The 2024 Mr. Olympia contest shook the bodybuilding world to its core, leading veterans to discuss its aftermath. In a recent YouTube video shared on October 15, 2024, Jay Cutler and Milos Sarcev talked about the dramatic improvements of 2024 champion Samson Dauda, examining his poses by comparing them to runner-up Hadi Choopan.
After taking third place at the 2023 Mr. Olympia show, fans were curious if Samson Dauda would ever nail down his conditioning on the sport’s biggest stage. He took calculated risks throughout the season, which now appear to have paid off immensely.
Dauda parted ways with his coach Milos Sarcev. Then, briefly considered moving his prep to Kuwait at Oxygen Gyms but had a change of heart. He gambled by competing just two weeks before the 2024 Mr. Olympia at the Tsunami Pro show, which he won handily. His last-minute bodybuilding appearance laid the foundation for him to display jaw-dropping improvements in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Jay Cutler, Milos Sarcev Talk ‘Genetic Freak’ Samson Dauda’s 2024 Mr. Olympia Win, Reveal Which Poses He ‘Dramatically Improved’
First, Sarcev and Cutler opened up on runner-up Hadi Choopan’s latest Olympia performance, suggesting that he came in flatter than usual. This caused him to not appear as full and striated on stage, says Sarcev.
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“Hadi cannot be not conditioned. From the front, I was super impressed and this is always from the front. When he turns to the back is where he loses but this time, from the side, he was apparently not smaller, but flatter. Chest was not happening.
Then, when he was standing next to monster thick-chested Samson, there was a big discrepancy. There was not even a question. I still think he won front double and front lat spread and abs and thighs,” says Milos Sarcev.
In light of Dauda’s dramatic improvements, Sarcev believes he was unbeatable on the 2024 Mr. Olympia stage.
“I think he was unbeatable. Was he the best-conditioned guy on the stage? No. Would Hadi from Arnold Classic beat him? I don’t think so…” shares Sarcev.
Cutler complimented Dauda on his full quads and defined outer sweep, which helped him bring up his back lat spread and back double biceps poses.
“The billowing quads, meaning like he’s the only guy I feel like that has that outer sweep in that back lat spread, back double, which it gives you like, you look at the back but you’re looking at those crazy legs and he’s got the calves. What is he missing? I kind of picked on his arms before they could be better but now he’s got the crazy arms. And this shot, the most muscular, he wins that pose now,” said Cutler.
While Choopan gave the illusion of size in some front poses, Sarcev thought he lacked the same strength from the back.
“Holy shit. Yeah. You can see the striations on Hadi they were there. This footage is not very good but look at overall size and shape of Samson,” said Sarcev. “From the front view, for sure [Hadi Choopan gives the illusion], from the back view, he has wide lats, back, upper body looks good. Lower body doesn’t. Lower body is not matching. Samson in this shot is shocking, shocking.”
Looking at the back double biceps pose, Sarcev believes Dauda had enough quality, balance, and condition to close the gap against Lunsford. However, he doesn’t believe Dauda won that pose against Lunsford.
“It was enough no matter who he stood next to, the overall balance and the condition – the quality was enough. He’s fully arrived now, he’s matured,” said Sarcev. “He still doesn’t necessarily beat Derek in this pose but he made it super competitive and god knows, maybe some judges saw him winning.”
As for the back lat spread, Sarcev and Cutler praised the newly crowned Mr. Olympia for his thickness and size.
“Lat width improved [on Samson Dauda] and shape is just spectacular. I keep saying nobody touches this shape I mean and size and thickness, and tie-ins,” said Sarcev.
“It’s a lot of space [he takes up],” replies Cutler.
They described Dauda as a genetic freak who can keep improving on the Olympia stage.
“He keeps improving. Some people are maxed out already, he’s not. Imagine that, he’s not. His lats are dramatically improved, arms are bigger. Probably not [he doesn’t need to max out]. This is a winning body already. Bodybuilding is about progress and improvements and he’s going to continue. He’s a genetic freak that can improve.”
Instead of sitting out for an extended off-season after the big triumph, Dauda has decided to keep busy, entering the 2025 Arnold Classic, which is set to award its Men’s Open winner with $500,000. Now representing the Mr. Olympia brand, Dauda doesn’t plan on being a one-show-a-year bodybuilder.
Cutler and Sarcev agree that Dauda brought a near-unbeatable package to the 2024 Mr. Olympia stage. As the reigning Mr. Olympia, it will be interesting to see how he approaches his next bodybuilding season.
Watch the full video from the Cutler Cast YouTube channel below:
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