2023 Texas Pro Bodybuilding Preview

August 17, 2023

How will the 2023 Texas Pro play out this weekend?

The 2023 Texas Pro will kickoff this weekend on Friday from the Arlington Expo Center in Arlington, TX. There will be a total of eight divisions in bodybuilding on display, with the final results being announced on Saturday. Winners will automatically earn qualification to the 2023 Olympia.

The Olympia qualification system has changed this year. If an athlete did not finish in the top three in the previous year, or top five in Men’s Open, they will have to win a show to qualify. The points qualification system is no more. Also, former winners of an Olympia title have lifetime eligibility.

Reigning champion Andrew Jacked will return to the stage in Texas looking to defend his title against a stacked lineup. Former top-five Olympian Hunter Labrada will also be in the mix while Carlos Thomas Jr. will make his highly-anticipated pro debut this weekend.

Below, checkout a breakdown of the Men’s Open division, along with the full rosters from each division.

2023 Texas Pro: Men’s Open Roster & Breakdown

Lewis Breed
Lionardis Cardoza
Roy Evans
Jamie Hamilton
Jordan Hutchinson
Andrew Jacked
Hunter Labrada
Derrick Olara
Soohyun Park
Martae Ruelas
Carlos Thomas Jr.
Jonathan Withers

Andrew Jacked

Andrew Jacked brings plenty of attention each time he takes the stage because of his overall presence. As one of the taller competitors that you will see in bodybuilding, Jacked has a look on stage that is unique. When factoring in his muscle tone, it is crazy to see when he is at his best, which he has been all year long.

Jacked finished third during the Arnold Classic, solidifying his spot in Men’s Open. Now, he will look to defend his title in Texas and do it with even more muscle mass. Recently, Chris Aceto shared that Jacked added about five pounds of muscle to his frame. If he comes in peeled, Jacked could log his second-consecutive title in Texas.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Chinedu Obiekea Andrew J (@andrewjacked)

Hunter Labrada

Labrada is coming off a victory in Tampa just two weeks ago where he looked at his very best. He is a former top-five Olympia finisher (fourth in 2021) and is working to get back there after falling a bit in December. There were questions about his carb intake leading up to Tampa, rumors swirling that he did not take in carbs for 36 hours leading up to the show.

Recently, Labrada shared a physique update days out and he is bringing the same level of conditioning to Texas. He possesses a slim waist with insane size in his upper body and legs. The battle between Labrada and Jacked is the one to watch over the weekend and could ultimately be the battle for the title.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hunter Labrada IFBB Pro (@hunterlabrada)

Carlos Thomas Jr.

Thomas Jr. recently set the record straight on a posing video that was thought to be one week out of Texas. His conditioning was brought into question but the rookie shared that this was from about 5-6 weeks ago. He then shared more recent posing content and his conditioning was insane.

Thomas Jr. will make his pro debut after much anticipation. He brings incredible size to the stage at this point in his career. Thomas Jr. will face a stacked lineup in his first show but it will allow him to compare his physique with some of the best in the world. There is no doubt that he has what it takes to finish in the top three this weekend and could climb a bit higher if he comes in looking freaky.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Andrew Vu (@andrew_vu87)

Lewis Breed

Breed is an up-and-coming talent in the Men’s Open division. He is coming off a third-place finish just two weeks ago in Tampa. During this show, he finished behind Labrada but was able to defeat the likes of Joel Thomas and Nathan Spear. Breed has what it takes to be a force moving forward if he can add a little more size to his frame, which will ultimately be the goal.