Kai Greene remembers bodybuilding legends Franco Columbu and Arnold Schwarzenegger, celebrating them for carving his bodybuilding journey.

On March 11, Kai Greene and Vlad Yudin sat down to discuss everything that unfolded at the 2026 Arnold Classic. And while comparing the physiques of the top two contenders, Andrew Jacked and Nick Walker, Greene was reminded of another iconic duo, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbo.

"Though I was a fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger as a kid, I loved Franco Colombo. I really, really, really loved Franco Colombo. Behind the scenes, now looking back on it, I loved the fact that Franco was as amazing as he was."

Recalling the history, Greene compared the iconic contrasts between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu. While Schwarzenegger was known for his height and classic lines, Columbu was a much shorter and powerful athlete.

Greene revealed how he was inspired by Columbo's physique throughout his own career, and he made him believe that greatness isn’t limited by size. Comparing that to the present, Greene suggested that, like Franco Columbo, Nick Walker also dons a stature that defies conventional bodybuilding expectations.

"I think Nick Walker was, from the rear, from the floor up, this dude came in with extraordinary conditioning from the back. He was from the floor up. Very hard thing to do, I guess. Some athletes weren't exactly what he was. And you've got to give him credit for that."

The reason behind his statement was to enforce the idea that multiple body types have the potential to rise to the top in modern bodybuilding.

Kai Greene's take on Andrew Jacked winning the Arnold Classic

During their discussion, Vlad Yudin asked how Kai Greene felt about Andrew Jacked winning this year's Arnold Classic. The three-time Arnold Classic winner was seen in support of the reigning champion.

Greene admitted that even though most of the bodybuilding community was expecting Hadi Choopan to win this year, he was rooting for Andrew Jacked's breakthrough.

"Honestly, I wanted to see him win. I wanted to see him win. I feel like I have a personal stake behind the scenes in just some years back, and just seeing him come up as quickly as he did."

According to him, Jacked has been recognized for his potential for years, and he truly believes that he has the potential to become a dominant figure in bodybuilding once he reaches his true potential.

Do you agree? Tell us in the comments!

Written by

Ruwa Javed

Edited by

Joyita Das