Jay Cutler spoke on the 2024 Arnold Classic in many ways.
Jay Cutler received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 Arnold Classic. This is a show that he won multiple times during his career and was once again honored on stage. Following the action in Columbus, Cutler reviewed the event and spoke on many topics.
Hadi Choopan was victorious during the Arnold, defeating 2023 champion Samson Dauda. Choopan lost his title at the Olympia but returned shortly after to the Arnold stage and brought one of his best physiques of all time. Cutler found comparisons to his own career when he was able to regain his Olympia title in 2009.
“He came back after he got a lot of criticism at the Olympia. I mean, obviously losing the title, he missed it a little bit. It was kind of like me coming back in ’09. It was redemption.”
The Arnold Classic also sparked conversations about equality in the sport of bodybuilding. Arnold Schwarzenegger shared that the prize for the Men’s Open winner in 2025 would increase to $500,000.
Jay Cutler Talks Men’s Open Bodybuilding
There has been recent criticism from female athletes about equality in bodybuilding. Many have shared their own opinions on the topic and Jay Cutler became one of the most recent.
“Men’s Bodybuilding, it’s still king. That’s what people come for; the muscle show. People might agree or disagree. A lot of our comments are going to favor us anyway but just goes to show, I mean, that’s what it’s all about.
It’s a substantial amount more than what the other classes are, right? I know there are a lot of complaints but in the end, we chose our fields.”
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The prize money keeps increasing at the biggest shows in the world and Cutler is glad to see the sport continue on a trajectory upwards.
“I’m just happy that now because of the lack of large contracts, these guys can actually compete and potentially win a lot more money. That’s just not for the first place. It’s the seconds and the thirds. I know it’s a little harder to qualify. You know, there is a lot more shows but we do have way more international top guys than we ever had.”
Jay Cutler continued to joke about how he wishes he could have the chance to win $500,000 during a show. Cutler will not be returning to the stage but he mentioned how he believes Phil Heath should.
The Arnold Classic has set a new precedent in bodybuilding and it will be interesting to see how it impacts the sport moving forward.
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