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Home » Mr. Olympia
Fact Checked
Fact Checked
This article was written by one of our team of experienced writers, and fact-checked by our experts or our editors. The numbers in parentheses (e.g., 1, 2, 3, etc.) throughout the article are reference links to peer-reviewed studies.
Our team of experts includes a board-certified physician, nutritionists, dietitians, certified personal trainers, strength training experts, and exercise specialists.
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Every Mr. Olympia (Men’s Open Division) Winner Since 1965

The story behind the Mr. Olympia contest and all its winners. 

Written by Vidur Saini

Updated by Tom Miller, CSCS

Last Updated on15 October, 2024 | 11:25 AM EDT

Ask Question?

Mr. Olympia is considered the biggest pro bodybuilding show. It is organized annually by the IFBB Pro League at Joe Weider’s Olympia Fitness & Performance Weekend. 

The show was created by Joe Weider, also known as “The Father of Bodybuilding”, to enable the Mr. Universe winners to continue competing and earn a living from pro bodybuilding.

The Mr. Olympia contest was first organized in 1965, 19 years after the Weider brothers — Joe and Ben — started the International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness (IFBB). 

Since the inception of the contest, 19 men have had the honor of being crowned Mr. Olympia. Joe Weider’s Olympia Fitness & Performance Weekend started with a single contest — Mr. Olympia. However, it has become a behemoth with 11 contests and a growing number of contestants and fans attending the show yearly.

Winning the Mr. Olympia contest and lifting the coveted Sandow trophy is the dream of most aspiring Men’s Open Division pro bodybuilders. The Mr. Olympia winner is considered the best bodybuilder in the world for that year. 

Although not yet mainstream, the sport of bodybuilding enjoys a cult following. The winner of the 2024 Mr. Olympia contest, Samson Dauda, took home a whopping $600,000. However, being crowned Mr. O wasn’t always so lucrative. Larry Scott — the first-ever Mr. Olympia champ won a humble $1,000 ($8,443 — inflation-adjusted) in 1965 and 1966. 

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The big jump in prize money is proof that the sport of bodybuilding has grown by leaps and bounds. This article goes over the Mr. Olympia annals while pointing out the important developments and the rise of the Olympia champions. 

All Mr. Olympia Winners Since 1965

Every Mr. Olympia champ has brought something new to the table. Here is the list of bodybuilders to have hoisted the Sandow trophy:

  • Larry Scott (1965-1966)
  • Sergio Oliva (1967-1969)
  • Arnold Schwarzenegger (1970-1975)
  • Franco Columbu (1976)
  • Frank Zane (1977-1979)
  • Arnold Schwarzenegger (1980)
  • Franco Columbu (1981)
  • Chris Dickerson (1982)
  • Samir Bannout (1983)
  • Lee Haney (1984-1991)
  • Dorian Yates (1992-1997)
  • Ronnie Coleman (1998-2005)
  • Jay Cutler (2006-2007)
  • Dexter Jackson (2008)
  • Jay Cutler (2009-2010)
  • Phil Heath (2011-2017)
  • Shawn Rhoden (2018)
  • Brandon Curry (2019)
  • Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay (2020-2021)
  • Hadi Choopan (2022)
  • Derek Lunsford (2023)
  • Samson Dauda (2024)

Larry Scott (1965-1966)

1965 is when it all started. “Golden Boy” Larry Scott, a popular bodybuilder at the time, was a frontrunner to win the show. Although Scott got a solid fight from Harold Poole at the inaugural Olympia, he won the Olympia crown.

Larry Scott
Larry Scott

Scott repeated the feat at the 1966 showdown to become a two-time Mr. Olympia champ. The Golden Boy retired after his 1966 victory. He is the only Mr. Olympia champion to have never lost a Mr. Olympia competition.

1965: Brooklyn, NY

  • First: Larry Scott     
  • Second: Harold Poole
  • Third: Earl Maynard         

1966: Brooklyn, NY            

  • First: Larry Scott     
  • Second: Harold Poole
  • Third: Chuck Sipes

Sergio Oliva (1967-1969)

With Scott retired, the Olympia title was up for grabs at the 1967 Mr. Olympia. Oliva had made an inroad into the upper echelons of pro bodybuilding by scoring a fourth-place finish at the 1966 Olympia. However, he upset Poole to win the show. Poole finished third behind Oliva and Chuck Sipes.

