On Episode 277 of The Menace Podcast, host Dennis “The Menace” James was joined by Jose Raymond and Milos Sarcev, and the conversation soon turned to the Open lineup at the 2026 Detroit Pro, where a distaste for distended belly’s became a weighty issue.
What Happened at the 2026 Detroit Pro?
The 2026 Detroit Pro went down on March 14, with the Open trophy going to the eventual winner, Mohamed Foda, while Blessing Awodibu came second, and Elias McCall took third place. During the podcast, footage was shown of the final call on stage, sparking criticism from the panel. Milos Sarcev began the observations, noting that Egyptian born Mohamed Foda is becoming a contender on the world stage, “but more and more apparently, he can’t control his waste, either,” said “The Mind.” Host Dennis James concurred, noting that it’s becoming a matter of who can control the muscles better to hide the bulge, leading Sarcev to make a joke about who looked the most pregnant on stage. “Let’s call it what it is,” said Sarcev.
Podcast Panel Slams ‘Distended Stomachs’ in Bodybuilding
The distended stomach has long been criticized in the world of bodybuilding. And Arnold Schwarzenegger has said, “It’s unacceptable the way bodybuilding is going. We don’t want to see stomachs sticking out. We want to see the most beautiful man, the most athletic man.” But why do those who spend so much time perfecting their bodies hit the stage with protruding tummy’s? Apparently, it’s all in the prep. Drug use is a major issue and digestion is another. Even dehydration or too many carbs can be a critical factor.
Milos Sarcev points out that this phenomenon was not present in the ’60s, ’70s, or ’80s, asking why judges might tolerate it now. “In the 90s, when it happened, they immediately issued the rule, like a distended stomach is gonna be penalized,” he commented. Sarcev said that per Arnold Classic rules, a distended stomach can lead to disqualification or last place. “If you have a stomach, you should be disqualified,” agreed Sarcev. “It bothered me,” agreed The Menace, regarding what he saw at the Detroit Pro.
“Bodybuilding should be tight waist, small waistline, flat stomach,” continued Sarcev. “This is how bodybuilding’s supposed to be.”
To watch the full conversation played out, along with predictions for the 2026 Arnold UK and other breaking bodybuiding news, see below.