William Bonac has spent more than a decade proving that consistency matters in professional bodybuilding.
Now, at 44 years old, “The Conqueror” stands on the verge of another milestone.
Fresh off victories at the Tsunami Cup Pro and Empro Pro, Bonac heads into this weekend’s Flex Pro as one of the favorites to claim his 15th professional victory. If he succeeds, the Dutch veteran would move into a tie for sixth place on the all time Men’s Open bodybuilding wins list alongside Jay Cutler, Dorian Yates, and Robby Robinson.
For an athlete who made his professional debut more than a decade ago and finished runner up at the 2019 Mr. Olympia, it would be another remarkable chapter in one of the sport’s most enduring careers.
Bonac’s journey has never followed the typical script. Born in Ghana before eventually settling in the Netherlands, he built his reputation through relentless consistency rather than overwhelming hype. While many athletes enjoyed brief periods at the top before fading from contention, Bonac continued collecting titles, climbing Olympia placings, and establishing himself as one of the most reliable competitors of his generation.
His résumé already includes 53 professional contests, 14 victories, 31 top three finishes, and 40 top five placings. He has competed at 12 Olympias and 13 Arnolds.
Hold on.
40 top five finishes in 53 professional contests.
That’s roughly an 80 percent top five rate across an entire career.
Fourteen wins.
That is winning every fourth show.
Eleven consecutive years on the Olympia stage.
That’s just ridiculous.
He is currently tied with Phil Heath and Frank Zane on the all time winningest open bodybuilder list. A Flex Pro victory would elevate him to 15 and place him even further alongside the greatest names the sport has ever produced.
But while Bonac enters the contest with momentum, history is far from guaranteed.
The Flex Pro lineup is one of the strongest European fields assembled this season, and several athletes arrive with legitimate ambitions of stopping the veteran’s march toward another milestone.
The most obvious threat is Behrooz Tabani.
The Iranian star has built a strong résumé, collecting victories at Arnold Brasil, Flex Pro, and back to back Dubai Pro titles. More importantly, Tabani has already demonstrated that he can beat Bonac. He defeated the Dutchman at both the 2024 and 2025 Dubai Pro, and arrives in Italy with four professional victories of his own. While Bonac got the better of Tabani at the 2024 Empro Pro and 2025 Olympia, their recent history suggests another close battle could be on the cards.
Then there is Edward Kargbo.
Kargbo pushed Bonac hard at last week’s Empro Pro and produced the best result of his career. Although still relatively early in his professional journey, his résumé consists of three pro shows, with two third place finishes and one runner up finish.
This is dangerous.
One name we cannot forget in this discussion is Jordan Hutchinson who presents another high caliber challenge.
The American enjoyed a breakout 2025 campaign, capturing both the Tampa Pro and Texas Pro to earn his Olympia debut. While he has shared the stage with Bonac only once, Hutchinson has quickly established himself as one of the division’s rising names and cannot be overlooked in a lineup of this quality.
Beyond the headline contenders, the field also includes experienced competitors such as Daniel Goss, Vlad Sukhourchko, Abdulla Al Sairafi, Jonathan Pieter, Justin Musiol, Roman Fritz, Gianluca Di Lorenzo, Kasozi Brian Drago, and Andrea Bolzoni. All of them eager to prove themselfe and fight for the top places.
For Bonac, the opportunity is clear.
A 15th professional victory would place him alongside Jay Cutler, Dorian Yates, and Robby Robinson on the all time Men’s Open wins list. It would further strengthen his position as the most winningest active Open bodybuilder in the sport and add another achievement to a career that has already exceeded the expectations of many.
Whether he reaches that mark this weekend remains to be seen.
What is cetain is that all eyes will be on the Flex Pro stage as one of bodybuilding’s most accomplished veterans attempts to add another chapter to an already remarkable career.
