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The 2026 Kuwait Pro brought together 43 IFBB Pro League competitors in Kuwait City on November 6–7, with two divisions delivering new professional champions. Armenia's Levon Poghosyan claimed the Classic Physique title against 13 other competitors, while South Africa's Michael Van Niekerk emerged victorious from a much larger 29-man Men's Physique lineup.
Both athletes secured their first recorded professional victories, making the event an important milestone in their competitive careers. There were also notable performances from New Zealand's Nader Ragheb, Kuwait's Abdallah Almatar, and Saudi Arabia's Hashem Alfotewi, who finished among the leading contenders in their respective divisions.
Levon Poghosyan Wins His First Classic Physique Pro Title
Levon Poghosyan entered the 2026 Kuwait Pro looking to improve on his earlier performances during the season. The Armenian bodybuilder had placed ninth at the Top Tan Spain Pro in May and sixth at the Bharat India Pro in June, showing steady improvement before arriving in Kuwait.This time, Poghosyan finished at the top.
The official IFBB Pro League scorecard recorded a judging total of 3 points for Poghosyan, putting him ahead of Nader Ragheb of New Zealand, who finished second with 6 points. Kuwait's Abdallah Almatar secured third place with 9 points.
The victory marks Poghosyan's first recorded professional title, and it's an encouraging result considering the depth of the Classic Physique field. Unlike some smaller professional shows with only a handful of competitors, the Kuwait Pro brought together 14 athletes from several countries.
For Poghosyan, moving from ninth and sixth earlier in the year to first place in Kuwait represents a significant improvement in his competition record. His next appearances will help show whether he can maintain that momentum against other established Classic Physique professionals.
Nader Ragheb Takes Second as Abdallah Almatar Impresses at Home
New Zealand's Nader Ragheb finished as the Classic Physique runner-up with 6 points, placing him directly behind Poghosyan.While Ragheb missed out on the championship, second place in a 14-man professional lineup is still a strong result. It also puts him among the leading competitors from this year's Kuwait Pro.
One of the more interesting performances came from Kuwait's Abdallah Almatar, who secured third place in front of his home-country audience.
Almatar previously finished 11th at the 2025 Bharat Pro Show, making his podium finish in Kuwait a notable improvement in placing. Competing at home also gave Kuwait bodybuilding fans a local athlete to support in the top three.
Hadif Alsuwaidi of the United Arab Emirates finished fourth, while another Kuwaiti competitor, Abdul-Aziz Al-Murshedi, completed the top five.
Complete 2026 Kuwait Pro Classic Physique Results
The official IFBB Pro League scorecard confirms the following standings:| Place | Competitor | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Levon Poghosyan | Armenia |
| 2 | Nader Ragheb | New Zealand |
| 3 | Abdallah Almatar | Kuwait |
| 4 | Hadif Alsuwaidi | UAE |
| 5 | Abdul-Aziz Al-Murshedi | Kuwait |
| 6 | Juma Al Shuaibi | Oman |
| 7 | Ali Albaghli | Kuwait |
| 8 | Jenev Varghese | UAE |
| 9 | Mubarak Mubarak | Kuwait |
| 10 | Ahmed Mohamed | Saudi Arabia |
| 11 | Edgard John-Augustin | France |
| 12 | Kent Ginthone Nasarondo | Philippines |
| 13 | Bader Al Antaif | Saudi Arabia |
| 14 | Jan-Renz Tagal | Philippines |
Michael Van Niekerk Wins Men's Physique Against 28 Competitors
The Men's Physique division produced another first-time professional champion, with South Africa's Michael Van Niekerk winning the largest lineup of the event.Van Niekerk entered Kuwait after competing in several professional shows across Asia earlier in 2026. He finished 15th at the Thailand Pro in June, improved to fourth at the AGP Philippines Pro in July, and later placed seventh at the Taiwan Pro Show.
Those results showed that he was capable of competing in international lineups, but Kuwait became the first event where he secured the championship.
