The highly anticipated 2023 Mr. Olympia competition is almost here, prompting a number of bodybuilding veterans to analyze the top contenders. Taking part in The Menace Podcast on Sunday, October 15, 2023, Jay Cutler, Dennis James, Milos Sarcev, and Chris Cormier revealed their top six predictions for the nearing Mr. Olympia contest.
“I hate making predictions. I always hated people making predictions when I was [competing],” Jay Cutler shared.
Since December, the Men’s Open division has undergone immense changes at the top of the ladder. For one, a new Mr. Olympia champion was crowned last year when Hadi Choopan overthrew Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay to secure the Sandow trophy.
Although that made for an unforgettable night, there were plenty of significant storylines heading out of 2022 Mr. Olympia weekend, including the ascension of Derek Lunsford who blew the door off his Open debut on the sport’s biggest stage with a second-place finish.
Level Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!
And with Nick Walker claiming third and the Olympia People’s Champ Award in 2022, fanfare and hype surrounding this year’s contest has rapidly intensified. It appeared Cutler would sit out of making predictions for the top finishers, though fortunately for fans, had a change of heart.
Top 6 2023 Mr. Olympia Predictions: Another Former Great Backs Derek Lunsford to Win
Here are the top six predictions for the upcoming Mr. Olympia contest from Jay Cutler, Chris Cormier, Dennis James, and Milos Sarcev.
Jay Cutler 2023 Mr. Olympia Top 5
- Winner — Derek Lunsford
- Second Place — Hadi Choopan
- Third Place — Samson Dauda
- Fourth Place — Nick Walker
- Fifth Place — Hunter Labrada
- Sixth Place — Brandon Curry
Chris Cormier 2023 Mr. Olympia Top 5
- Winner — Derek Lunsford
- Second Place — Hadi Choopan
- Third Place — Samson Dauda
- Fourth Place — Nick Walker
- Fifth Place — Andrew Jacked
- Sixth Place — Hunter Labrada
Dennis James 2023 Mr. Olympia Top 5
- Winner — Derek Lunsford
- Second Place — Samson Dauda
- Third Place — Hadi Choopan
- Fourth Place — Nick Walker
- Fifth Place — Brandon Curry
- Sixth Place — Andrew Jacked
Milos Sarcev 2023 Mr. Olympia Top 5
- Winner — Samson Dauda
- Second Place — Hadi Choopan
- Third Place — Derek Lunsford
- Fourth Place — Nick Walker
- Fifth Place — Andrew Jacked
- Sixth — Brandon Curry
Three out of four votes were for Derek Lunsford to win 2023 Mr. Olympia; Samson Dauda received one vote from coach Sarcev. Cutler elaborated on his choices below:
“It’s hard to count Hadi out. I just feel like Derek had first-place votes last year. I think Derek is going to be so much improved… I mean. I think he’s going to be absolutely mind-boggling crazy at this Olympia,” shared Jay Cutler.
“Samson it comes down to condition. I mean, that’s always been his hindrance. That’s really what it’s going to come down to. Nick Walker, we know, is going to be in crazy shape obviously. He thinks he’s coming to win. He was third last year, fourth the year before. Hadi, you knock him out of the top five or even potentially moving up. I think if someone comes in off, he definitely slides up. I feel Hunter has momentum too.”
With Big Ramy, Brett Wilkin, Iain Valliere, and Kamal Elgargni all removing themselves from the event, Cutler believes there will only be a total of 15 competitors on stage battling for gold.
“When you look at these guys qualifying right now… they’re going to have a super hard time to even break into the top 10, top 15 possibly. It’s going to be a hard show for those guys,” added James.“There may only be 15 guys in the show,” said Cutler. “We had a lot of drop outs. Yeah [Brett Wilkin] dropped out. His body wasn’t responding.”“He had stomach issues, couldn’t hold down his food and he was vomiting on a daily basis. Some kind of digestive issues or whatever,” said Cormier.“Big Ramy is out. Iain Valliere is out,” said Sarcev.
Before ending the discussion, James and Cutler discussed the role size will play when the world’s best collide next month.
“I’m not down-talking any of these guys. These guys are great and this is the best we have right now. This is the top of the top. But size is not everything. Size is not everything. If you compare sizes, look at Nasser, look at Paul Dillette. Look at some of these monsters from back in the day,” said Dennis James.“Man… I mean, maybe it’s just because I witnessed that and I was a fan of it and today — not that I’m a fan, but I just don’t see what I saw then I guess. I went to 95 and sat four rows back and I didn’t think Dorian Yates in a magazine was mind-boggling until I saw him. He walked out, and I said, I understand why now that Dorian Yates was Mr. Olympia,” explained Jay Cutler.
Jay Cutler isn’t the only former Mr. Olympia expecting Derek Lunsford to defeat Choopan. Former eight-time titleholder Ronnie Coleman and 1983 champ Samir Bannout have both extended their support for Lunsford and believe he’s destined to become the sport’s first two-division Mr. Olympia champion.
Known for working in silence, Hadi Choopan’s grit and training intensity elevated him to new heights as a bodybuilder. While a handful of the sport’s most decorated Pros believe in Lunsford, “The Persian Wolf” is doing all he can to spoil his teammate’s plans for a second time.
Watch the full video from the Muscular Development YouTube channel below:
Relive every moment from the 2025 Mr. Olympia, including prejudging, highlights, expert analysis, and full results. Explore our Olympia hub: FitnessVolt.com/olympia. For minute-by-minute coverage, follow our Live Blog.
You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and
YouTube for even more content.
