Las Vegas welcomed a different kind of competition this past weekend when Mister USA brought some of the country’s most charismatic contenders to Sin City to compete for the coveted title. The event put male pageantry, style, and confidence center stage, with contestants representing their states and showcasing their personalities and talents behind the sashes.
Mister USA Finals were held on Sunday evening at The Portal at AREA15, just a few minutes off the world-famous Las Vegas Strip. Not only was The Blast in attendance for the event, but we were also one of the judges.
During an exclusive chat with Jino Cabrera, CEO & President of Mister USA & Mister Universe Organization, he explained why they decided to bring this year’s Finals to Las Vegas.
“We’ve hosted it in LA the last two years, so this is actually our third year for Mister USA. Mister USA has become bigger, more exciting, more diverse, and truly entertainment driven. [Las Vegas] is one of the entertainment capitals of the world and people come here expecting to experience something memorable,” he told The Blast exclusively.
“So for Mister USA, we’re building more than a traditional pageant, we’re creating a national entertainment platform that celebrates the modern man from across the country, their stories, ambitions, confidence, individuality, and purpose and bringing that vision to Las Vegas felt like the perfect next chapter for us.”
The First Two Years Were Held In Los Angeles
Cabrera felt The Portal was the perfect venue for the Finals because it has a different feel than a traditional pageant venue. The space gives the event the ability to combine many facets, such as fashion, competition, and visual production” into one experience.
“We want audiences to walk in and feel like they’re attending a major entertainment event, not simply sitting in a ballroom watching a pageant,” Cabrera said. “So the venue really reflects where we believe men’s pageantry is heading.”
The Blast Was Asked To Judge The Mister USA Finals
When Mister USA organizers asked if I would consider being a judge, I thought it could be a fun experience. I was planning to be there to cover it for The Blast, so why not get a little more involved?
While they couldn’t possibly know, I have a past that included pageants. I was a contestant in a Miss Arizona pageant in the early ’90s, I judged a children’s pageant that was run by one of the moms from the show “Toddlers and Tiaras” over a decade ago, and I had done some modeling and walked in fashion shows in my early 20s. So, this opportunity wasn’t just fun, but it was nostalgic for me on so many levels.
Judging is not easy; at least for me. I’ve judged a few competitions in my time, and it doesn’t ever get easier in my eyes. Listening to everyone’s stories, because they all have a story of what led them to this moment, makes this process even more difficult. But I will say this…listening to so many stories that include how they got to this point is inspiring.
Mister USA 2026!
The competition was tough, but the judges were able to narrow it down from 23 contestants to 12 before ultimately crowning the winner. After scoring them all in three categories — personal interview, swimwear, and formal wear — it was time to tally the votes.
Drumroll please…introducing Mister USA 2026 – Mister Tennessee (Jaydon Kanipe) in first place and Mister Nevada (Colin Walling) in second place!
Mister USA 2025 (Michael Chadwick) will be competing in this year’s Mister Universe competition in Los Angeles in November, and this year’s winner will be doing the same next year.
