The Men’s Open division has never been more unpredictable, which has sparked heated discussions about its future. In a recent video shared on December 3, 2024, bodybuilding veterans Bob Cicherillo and Shawn Ray revealed whether Samson Dauda is making a tactical mistake by competing at the upcoming Arnold Classic. In addition, they gave their predictions on where Martin Fitzwater will place at the next Mr. Olympia competition.
At the 60th Joe Weider’s Olympia Fitness & Performance Weekend, Samson Dauda prevailed as the number one bodybuilder in the world. But it wasn’t without a fight as he battled against third-place finisher Derek Lunsford and runner-up Hadi Choopan to secure gold. One of the night’s biggest shocks was Martin Fitzwater’s performance.
Although he entered the contest under the radar, Fitzwater showcased impressive size, conditioning, and proportions to earn fourth place. He built on that momentum after defeating Chris Bumstead at the 2024 EVLS Prague Pro. With the division’s future uncertain, Cicherillo and Ray laid out their expectations moving forward.
Bob Cicherillo Says Samson Dauda Making ‘Tactical Mistake’ Doing 2025 Arnold Classic, Discusses Martin Fitzwater’s Future
According to Cicherillo, Dauda is making a mistake competing at the Arnold Classic.
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“Now you need some rest, okay? Doing the Arnold right now, and I’ve said this on record as we’ve had shows before, I don’t think it’s a good move for Samson and he’s pledged his allegiance that he’s absolutely going to do the Arnold, he’s sat on that, all that is good. I think that’s a tactical mistake,” Bob Cicherillo shared.
He adds that Fitzwater is playing it smart by taking time away from competing, unlike Dauda.
“Should he lose the title at the Arnold which is very possible, because nobody was that dominant, any one of those four guys including Martin, can win that title on a given day. I don’t know if that’s the best strategy but Martin is playing it smart,” states Cicherillo.
Before breaking down Fitzwater’s chances at the 2025 Mr. Olympia, Cicherillo and Ray emphasized that there’s ‘nothing to gain’ for Chris Bumstead if he chooses to make another run in the Men’s Open category.
“Right now, he leaves with his legacy intact. He leaves as a six-time all-time winningest champ in Classic. We might never see that beaten. He took a close second place to Martin in an Open show. He has absolutely nothing to gain and everything to lose by ever coming back and competing in bodybuilding again,” Cicherillo said.
“I back you up, Bob. There’s nothing left here. The ship has sailed. The guy is nursing some injuries. That baby is going to consume a whole lot of his time. He may be in the process of making another one right now and that changes you,” explains Ray.
Cicherillo and Ray agree that Fitzwater will likely crack the top three when he makes his way back to the Mr. Olympia next year.
“Martin will be in the mix once again [at 2025 Mr. Olympia]. Where will he place? Obviously, we need to see how it unfolds but he’s right there in the top five. These guys are all so close so the cool thing right now is you got nobody in particular, with all due respect to the current champ, that that’s dominating.”
“Martin will be battling in the top three, no question,” says Cicherillo.
“I’m with Bob, he’s going to be in the top three,” said Ray. “I’m not 100 percent sure Samson defends his title.”
While Fitzwater is an on-paper frontrunner for the next Mr. Olympia, the lineup could be even more stacked than in 2024. In addition to Samson Dauda, Hadi Choopan, and Derek Lunsford being in the mix, fans are curious if Nick Walker can mount a successful comeback after pulling out of the Olympia for the last two years.
Having finished fourth in his debut on the Mr. Olympia stage, the future looks bright for ‘The Martian,’ who has youth on his side. Cicherillo and Ray agree that with time off from competing, he could find himself taking a top-three spot when the biggest event of the year returns.
Watch the full video from the OlympiaTV YouTube channel below:
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