October 2nd, 2021 will go down as a day in bodybuilding history. The first Arnold Classic UK Champion was crowned, and it was UK favorite Nathan DeAsha that received the trophy and 2022 Mr. Olympia qualification. Arnold Schwarzenegger himself was unable to be in attendance due to recovering from a calf injury he recently suffered, but eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman was in attendance to join DeAsha in his moment of glory. The top five for this contest are below.
- Winner - Nathan DeAsha
- Second Place - Samson Dauda
- Third Place - Theo Leguerrier
- Fourth Place - Patrick Johnson
- Fifth Place - Krystian Wolski
It’s worth noting that one of the favorites going into the contest was Canadian star Regan Grimes. Grimes is qualified for the 2021 Mr. Olympia, taking place in Orlando, Florida next weekend. Due to concerns with traveling and quarantines, he opted to withdraw from this contest so he could be available for the Mr. Olympia. That left Joe Seemen as the only athlete from Canada to take part in this event. He finished outside of the top six.
As for DeAsha, he showed up in great shape and held his own in every pose during every comparison. Dauda put on an incredible performance of his own, and was in the best shape of his career. DeAsha’s experience and symmetry was just too much to overcome. DeAsha now moves on to the Olympia so long as he faces no travel issues. As for Dauda and the other finishers, they will find other contests to enter with hopes of qualifying for next year’s Olympia.
Other Division Winners
As many expected, Men’s Physique superstar and former Arnold Men’s Physique champion Ryan Terry won the inaugural Men’s Physique championship. Michael Daboul of Italy claimed the Classic Physique title, and Phoebe Hagan left Birmingham as the Bikini winner. All of them earn 2022 Olympia qualifications.
The upset came in the Fitness division. Kate Errington was expected to be the only competitor in the Fitness division. However, amateur Fitness winner Michelle Mensah was awarded an IFBB Pro League card and opted to jump into this show. She managed to pull off the upset over Errington and is now qualified for the Olympia next year. That gives her close to a year to adjust to life as a pro while preparing for the biggest contest of her life.
Now that the Arnold UK contests have concluded, all eyes will be on the 2021 Olympia next weekend in Orlando, Florida. Stay tuned to Muscle Insider for previews and news leading up to the Olympia! Also, subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed on all the latest bodybuilding news.
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