Sergio Oliva
Photo via Instagram @sergio_themyth

Oliva was a specimen in his own right. His size, symmetry, and balance were unmatched. The Cuban bodybuilder was so dominant that he earned the moniker “The Myth” Sergio Oliva.

Olympia’s popularity witnessed a dip in 1968; Oliva won unopposed as other competitors withdrew due to other commitments. 

However, Weider being the genius he was, was already working on bringing better (and diverse) competition to the show. In 1968, Weider brought a young bodybuilder named Arnold Schwarzenneger to America and took him under his wing. 

Schwarzenneger was Oliva’s only competition at the 1969 Olympia, and the more experienced bodybuilder successfully held off the 22-year-old Austrian to win his third Olympia title. Notably, it would be Arnie’s only loss at the Mr. Olympia. 

1967: Brooklyn, NY  

  • First: Sergio Oliva
  • Second: Chuck Sipes 
  • Third: Harold Poole

1968: Brooklyn, NY  

  • Oliva won unopposed 

1969: Brooklyn, NY  

  • First: Sergio Oliva
  • Second: Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger (1970-1975)

After tasting a defeat at the hands of The Myth, the Governator returned to the 1970 Olympia all guns blazing. Schwarzenegger’s victory made him the youngest Mr. Olympia winner ever (23 years, 2 months).

Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger

Little did anyone know that 1970 would be the first of six consecutive Mr. Olympia wins for The Austrian Oak. The Austrian won the 1971 Mr. O title unopposed as Oliva, along with a few other bodybuilders, was barred from competing at the Olympia because of a dispute between federations. 

1970: New York, NY

  • First: Arnold Schwarzenegger  
  • Second: Sergio Oliva             
  • Third: Reg Lewis

1971: Paris, France

  • Schwarzenegger won unopposed

1972: Essen, West Germany

  • First: Arnold Schwarzenegger   
  • Second: Sergio Oliva             
  • Third: Serge Nubret

Olivia, under the High-Intensity Training (HIT) system of Arthur Jones, returned to the Olympia deterred to beat Schwarzenegger and reclaim his Olympia throne. However, Schwarzenegger one-upped the three-time champ to match his record. 

1973: Brooklyn, NY

  • First: Arnold Schwarzenegger           
  • Second: Franco Columbu         
  • Third: Serge Nubret

1974: New York, NY

 Over 200 Pounds

  • First: Arnold Schwarzenegger
  • Second: Lou Ferrigno

Under 200 Pound Winner

  • First: Franco Columbu
  • Second: Frank Zane

Overall winner: Arnold Schwarzenegger

Olympia introduced weight classes in 1974 and followed them until 1979. An overall winner was crowned in each show, who took home the Olympia title. 

The Austrian Oak became the first bodybuilder to win the heavyweight and overall Olympia titles. He created history by snagging his fifth Olympia title in 1974. 

1975: Pretoria, South Africa 

 Over 200 Pounds

  • First: Arnold Schwarzenegger
  • Second: Serge Nubret
  • Third: Lou Ferrigno

Under 200 Pound Winner

  • First: Franco Columbu
  • Second: Ed Corney
  • Third: Albert Beckles

Overall winner: Arnold Schwarzenegger

Schwarzenegger’s 1975 Mr. O win was documented in the cult classic documentary Pumping Iron (1977). 

The documentary did two things. First, it introduced Arnold to the world of acting and films. But more importantly, Arnie’s standout performance helped bodybuilding reach a bigger audience. 

After winning his sixth Olympia throne and becoming the winningest Mr. Olympia of all time, Schwarzenegger retired from competitive bodybuilding, or so everyone thought. 

Franco Columbu (1976)

Franco Columbu
Franco Columbu

1976: Columbus, OH

Over 200 Pounds

  • First: Ken Waller
  • Second: Mike Katz

Under 200 Pound Winner

  • First: Franco Columbu
  • Second: Frank Zane
  • Third: Ed Corney

Overall winner: Franco Columbu

Arnold retired in 1975 to focus on his acting career, leaving the Mr. O throne vacant. Franco Columbu had been taking the runner-up finish behind his buddy Arnold for three consecutive years (1973-1975). He finally managed to capture his maiden Olympia throne in Schwarzenegger’s absence. 

