On Episode 299 of The Menace Podcast, host Dennis James was joined by Milos Sarcev and Jose Raymond, along with special guest Patrick Moore, who recently qualified for the 2026 Mr. Olympia final by winning the Texas Pro. During the podcast, Moore explained why he’s back on form, and the gang also discussed what position he could place in the biggest event of them all.
How Did Patrick Moore Qualify for the 2026 Mr. Olympia?
“Ninth show lucky,” said Moore of his long and winding road to this year’s Olympia qualification, acknowledging the fact that he’d competed in nine gruelling bodybuilding competitions before wowing the judges at the IFBB Texas Pro. “This season was focused on not just winning a show,” explained Moore, who was coming off a disappointing fourth place just a few weeks ago in Atlanta. The patient iron pumper shared that his plan had been about “getting the process of nailing the look that I’m capable of.”
The ‘look’ that Moore refers to was perhaps last seen in 2019, when the big man won the California Pro and punched his ticket to his first Mr. Olympia final, where he ultimately placed tenth. In 2021, Moore qualified for his second Olympia final appearance, but his position went down to 14th.
Moore’s return to form this year has been even more challenging, because he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon while playing basketball back in 2022. “The injury was a big setback,” he told the panel, explaining that he would be forced to relearn the process of balancing weights and lifting heavy loads.
Where Will Patrick Moore Place at the 2026 Mr. Olympia Final?
“Let’s play a game,” suggested The Menace Podcast’s host, Dennis James, pulling up a list of the currently qualified 2026 Mr. Olympia finalists. “Who can you beat, who can’t you beat?”
Moore started out strong by asserting that he could beat Sergey Danilov, but the next name on the list, and current champion, Derek Lunsford presented a roadblock. “I haven’t beat him yet, so I’d have to say no,” he relented. Moore was also honest in his appraisal that he probably cannot beat Hadi Choopan, or Andrew Jacked. Michal Krizanek was met with a “possibly,” but The Menace insisted on a yes or no answer. “Yes,” responded Moore, who also felt he could beat Tonio Burton and Martin Fitzwater. In fact, Moore felt he could beat most of the remaining names on the list but said that he would lean towards ‘No’ on beating Nick Walker. He also felt Samson Dauda was just too good to get past. With only five names ahead of him, Dennis James pointed out that Moore should place sixth on bodybuilding’s grandest stage. “Okay,” answered the competitive bodybuilder, “That’s top eight.” Of course, as Moore also pointed out, the final result will depend on how each athlete shows up on the day. “That’s why I love bodybuilding,” he concluded.
To see this conversation in full on The Menace Podcast, where the panel dissected Moore’s prediction, while also covering the latest bodybuilding news, check it out on the Muscle & Fitness YouTube channel.