According to the official scorecard, Van Niekerk earned 3 points, finishing ahead of Hashem Alfotewi of Saudi Arabia with 6 and Qaisar Alasi of Bahrain with 9.
Winning a 29-man division is a major result, particularly for an athlete who was still working toward his first professional victory earlier in the season.
The jump from 15th in Thailand to first in Kuwait is also one of the most interesting stories from the competition. While results at different shows can't be compared directly because of variations in the lineup, Van Niekerk's latest victory represents a clear improvement in his professional record.
Hashem Alfotewi and Qaisar Alasi Complete the Men's Physique Podium
Saudi Arabia's Hashem Alfotewi claimed second place in Men's Physique, finishing three judging points behind Van Niekerk.Bahrain's Qaisar Alasi completed the podium in third. His result was particularly noteworthy because he had previously finished sixth at the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix Pro.
Turkey's Ozcan Kirant placed fourth. Kirant entered the contest with an established professional record, having won the 2025 1 Bro Men's Physique Pro Show and competed at the 2025 Men's Physique Olympia.
Seeing Kirant finish outside the top three adds context to the level of competition in Kuwait. Van Niekerk managed to win a lineup that included an athlete with previous Olympia experience, making the result more meaningful than a first-place finish against an entirely inexperienced field.
Bahrain's Mahmood Al-Maghrabi rounded out the top five, followed by Ibrahim Cheikh Ousmane of Saudi Arabia in sixth.
Complete 2026 Kuwait Pro Men's Physique Results
The division featured 29 competitors, with the judges awarding individual placements to the top 15 athletes. The remaining 14 competitors were recorded as tied for 16th.| Place | Competitor | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Van Niekerk | South Africa |
| 2 | Hashem Alfotewi | Saudi Arabia |
| 3 | Qaisar Alasi | Bahrain |
| 4 | Ozcan Kirant | Turkey |
| 5 | Mahmood Al-Maghrabi | Bahrain |
| 6 | Ibrahim Cheikh Ousmane | Saudi Arabia |
| 7 | Sanad Alsanad | Kuwait |
| 8 | Hamed Abdalla | Libya |
| 9 | Abdullah Al Salem | Kuwait |
| 10 | Bader Alsabri | Kuwait |
| 11 | Mohammed Haidar | UAE |
| 12 | Husain Manowchehri | Bahrain |
| 13 | Yousef Alfailakawi | Kuwait |
| 14 | Ahmad Alshammari | Kuwait |
| 15 | Mohammad Alrughaib | Kuwait |
What Stood Out at the 2026 Kuwait Pro?
A few things made this year's Kuwait Pro worth following.First, both divisions produced first-time professional champions. Levon Poghosyan and Michael Van Niekerk arrived with previous contest experience, but neither had a recorded professional victory before the event. For both athletes, Kuwait marked an important career breakthrough.
Second, Men's Physique had more than twice as many competitors as Classic Physique. With 29 athletes in Men's Physique and 14 in Classic Physique, there was plenty of competition for the top placements.
The event also highlighted the strength of regional participation. Kuwait had several representatives across both divisions, while competitors from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE, Oman, and other countries contributed to the international lineup.
Another interesting detail was the presence of athletes with different levels of professional experience. Some competitors were still chasing their first major result, while others, including Ozcan Kirant, had already competed on the Olympia stage.
The two champions now have an opportunity to build on their Kuwait victories as they continue their professional careers.
What Comes Next for Poghosyan and Van Niekerk?
The Kuwait Pro victory gives both athletes a stronger competitive record heading into future shows.For Poghosyan, the immediate question is whether his improved Classic Physique placing can translate into consistent performances against other established professionals.
Van Niekerk faces a similar challenge in Men's Physique, although winning a field of 29 athletes gives him a particularly encouraging result to build on.
Both divisions are highly competitive internationally, and a single professional victory doesn't guarantee future success. The next step will be maintaining consistency and demonstrating that their Kuwait performances weren't isolated results.
Bodybuilding fans following these athletes will have good reason to watch their upcoming appearances.
