“Abso-freaking-lutely perfect,” said Sam Sulek in his vlog 23 days out from the Arnold Classic, predicting his pro debut. Nearly a month later, the 24-year-old backed it up, arriving with a chiseled, tanned physique that caught everyone off guard, even former champions.

Donning a mustache and a short beard, Sulek was called onto the stage to showcase his physique during the prejudging round. The judges eventually gave fans a chance to see Sulek and Vissers pose next to one another, though it didn’t happen in the first callout.

The Generation Icon Instagram handle shared snippets of his posing on its Instagram page, and fans couldn’t keep calm. One fan noted that despite his age, Sulek looked impressive, writing, “Looks phenomenal. Keep seeing people talk negatively. He’s a kid and looks great.”

Furthermore, another fan believed this was the best Sam Sulek had ever looked, writing, “I thought he looked 🔥. Dude has a great physique, can’t wait to see him grow into the sport.” However, another individual expressed that despite his amazing physique, he might need a posing coach, “May need a posing coach for sure.”

From his rise on social media, Sulek has come a long way. It must be noted that Sam Sulek reached the Arnold Classic stage without a coach, choosing to guide his own preparation. His debut has certainly stirred up some excitement, but an analyst believes that he might be at a disadvantage.

Amid the Buzz, Sam Sulek’s One Weakness Stands Out

Having a coach has its advantages, and one of them is learning how to pose better, even if the physique is not perfectly chiseled.

Speaking about Sam Sulek’s Arnold Classic posing, Nick Miller of Nick’s Strength and Power expressed that posing might have just cost Sulek his position, “I feel like Sam's posing as well was a little bit awkward here, which is to be expected. I mean, this was Sam's pro debut, and this is only, you know, his third show ever.”

He further added, “So, you know, pretty unfortunate that they had to stand him next to Wesley Vissers here because Wesley looked phenomenal. I don't know if I would say it's the best Wesley that we've ever seen, but I think it's a really good version of Wesley.”

The 2024 Arnold Classic winner is back seeking redemption after missing the entire 2025 season, and it’s no surprise that Wesley is giving Sam Sulek a tough fight. That said, where will Sulek ultimately finish?

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Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar