Milos Sarcev is breaking down how Samson Dauda can replicate the success he enjoyed in 2024. In a YouTube video shared on June 5, 2025, Sarcev advised ‘The Nigerian Lion’ to focus less on size and more on getting chiseled for the stage.
Samson Dauda remains one of the biggest competitors in the Men’s Open. During the off-season, he has weighed over 300 pounds, and while mass isn’t the only aspect scored in contests, it counts for a lot. In 2024, Dauda shocked the world, defeating Hadi Choopan and Derek Lunsford to pull off a massive upset at the Olympia. He became the first Mr. Olympia from the UK since six-time winner Dorian Yates.
While his momentum took a hit at the 2025 Arnold Classic after losing to Lunsford, Dauda intends to defend his crown successfully in just a few months. Sarcev, who once coached Dauda, believes his main concern should be conditioning if he hopes to become a two-time champion.
Milos Sarcev Gives Samson Dauda Advice for 2025 Mr. Olympia, Discusses If He Can Get as Lean as Hadi Choopan
During the YouTube video, Sarcev discussed Dauda’s path to another victory at the biggest show of the year.
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!
“Samson has been off and on cycles, completely off, not bridging or anything of that nature. He’s very conscious of his health. He is extremely healthy. Size-wise, some of us don’t have the genetics to get that much bigger but some do. He’s one of them,” he shared.
According to Sarcev, size isn’t Dauda’s problem anymore. Instead, he needs to focus on bringing improved conditioning.
“The bigger he gets, the more symmetrical he gets, the waist stays the same, the back expanded, arms, oh my god, shoulders, right?
So now, he knows he doesn’t need to get bigger. He doesn’t need to be 300 pounds on the stage because he’s oversizing everybody; he just needs to get chiseled.”
Terrick El Guindy interjected, sharing that Dauda doesn’t need to be as lean as Choopan to win another title.
“I’ve told Samson, you don’t have to be as lean as Hadi to be Mr. Olympia. That’s how great you are. You’re going to win in symmetry, you’re going to win in size, your presentation is flawless, so even if you’re not as conditioned as Hadi, you can win,” explained Terrick El Guindy.
Sarcev questions whether it’s even possible for Dauda to achieve conditioning on par with Choopan.
“I don’t know if the genetic makeup for him is to get that far because he didn’t maybe diet as hard as Hadi, he didn’t do as much cardio, he didn’t maybe train the same way,” shared Sarcev.
If Dauda can dial in his conditioning and bring exceptional shape to the stage, he believes he could string together a dynasty in the years to come.
“For many, many years. He’s so dominant. He’s one of those freaks when we talk about, and often, I compare him with Ronnie Coleman and they say how dare you. Before, they would call me a bias coach.
I’m just an expert and fan that’s passionate about this. I see quality when I see one. Samson had that kind of quality. A combination of everything. All the mandatory poses are spot on, and his shape, v-taper, aesthetics, everything except conditioning, is not at the level that he needs for Mr. Olympia condition.”
Bodybuilding veterans are beginning to lay out their expectations for the 2025 Mr. Olympia. Dorian Yates recently named Dauda the favorite over other contenders headed to the prestigious contest, like Lunsford, Nick Walker, and Hadi Choopan. However, coach Chris Aceto deemed Choopan ‘almost a favorite’ heading into October.
With refined conditioning levels and his signature shape, Sarcev is confident Dauda can win the Mr. Olympia again. The 2025 Mr. Olympia is scheduled for October 9-12 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Watch the full video from the OlympiaTV YouTube channel below:
You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and
YouTube for even more content.
