On Episode 251 of The Menace Podcast, host Dennis James was joined by his regular panelists Milos Sarcev and Chris Cormier, along with special guest and 212 Olympia champion, Keone Pearson. “The Prodigy” is set to defend his 212 title in Vegas in a matter of days but has also announced his impending Open debut.
Host Dennis James has long felt that Pearson, who originally competed at Olympia on the Classic stage but found huge success after moving to the 212 category, should go to the Open. Still, that’s a big decision to make, because Pearson won back-to-back 212 trophies in 2023 and 2024 and is looking to threepeat his championship in Las Vegas this year.
“You don’t look like a 212 guy no more,” quipped Dennis James. “Maybe I’m not 212,” retorted The Prodigy, who earlier this month, finally announced that he would move to the Open at the 2025 Prague Pro on October 25-26. “Just one of those things where you are ready to tell the whole world, but even for myself, I couldn’t tell a sole,” explained Pearson of the process. “Why?” asked Chris Cormier. “We’ve been talking about it for two years now. “I talked about possibly doing Open, but I didn’t say when,” answered The Prodigy, noting that a legacy in the 212 division is extremely important to him.
Would Keone ‘The Prodigy’ Pearson Enter the Olympia Open in 2026?
“At least let me know, when did you decide to … do an Open in 2025?” asked James. “It was in July,” said Pearson, explaining that Chris Bumstead’s appearance at the 2024 Prague Pro had motivated him to go for it. “I was like, I think this would be a really good, two-day, peak show for me to see how I do in a show like that.”
This is a smart strategy because the timing means that Pearson can compete in the 212 division at the Olympia and then tread the boards in Prague around 2 weeks later. His position will then likely inform which category he strives for in 2026. Pearson also explained that taking part in a two-day show in Prague would be good practice for learning how to peak his body for the Olympia Open division format.
James pointed out that if Pearson places first in Prague, he would then be qualified for the 2026 Olympia Open division. “Would you do the Open next year” asked The Menace. “Erm, that’s to be determined,” answered The Prodigy.
To watch the full episode of the latest TMP where the panel also discussed the Olympia prize money, the top contenders, and other topical bodybuilding news, see below:
