. The other notable names are: Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler, Samson Dauda, Hadi Choopan, Brandon Curry, and Derek Lunsford.

Jackson even won an open IFBB Pro title at the age of 49, becoming the 2nd male bodybuilder ever to achieve that success at that age.

He defeated Jay Cutler, the 4-time Mr. Olympia, in 2008 and continues to inspire his millions of fans through his workout videos and strong physique.

Every year, the Arnold Classic presents its lifetime achievement award to a bodybuilding personality who has built their legacy and left a remarkable mark. Now, let's see when the award first started.

History of the Arnold Classic Lifetime Achievement Award

The award was established in 2000 to honor the world of bodybuilding legends for their contributions to fitness and health.

Real OG Bodybuilding TV shared a clip on February 12, 2025, of Arnold from the 2020 Arnold Classic, where the legend announced the award.

In the video, The Austrian Oak was seen saying, “for the first time ever, starting with an award, which is called the Arnold's Classic Lifetime Achievement Award. And it's obviously for people who have done a lot for bodybuilding and for fitness in general throughout their life”.

And the first time the award went to Joe Weider, also known as the Father of Bodybuilding.

In 2025, the award went to Mike Katz, a former IFBB professional bodybuilder; in 2024, Jay Cutler won it.

So, who do you think will achieve the award in 2027? Let us know in the comments!

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Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Kalp Thaker