Derek Lunsford isn’t staying quiet in the final stretch of his 2026 Olympia prep. In a September 16 video, he said his physique won’t be beaten and named the top three threats to his title.
In 2025, Lunsford reclaimed the Sandow trophy, defeating Hadi Choopan and Andrew Jacked in the finals. The performance etched his name in the history books; Lunsford joined Jay Cutler as one of only two bodybuilders to win back the Mr. Olympia crown after losing it onstage.
Lunsford faces a crop of elite contenders at the 2026 Mr. Olympia. Andrew Jacked (Chinedu Andrew Obiekea) stands out as his biggest threat on paper since Hadi Choopan’s withdrawal. Jacked garnered huge hype throughout the latest season, thanks to his pair of wins at the Arnold Classic Ohio and Arnold Classic UK.
Samson Dauda, who dropped to fourth at last year’s Olympia, is out for vengeance. He proved he could bounce back successfully at the 2026 Europa Pro. Dauda won the event handily just 11 days before he competes in Vegas. Meanwhile, Nick Walker is another wildcard; he claimed gold at the recent 2026 Tampa Pro. The Olympia lineup is stacked, but Lunsford isn’t worried about anyone but himself.
Derek Lunsford Breaks Down Top Threats To His Mr. Olympia Title
In the video, Lunsford named three athletes he deemed top threats to his title:
- Nick Walker
- Andrew Jacked
- Samson Dauda
He added that some contenders from last year’s second callout could break into title contention depending on their peaks:
“There could maybe be one or two guys from that second callout jump up and challenge some of the guys I’m about to mention right now. But I think the general consensus that everybody thinks, would see Nick Walker, Andrew Jacked, Samson Dauda, those three guys, I would say Hadi.”
“Then, you have maybe like a Martin or a Tonio or a Krizo; there are a few other guys like Brandon Curry, a few other guys that can come in there and change those placings up. Nobody is safe.”
Lunsford explained that taking a break has helped him bring a denser, fuller, more mature look to the stage this season:
“If I could give myself a break from the competitive stage for a few months, I know what I can bring to this year’s Olympia. I can bring a denser, fuller, more seasoned and mature look, a more balanced physique to this year’s Olympia. Like I said, maybe I wasn’t competing onstage, but I was every day getting after it in the gym,” said Derek Lunsford.
Despite the pressure, he doesn’t believe his physique will be beaten in Vegas.
“It doesn’t really matter what anybody else is doing. It doesn’t matter what physique they are bringing or what their game plan is. If I stick to my game plan, and I shape, mold, and form my physique, my canvas, into what I know it’s capable of, it’s going to be extremely hard to beat. Right now, it’s not going to be beaten.”
While Lunsford isn’t lacking confidence, some bodybuilders don’t see him winning. King Kamali (Shahriar Kamali) suggested that Lunsford is super frustrated because he doesn’t get the respect that a Mr. Olympia champion deserves. He went so far as to say that ‘nobody has him winning again.’
Self-belief is a prerequisite for every Mr. Olympia champion. Don’t miss the historic event when it returns from September 24-27 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The livestream will be free, and Fitness Volt will have coverage spanning the weekend.
RELATED: King Kamali Predicts Nick Walker Will Be a ‘Big Problem’ for Derek Lunsford at 2026 Mr. Olympia
