Can the fitness world ever produce another C-Bum? Industry buzz points to Sam Sulek ahead of his IFBB pro debut at the 2026 Arnold Classic, yet skeptics argue Chris Bumstead’s aura is untouchable, insisting lightning rarely strikes twice in bodybuilding.

A week ago, Victor Martinez sat down with Generation Iron to discuss the topic, and when the question was thrown at him, he uttered, “I'd say stay tuned, because if he's gonna be the next C-Bum, he has to deliver at the Arnold Classic.”

When asked if an Arnold Classic victory would be enough for Sulek to fill the void, Martinez, with a straight face, claimed, “I don't know if the next. I don't know about all that. Again, C-Bum is different. Say the next C-Bum is to say the next Arnold. There was no next Arnold.”

Before stepping into amateur bodybuilding, Sam Sulek built his brand by growing a strong social media presence. He later earned his pro card at the Arnold Amateur last year and is now set to compete at the Arnold Classic, with his sights firmly on the Classic Physique stage.

Many believe he can fill Chris Bumstead’s shoes, but there’s a huge gap considering that C-Bum won six consecutive titles from 2019 to 2024. For his first professional debut, however, Sulek is training alone.

Sam Sulek on Why He Is Coaching Himself

In a recent Q&A session dated Jan. 21, 2026, Sam Sulek was asked why he chose to train by himself at the Arnold Classic, considering that his competitors had well-catered teams. His answer? Well, for him, this was more convenient.

“I want to do my thing and just see what happens. That’s how I like it. For me, to coach myself, it keeps it simpler. I don’t have to send somebody my check-ins, and it’s way quicker. I can just look at myself in the mirror. That’s my check-in. I don’t have to text somebody and wait for them to text back,” said Sulek.

The NPC Legends Classic Pro winner expressed that this method might not work for everyone, but he wants to experiment with it himself. Given that, do you think he will be able to be the next Chris Bumstead?

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Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar