FLEX WEEKEND ITALY PRO 2026

The 2026 FLEX Weekend Italy Pro touched down in Milan, Italy on Sunday, June 28, delivering one of the most dramatic finishes on the European IFBB Pro League calendar. Held at a prestigious venue in the heart of one of Europe's great cities, the event drew a strong international field across three divisions: Men's Open Bodybuilding, Classic Physique, and Men's Physique. Promoter Barbara Bagnuolo oversaw a well-run card that lived up to its billing as a marquee Olympia-qualifying stop. With qualification to the 2026 Mr. Olympia — scheduled for September 24–27 in Las Vegas, Nevada — on the line, the stakes could not have been higher. The Men's Open Bodybuilding lineup featured a compelling mix of seasoned veterans and hungry rising contenders, with two-time Arnold Classic champion William Bonac entering as the man to beat after his victory at the Empro Classic Spain just one week prior. All eyes were on whether Bonac could back up that Spanish title with a second consecutive European pro win, or whether one of the challengers in Milan could turn the tables. Sierra Leone-born, Dubai-based Edward Kargbo was among those considered a threat, having pushed Bonac hard for second place in Alicante the previous weekend. Jordan Hutchinson, the 2025 Tampa Pro and Texas Pro champion who Jay Cutler has tipped as a potential top-four finisher at the Olympia, added further intrigue to what promised to be a fiercely competitive lineup. By the end of the night, it was Kargbo who delivered the upset, reversing the result from Spain in stunning fashion to claim his first professional victory and etch his name into bodybuilding history.

Match Report

Edward Kargbo's victory in Milan will be remembered as one of the standout moments of the 2026 European pro season. Coming into the event just seven days after finishing second to William Bonac at the Empro Classic Spain in Alicante, few outside his immediate camp could have predicted such a swift and decisive reversal. Yet Kargbo arrived in Milan with improved conditioning, sharper detail, and the kind of focused intensity that separates one-time performers from genuine contenders. His combination of size, muscle density, and overall shape proved too much for even the experienced Bonac to overcome. Bonac, for his part, was no pushover. The Ghanaian-Dutch veteran brought the same competitive fire that has earned him 14 IFBB Pro titles and back-to-back Arnold Classic victories over the course of a near-decade at the top of the sport. He pushed Kargbo hard throughout the comparisons and left Milan with his Olympia qualification secured — a result that keeps him firmly in the conversation heading into Las Vegas. The fact that both men now carry Olympia tickets makes their developing rivalry one of the more intriguing subplots of the 2026 season. Jordan Hutchinson's third-place finish continued to underline the North Carolina native's rapid rise through the professional ranks. Observers and analysts noted that he presented with impressive size and shape but left some points on the table by not arriving quite as tight as he might have, particularly in the legs. Had he come in at peak sharpness, a second-place finish was entirely plausible. Given that Jay Cutler has already earmarked him as a potential top-four threat at the Olympia, Hutchinson's development curve remains one of the most exciting storylines in Men's Open bodybuilding. The depth of the supporting lineup reflected the growing strength of the European pro circuit. Gianluca Di Lorenzo flew the flag for Italy impressively on home soil, Roman Fritz demonstrated once again why he remains a fixture at the sharp end of major European shows, and Vladyslav Sukhoruchko showed the kind of mass and raw potential that suggests further improvements are ahead. Daniel Goss and Justin Musiol, both competing for the second weekend running after Spain, showed admirable durability in backing up their Alicante appearances with further solid performances in Milan. Perhaps the most resonant moment of the evening came after the final callouts, when Kargbo dedicated his victory to his late father in an emotional Instagram message. Referencing a lifelong promise to become the first Sierra Leonean to step onto the Mr. Olympia stage, he described the win as a fulfillment of a dream shared between father and son. That dedication, combined with the sporting achievement itself, elevated what was already a significant result into something that transcended the scorecard. As the dust settles on the 2026 FLEX Weekend Italy Pro, the broader narrative is one of a sport in transition. Industry observers noted that 2026 is shaping up as a genuine changing of the guard, with athletes outside the traditional Olympia regulars making increasingly loud statements. Kargbo's breakout in Milan is the clearest expression of that shift yet, and his presence in Las Vegas in September will be among the most anticipated storylines of the entire 2026 Olympia weekend.