Derek Lunsford continues to map out the game plan for defeating his teammate, Hadi Choopan at the upcoming Olympia contest. In a recent The Menace Podcast, Lunsford revealed he gained 8-10 pounds of muscle and believes he and Choopan will battle for first this November.
In 2022, Derek Lunsford’s momentum snowballed after his guest-posing appearance at the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro. What made the performance so special was the fact that he stepped in on short notice for the former two-time Mr. Olympia champion Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay. At the time, Lunsford was the reigning 212 Olympia champ and held his own against some of the best Open athletes on the planet such as Nick Walker, Brandon Curry, Hunter Labrada, and Quinton Eriya.
This impromptu appearance ignited discussions about Lunsford receiving a special invitation. Sure enough, last Sept. Olympia brass offered the 212 standout an invitation that he quickly accepted. He and his coach Hany Rambod wasted no time with preparations. When it was finally time to make his Open debut on the sport’s biggest stage, Lunsford seized the opportunity on an unforgettable night.
In the 2022 Olympia finals, Lunsford, Nick Walker, and Hadi Choopan battled for gold. After judge Steve Weinberger led them through several grueling comparisons, Choopan emerged victorious. Lunsford took second place but left Sin City as one of the biggest talking points after the event.
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All eyes have been on Lunsford this year as he targets his second Open Mr. Olympia. He’s kept fans updated on his diet, training, supplementation, and mentality as he inches closer to showtime. He joined Milos Sarcev, Dennis James, and Chris Cormier for an honest discussion about his progress, and what improvements are needed to take out ‘The Persian Wolf.’
Derek Lunsford ‘Up 8-10 Lbs,’ Talks Game Plan for Defeating Hadi Choopan at 2023 Mr. Olympia
According to Lunsford, he’s gained 8-10 pounds of muscle for 2023 Olympia. He believes improvements to his quads, legs, and chest will help him defeat Choopan in Nov.
“I am in a better starting point. I don’t have to worry about a skin infection. I’m up a good 8-10 pounds easily,” added Lunsford.
“I think he’s the best in the world, Dennis,” said Chris Cormier. “I noticed a lot of guys have been standing just straight up and down with their legs.”
“If name names and I start kind of breaking it down this is the way I see it. Hadi is the champ and it was close. And if you look at the scorecards, it was myself and Hadi and then there was a pretty big gap between first, second, and then third, fourth, fifth, and on. So really, on paper… it’s just Hadi,” said Lunsford.
“Of course [Samson is a threat] the top five or six guys are very competitive,” added Lunsford. “I think what you’re going to see is Hadi and myself battling it out as the top two, and I think you’re going to see a re-run of the Arnold with Nick and Samson battling it out for third and fourth. That’s just my opinion. I think that’s a little premature for me to even say.”
“If I can – I’ve already seen improvements in my chest. If I can keep the fullness there, I think just being a bigger sharper harder version of last year is what I need to do. I don’t think I need to sit here and nitpick Hadi and say this is where I beat him. I just beat myself from last year.”
Despite sharing trainer Hany Rambod with Hadi Choopan, Lunsford doesn’t believe it will affect things one way or another at bodybuilding contests.
“My success is their [my coach’s] success. At the end of the day if the coach has two people in the same division at Olympia and they are top two, if it’s me as a coach, I’d say flip a coin, I really don’t care let’s celebrate.”
Lunsford Improvements, and Nick Walker vs Samson Dauda Rivalry Discussion
Milos Sarcev and Chris Cormier agree that Derek Lunsford will be undeniable on stage with better abs, specifically, the serratus muscles.
“I still don’t think that you have abs dialed in the way it should be with the intercostal serratus and detail here,” said Sarcev.
“That right there [better abs] is going to be big in the judge’s eyes. I think no judge on earth would pick you second again if you brought that up. You already have the legs, you already have the chest, it’s just a matter of getting to the Olympia and showing that off,” Chris Cormier explained.
Lunsford believes 2023 Olympia will see a re-run of the Arnold Classic, where Walker battled with Dauda but this time, they’ll be pushing each other for third and fourth-place honors.
“The fact that Samson did win the Arnold, he beat Nick at the Arnold, I think that goes to show that he obviously can surpass Nick but I think Nick at the Olympia bringing the conditioning that he did at the Arnold I think that he can still beat Samson.”
Looking ahead, Lunsford is confident he’ll win a Mr. Olympia title before Nick Walker. As for Sarcev, he believes Lunsford has the potential to win multiple Sandows.
“God willing I stay healthy and injury free. I’m still knocking on the door to that title,” said Lunsford.
“Absolutely, when I look at you, I think you’re a formidable guy that could be a multiple champion, multiple. You’re 30 years old,” said Sarcev.
Cormier mentioned that Lunsford will win the Mr. Olympia before Walker. However, Cormier does believe ‘The Mutant’ will claim a Mr. Olympia title before all is said and done.
“I got Derek first, but I got Nick winning one,” said Cormier.
“Listen, man, I’m not the judge but I’m always going to bet on me,” said Lunsford. “I’m not in here to be anything but the champion.”
Keeping his options open, Lunsford said he would consider competing at the Arnold Classic next year if he takes home the Mr. Olympia title in three months.
“There is a possibility [I’d consider the Arnold Classic if I win the Olympia]. I have to do the Olympia and see how it goes,” said Lunsford.
Lunsford doesn’t shy away from training challenges. In a special Olympia TV collaboration, Lunsford, joined by Chris Cormier, went against Samson Dauda with a brutal back-building workout. Fans were blown away by the size of both men months away from the sport’s most celebrated event. Dauda has publicly stated that if he brings his back up, then Lunsford, Choopan, and Walker won’t be able to stand between him and the Mr. Olympia title.
Walker, meanwhile, believes he and Lunsford will be fighting for gold at 2023 Mr. Olympia. He doesn’t think Choopan will defend successfully. Though, some in the sport are more confident in Derek Lunsford – like eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman. He recently predicted Lunsford to beat Choopan later this year and also called him his favorite bodybuilder of this generation.
Time will tell how Lunsford fares in his second Open Mr. Olympia contest. With the big show approaching, fans are excited to see Choopan attempt to fend off an extremely motivated group of contenders.
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