The 2023 Mr. Olympia competition is in the history books, prompting several bodybuilding veterans to dissect the outcome. In a recent YouTube video, King Kamali (real name: Shahriar Kamali) examined the top five finishers of the 2023 Mr. Olympia show and gave out his special awards in commemoration of the event.
It was a groundbreaking night in bodybuilding on November 4. In the end, seven new champions emerged at the 2023 Olympia with only four athletes pulling off title defenses. The Men’s Open headliner saw Hadi Choopan aim to dispatch Derek Lunsford and Samson Dauda in the finals, but he was unable to stop the former 212 Olympia from capturing Open gold.
“The Nigerian Lion” finished third in the second Mr. Olympia show of his career with Brandon Curry and Andrew Jacked rounding out the top five. The build-up for the biggest event of the year was like none other. Just days before competitors met in Orlando, Florida, Nick Walker was forced to withdraw due to a hamstring tear.
It appeared the roster would shrink further when Brandon Curry was rushed to the hospital hours before competing. Fortunately, he persevered, though revealed he was struggling with ulcers in his esophagus. With such a chaotic night behind us, King Kamali broke down the top five and gave out a few special awards.
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King Kamali Examines 2023 Mr. Olympia Top 5 Finishers
5th Place — Andrew Jacked
Looking ahead, Kamali suggested Jacked add mass to his hamstrings and glutes.
“Andrew is improving every time he gets on stage. Andrew has the absolute best structure out of everyone on that stage. He’s the widest guy on that stage, he’s the tallest guy on that stage, Andrew has all the tools to become Mr. Olympia.”
“What Andrew is missing is as simple as it might sound it’s not that simple — Andrew is missing hams and glutes. Hams and glutes and a little bit more leg development in the front, little bit more quads, but mostly hams and glutes. If he can get another 5 to 6 to 7 pounds of muscle, especially in the lower body. Fill out those glutes, fill out those hamstrings, everything else is there,” said King Kamali.
4th Place — Brandon Curry
With added leg volume and definition, Kamali believes Curry can regain his title in the future.
“What can we say about Brandon? For God’s sakes man, he didn’t eat for like 12 hours, maybe even more, he had to fast because he had a medical procedure that he needed done because he was puking blood three days, two days before the show. He had some issues, he had some medical issues, he had some issues in his esophagus, they had to take care of him. They had to make sure he’s alright. He had to get the greenlight or the IFBB wasn’t even going to let him compete.”
“One of the most beautiful bodies on that stage, symmetry beautiful, shape, round, round, round muscles. Improved leg size. His legs are getting better to match that superior upper body,” explained Kamali.
3rd Place — Samson Dauda
Kamali argues that Dauda has every tool necessary to win a Mr. Olympia title, emphasizing his physique’s completeness.
“Everyone was telling him [Milos Sarcev] to bring him [Samson Dauda] dry. Okay, Samson Dauda, six-foot-two, and the morning of the show… 300 pounds. Six-foot-two, 300 pounds, that is an absolute Godzilla monster. Samson is from another planet. To me, he was the most complete bodybuilder on that stage.”
“We each have our views on you know some weak points and maybe he needs to work on this or maybe his skin is a little bit too thick and you gotta get him a little bit thinner, conditioning, all that stuff. Folks, you got to put all that stuff together. Once you put all that shit together you start to understand what a complete bodybuilder is. There’s nothing wrong with Samson.”
Additionally, Kamali specified that Dauda continues to improve from show to show.
“He is a complete IFBB Pro. He’s getting better every show that he does. Again, he’s another Andrew Jacked, he’s getting better and better each show he does. It’s just amazing what he’s accomplished so far so fast.”
2nd Place — Hadi Choopan
Simply put, Kamali believes Lunsford narrowly defeated Choopan from the side and back shots.
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“From the front, he was Mr. Olympia. His front shots are amazing. He’s got that deep, deep, deep crispy conditioning, that Persian conditioning, I had that same type of conditioning I know what it’s all about. A lot of Persians have that type of conditioning.
It’s a genetic thing. From the front he was Mr. Olympia. His overall conditioning was around 88%, 90%, he was not 100% when it came to his conditioning. Even the psychos in Iran will have to fucking admit to that,” said Kamali.
Aside from the side and back double biceps poses, Kamali contends that Choopan’s tanning color was off at 2023 Olympia.
“He got beat because of the side and the back. You have to come to that realization,” Kamali shared.
“His color was off. Usually, Hadi is dark, dark, dark, his color is the best on stage, it wasn’t. It was a tad off. And then, his posing at the night show – that was not a posing routine folks. That was a guest posing routine.”
1st Place — Derek Lunsford
Even though Choopan bested Derek Lunsford in the most muscular shots, Kamali believes Lunsford won more poses overall, especially from the back.
“He was the crowd favorite it was obvious. He was the People’s Champ, he got his belt and his back shots sealed the deal. Now, you gotta understand something folks, they always say you win from the back, you win from the back, that’s true… okay, to a certain degree that’s true.”
“From the front shots, he was getting beat. His most muscular… his front double biceps, his front lat spread, his abs and thigh, they are all beatable. They are all beatable. He was just – took over everybody because again, the more completeness, the hardness, the dryness, all that stuff came into play.”
Parting Thoughts on 2023 Mr. Olympia
Before diving into his awards ceremony, King Kamali explained that the crowd reaction might have influenced how the judges observed the live show:
“Like I said, Hadi did a guest posing routine, he went from this side of the stage to this side of the stage. Derek did an actual posing routine and he closed the show punched the stage, got up, and the crowd gave him a standing ovation. The judges aren’t blind, they hear it, they see it, they see all the emotions, they see it too.”
Special King Kamali 2023 Mr. Olympia Awards
Most Muscular: Samson Dauda
“Come on guys, it’s not even close.”
Best Poser: Samson Dauda
“Samson again. Samson had a Classical routine. He knows how to hit his shots. He knows how to get the most out of his body.”
BMF (Bad Motherfucker) Award: Brandon Curry
“No man can tell me any different. Puking blood to being fourth in the world, give me a break guys. Brandon Curry you are one bad mother–you know what man.”
X-Factor Award: Nick Walker
If Nick Walker was in the show, we would be talking about everything, everything would have been changed. Everything. From the placings, maybe the People’s Champ to who had the best back double biceps shot. Everything we just discussed would have been turned upside down because of Nick Walker.”
King Kamali wasn’t the only popular bodybuilding veteran to break down the results. Former four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler joined Milos Sarcev to recap the historic event. While Milos Sarcev was inclined to award Choopan with the victory, he urged fans to accept the results graciously just as they did when ‘The Persian Wolf’ claimed the title in 2022.
There’s no denying the epic conclusion of the 2023 Mr. Olympia which saw Lunsford emerge as the world’s first-ever two-division champion. As for King Kamali, he believes the event would have been drastically different had Nick Walker participated.
Watch the full YouTube video from King Kamali’s channel below:
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