The 2011 Arnold Classic Results are in! The second biggest bodybuilding competition in the world (after the Mr. Olympia, of course) has crowned a new champion: Branch Warren. To many people’s disappointment, Kai Greene, the 2009 and 2010 Arnold Classic two-time reigning champion, decided to sit out the contest in order to devote more time to the 2011 Mr. Olympia in September. Let's take a look at the placings...

Below are the Final results and prize money:

1. Branch Warren $130,000
2. Dennis Wolf $75,000
3. Victor Martinez $50,000
4. Evan Centopani $30,000
5. Dexter Jackson $15,000
6. Ronny Rockel $10,000
7. Johnnie Jackson
8. Roelly Winklaar
9. Toney Freeman
10. Ben Pakulski
11. Sergey Shelestov
12. Fouad Abiad
13. Essa Obaid
14. Robert Piortkowicz

Best posing presentation:
Dennis Wolf $10,000

Most Muscular Award:
Branch Warren

Lifetime achievement award:
Lou Ferrigno

Here are all the previous winners of the Arnold Classic

Below are all the winners of the previous Arnold Classic by Year:

Winners

After the prejudging rounds on Saturday morning, Evan Centopani, the reigning FLEX Pro champion, Victor Martinez, Dennis Wolf and Branch Warren were battling for the top spot.

According to many, Warren had the best conditioning in the morning and was considered the overall leader heading into the finals.

Among those fighting for the fifth and sixth spots were Ronny Rockel, Johnnie Jackson, Roelly Winklaar, and Dexter Jackson, who was hoping to secure his record-tying fourth Arnold Classic title.

Dexter Jackson was the biggest disappointment of the day with his fifth place finish. It looks like the 41 year old Jackson’s age is finally catching up to him, especially competing against much younger competitors.

Evan Centopani finished fourth, not quite the showing he experienced during the Flex Pro but certainly very impressive against more experienced and deeper competition.

It looks like Victor Martinez recovered from his nagging leg injuries, in which he took third place. Many considered Martinez’s physique better than his controversial second place finish to Jay Cutler during the 2007 Mr. Olympia.

Dennis Wolf finished strong with his runner up finish, grabbing second place honors, also winning the Most Entertaining Posing Award. It certainly looks like Wolf won’t get that DNP finish like he did in the last Olympia contest and should be considered one of the favorites going into the 2011 Olympia.

Branch Warren stormed into the Arnold Classic and took the title. The knock on Warren has always been that he does not have the most appealing physique in terms of proportionality. He obviously has a tremendously muscular build and came in more ripped than ever, convincing the judges that he had the best physique of all.