Priest speculated that Arnold Schwarzenegger might push the Open division winner's prize purse to an unprecedented $1 million.
Bodybuilding icon Lee Priest believes the 2025 Arnold Classic could bring a groundbreaking announcement for fans of the sport.
As the second most prestigious competition in the IFBB Pro League—trailing only the Mr. Olympia—the Arnold Classic continues to elevate the stakes. At the 2024 Arnold Classic, former Olympia champion Hadi Choopan emerged victorious, and during the event, ‘The Austrian Oak’ stunned the bodybuilding community by revealing plans to raise the Open winner’s payout to $500,000.
This bold move sent shockwaves through the industry, especially considering that, at the time, the Mr. Olympia titleholder was awarded a comparatively lower sum of $400,000. Veteran bodybuilders quickly weighed in on the brewing prize money rivalry, with industry legends like Shawn Ray predicting that the Olympia organizers would be forced to ‘answer the call’ and increase their champion’s earnings.
Lee Priest Weighs In on the Possibility of Arnold Schwarzenegger Increasing the Arnold Classic Prize Purse to $1 Million
In a recent YouTube discussion, bodybuilding veteran Lee Priest shared his thoughts on whether Arnold Schwarzenegger will feel compelled to raise the Men’s Open winner’s payout at the highly anticipated 2025 Arnold Classic.
“Is it still up in the air whether we think Arnold is going to do what the Olympia did and of course, Olympia outed him. I heard that was last minute that Jake decided to do that. Do you think Arnold is going to be like okay, oh well, instead of $500,000, he’s going to, like I said he could always do seven and eight but then it just seems like when you’re at an auction, 750, 775.”
Priest believes there’s a strong likelihood that Schwarzenegger will elevate the prize money to an unprecedented $1 million, setting a new benchmark in the sport.
“I think Arnold should come out and go fuck it, one million here you go. I’m the first one to do it, the first one to hit it. Now try and keep up,” shares Priest.
He emphasized that Schwarzenegger’s competitive drive has always been a defining trait, one that hasn’t faded even after stepping away from professional bodybuilding.
“I think it’s like, Arnold hates being beat, that’s like his whole movie career with Stallone and all that. He’s got that competition streak and now Joe Weider is gone, there is nothing holding him back. You know Arnold would love to be the first one to say I gave $1 million in prize money to the bodybuilders not Jake Wood,”.
Across the IFBB Pro League, prize money continues to rise, particularly in the marquee Men’s Open division. As it stands, the Dubai Pro has committed to awarding $100,000 to its Open champion, while the 2025 Pittsburgh Pro, set for May, is also expected to offer a substantial cash prize to its winners.
Priest believes Schwarzenegger’s relentless competitive spirit could be the catalyst for yet another historic increase. Should he follow through with a prize bump, it would once again put the Olympia organization under pressure to respond and elevate their own payouts.
