After more than a decade on bodybuilding's biggest stage, William Bonac has a major update on what comes next in his career. The veteran competitor opened up during a recent interview, addressing a question that fans have been asking for years. 

The answer, it turns out, is retirement, though not quite in the way some may have expected. While Olympia will mark the finish line for that chapter, Bonac made clear this isn't a complete farewell just yet. 

During his recent appearance on BTS TV, William Bonac was questioned about his future, and it was during this segment that he revealed his decision. 

"This is gonna be my last Olympia," he told BTS TV during the interview. "That’s what I’m saying. I’m gonna hang up the trunks. It’s gonna be my last Olympia, but not my last show.”

However, he still intends to compete at both the 2027 Arnold Classic and Arnold Classic UK before stepping away from the sport entirely. 

The Arnold Classic holds particular significance for Bonac, having won the event twice, in 2018 and 2020. That history factored heavily into his decision to include an Arnold Classic appearance in his farewell run rather than exit right after Las Vegas. 

He further explained the thought that went into this decision. 

"Arnold Classic. I won that twice and, you know, I wanna say goodbye there. If I say goodbye at Olympia, I definitely have to say goodbye at Arnold Classic."

Bonac's Olympia journey began in 2014, and he steadily climbed the ranks in the years since. His career highlight came in 2019, finishing runner-up to Brandon Curry after an earlier third-place finish in 2017. 

Even late in his career, Bonac remains competitive, having won the Empro Classic Spain Pro and France Pro in 2026 while placing second at the FLEX Weekend Italy Pro. 

Before his farewell tour reaches Columbus, Bonac still has one final Olympia appearance in Las Vegas, closing out an era for one of the division's most durable competitors. 

What does William Bonac’s retirement mean for the upcoming bodybuilding generation

A veteran stepping away always opens the door for someone else to claim a permanent spot among the top callouts, and Bonac's departure is no different. His presence has long forced up-and-coming pros to prove they can hold up against seasoned muscle and years of stage experience, not just early buzz. 

That's because progress in bodybuilding rarely happens overnight. According to Next Cult Brand, younger competitors don't simply inherit a higher placing. 

They have to outwork veterans who are still sharp enough to expose gaps in conditioning, back detail, posing, or overall stage presence, and Bonac has filled that role as well as anyone. 

His last Olympia run will double as a measuring stick for the division. Should he show up in strong shape, the newer names will have to fight for every spot on the callout.

Should they clearly outpace William Bonac, that would offer its own signal about where the division is headed next. 

Written by

Chionia Libania Colaco