Vitalii 'GoodVito' Ugolnikov, who debuted at Mr. Olympia in 2025 and placed 10th, has shocked his fans and the bodybuilding world with a recent update.

Rxmuscle on its official Instagram account confirmed the news by posting about his health, announcing that he would be taking a break from competing in 2026.

Good Vito said, “For 10 years I have competed in championships and in those 10 years I never missed a single season of preparation. I always moved forward and pushed through difficulties, which reflects a strong character and a champion’s mindset.”

The Russian-born IFBB Pro suffered multiple injuries and other issues. For instance, in 2025, he had to withdraw from Pittsburgh Pro due to a serious back injury. Even in 2023, he went through an umbilical hernia surgery.

Vitali also suffered a knee injury in 2023 during a guest pose. That injury pulled him out of the 2023 Europa Pro.

He said, “The moment I said I would take one year to focus on my health, some people saw me as weak and claimed that I had given up. One step back, one mistake, and you lose your value in the eyes of most people who once shook your hand, looked you in the eye, and showed respect”.

While he still has to prove himself in the biggest stages of bodybuilding, his conditioning and physique have already drawn comparisons with Jay Cutler

Chris Aceto Compared Good Vito With Jay Cutler

On April 6, 2025, in RxMuscle, Chris Aceto compared Vito’s potential to that of the bodybuilding legend, Jay Cutler.

While discussing Vito's win in South America, the bodybuilding coach said, “He won, he was the best guy onstage. Freaky legs, freaky width, big arms on the front double, crazy glutes and hams, small midsection on the abs and thighs. His vulnerability is, of course, the front lat spread, which I think it’s just the way he poses it. I’ve never met him.”

Aceto continued by saying, “He looks like Jay Cutler there…. Yeah, I don’t think he has anything to lose. It’s turning out to be the show of the year really.”

So, what is your take on this?

Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar