An unpredictable showdown is on deck for fans as they anxiously await the sport’s biggest event of the year. Taking to his Cutler Cast Podcast on August 14, 2024, Jay Cutler and Milos Sarcev discuss Chinedu Andrew ‘Jacked’ Obiekea‘s chances of moving up at the 2024 Mr. Olympia and whether he’d come out on top in a head-to-head battle against Nick Walker.
The Men’s Open lineup slated to compete at the 2024 Mr. Olympia has grown tremendously over the past few months. Nick Walker earned his ticket to the prestigious event thanks to a narrowly contested victory at the 2024 New York Pro against Martin Fitzwater. Then, last weekend, Andrew Jacked pulled off an impressive three-peat victory at the Texas Pro to clinch his qualification.
After soundly beating the lineup in Texas, Jacked cemented himself as a Mr. Olympia frontrunner. In his last two outings on the grand stage, Jacked has only improved, having earned eighth place in his debut before finishing fifth last December. His latest triumph in Texas sent shockwaves through the community, with his coach, Chris Aceto, more confident than ever in his chances of winning the 2024 Mr. Olympia.
Bodybuilding veterans Jay Cutler and Milos Sarcev refuse to dismiss the Nigerian mass monster either. Not only do they believe he can move up on the blockbuster stage, but with the right level of conditioning, they posit that he could actually win the entire show. However, en route to pulling off the unthinkable, he’ll also have to get through Nick Walker.
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Milos Sarcev Says Four Guys ‘Capable’ of Winning 2024 Mr. Olympia, Discusses Open Lineup With Jay Cutler
According to Milos Sarcev, Jacked could find himself contending for gold in just two months. He sees four Open contenders who are capable of winning but expressed doubt about Walker’s chances.
“Can he [Andrew Jacked] win? Yeah. I see four guys definitely being capable of winning, possibly five. I’m not going to say Nick cannot win but I don’t think he can but he would be there in the top five,” shares Sarcev. “And Hunter, yes.”
In a head-to-head match-up, Sarcev revealed that Jacked’s front poses could be the deciding factor against Walker. However, If he had to make a pick today, Sarcev backed Hadi Choopan to win the 2024 Mr. Olympia.
“Yeah [Andrew Jacked is going to move up from fifth]. I mean, I see Hadi winning,” shares Sarcev. “It’s possible [he moves into the top three].”
“Can he beat Nick Walker,” asks Cutler
“Yeah,” replied Sarcev. “Front relaxed, front double biceps, abs shot, untouchable [on Jacked].”
Despite no longer coaching Samson Dauda, Sarcev refused to count him out as a title contender, though envisions Choopan’s conditioning stealing the show.
“I still praise him exactly the same way. I still think he [Samson Dauda] can win the contest. He has most of everything. Shape and size and thickness and freakiness, he needs that conditioning. And by now, he knows in order to win he’s going to have to be in the condition of his life.”
“I think that Hadi is going to show up in the greatest condition of his life. Yeah. You could see an indication in that last picture. You didn’t see it. Oh my god. You saw it. Density off the charts, rock-hard striated full quads already.”
As for Derek Lunsford’s weakest shots, Sarcev pointed to the champion’s underwhelming side poses and his front double biceps, which lack the detail displayed by Choopan.
“I still don’t think his side triceps is Mr. Olympia. I don’t think his side chest is Mr. Olympia. He’s for sure back double biceps Mr. Olympia and lat spread but I don’t see him, arguably the front double, if you’re looking for the shape, silhouette, okay, maybe. Arguably the lat spread he could be in the conversation but side poses, I just don’t see him there.”
“Most muscular, definitely don’t see Derek as a Mr. Olympia because there’s no detail like Hadi Choopan. Oh my god. Then, Samson, the thick size, it’s overwhelming. Andrew Jacked doesn’t have a super impressive most muscular. He does hands-on-hips which is a more aesthetic pose. Detail is there but not enough muscle,” he said.
Jay Cutler underscored that the freak factor of Andrew Jacked and Nick Walker could give them a huge swing in momentum when it’s time to compete this October.
“I just love Nick’s freak factor. If you want to say who are the biggest freaks, and you might argue Samson, I think Andrew Jacked and Nick Walker are like the two biggest freaks coming into the show,” shares Cutler.
“Width, shape overwhelmingly in Andrew’s favor,” says Sarcev.
“But we don’t know what condition he’s going to come. We already know Nick Walker is coming conditioned,” says Cutler.
Having won the Olympia title four times, Jay Cutler has been open with fans about who he believes could make a play for gold this year. He named his ‘three kings’ of the Open class, which included Hadi Choopan, Samson Dauda, and Derek Lunsford, but in light of Andrew Jacked’s success, perhaps he’ll be modifying that list sooner rather than later.
Andrew Jacked’s win in Texas sent a clear message to the top contenders as judge Terrick El Guindy has recently stated. Time will tell who emerges as the new Mr. Olympia champion; either way, fans expect huge showings from Jacked and Nick Walker on the horizon.
Watch the full video from the Cutler Cast Podcast below:
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