Franco suffered an injury while competing in the inaugural World’s Strongest Man Competition in 1977, which kept him out of competitive strength sports for the next four years. However, he returned in 1981 to win his second Mr. O title.

1976 was the first year the iconic Sandow trophy was awarded to the Mr. Olympia winner. 

Read also: Franco Columbu Passes Away At Age 78

Frank Zane (1977-1979)

Frank Zane is one of the legends of the sport of bodybuilding. He is known for his aesthetical and balanced physique. Zane had finished runner-up in the lightweight division behind Columbu in 1976. 

Frank Zane Beach
Frank Zane

He captured his first Olympia title by beating the much-heavier and extremely impressive Robby Robinson — the heavyweight division winner. Zane repeated the feat in 1978. 

1977: Columbus, OH

Over 200 Pounds

  • First: Robby Robinson
  • Second: Ken Waller
  • Third: Dennis Tinerino

Under 200 Pound Winner

  • First: Frank Zane
  • Second: Ed Corney
  • Third: Boyer Coe

Overall winner: Frank Zane

1978: Columbus, OH

Over 200 Pounds

  • First: Robby Robinson
  • Second: Roy Callender
  • Third: Kalman Szkalak

Under 200 Pound Winner

  • First: Frank Zane
  • Second: Boyer Coe
  • Third: Danny Padilla

Overall winner: Franco Columbu

1979: Columbus, OH 

Over 200 Pounds

  • First: Mike Mentzer
  • Second: Dennis Tinerino
  • Third: Roger Walker

Under 200 Pound Winner

  • First: Frank Zane
  • Second: Boyer Coe
  • Third: Robby Robinson

Overall winner: Franco Columbu

1979 was the last year Olympia hosted two different weight classes. This year was very intriguing as Robby Robinson had switched to the lightweight class to go head-to-head with Zane. However, Robinson’s plan backfired as he ended up taking the third spot in the lightweight division. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger (1980)

1980: Sydney, Australia

  • First: Arnold Schwarzenegger
  • Second: Chris Dickerson 
  • Third: Frank Zane

Do you know what’s better than winning the Mr. Olympia title six times? Winning it for a record seven times. 

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Schwarzenegger came out of retirement after a five-year hiatus to compete at the 1980 Olympia in Australia. He beat the reigning champ Zane to win his seventh Olympia title. 

1980 was one of the most controversial Mr. Olympia contests as many believed that Arnie lacked the size and conditioning to beat Chris Dickerson and Mike Mentzer. 

Many athletes vowed to boycott the contest the following year, while Mentzer hung his posing trunks for good. However, Arnie pulled the curtains on his competitive bodybuilding career after this win. 

Franco Columbu (1981)

1981: Columbus, OH

  • First: Franco Columbu
  • Second: Chris Dickerson
  • Third: Tom Platz

Following his best friend’s lead, Columbu returned to the Olympia in 1981 to win his second title. However, Columbu’s second Mr. O win was even more controversial than Arnold’s seventh. Most experts believe Dickerson should have won the show. 

Chris Dickerson (1982)

With Schwarzenegger and Columbu out of sight, Dickerson finally won his maiden Mr. Olympia title. Dickerson was the first openly gay man and the first African-American to win the Mr. Olmpia title.

Chris Dickerson
Chris Dickerson

At 43, Dickerson became the oldest bodybuilder to win the Mr. Olympia title. However, Shawn Rhoden later claimed this record by winning the 2018 Mr. Olympia at 43 years and 5 months old. 

1982: London, England

  • First: Chris Dickerson
  • Second: Frank Zane
  • Third: Casey Viator

Samir Bannout (1983)

Bannout was the first Middle Eastern bodybuilder to win the Olympia crown. “The Lion of Lebanon” won the Sandow trophy in 1983. Interestingly, the 1983 Olympia was Bannout’s first pro show win. 

1983: Munich, Germany 

  • First: Samir Bannout
  • Second: Mohamed Makkawy
  • Third: Lee Haney

Read also: Chris Dickerson Passes Away At 82 Due To Pneumonia

Lee Haney (1984-1991)

Complete dominance. This is how you would describe Haney’s time at the Olympia helm. Haney finished third at the 1983 Olympia on his debut. However, he returned with a much better and bigger physique to annihilate his competition. Experts believe Haney kickstarted the size game in bodybuilding.

Lee Haney
Lee Haney

Lee Haney maintained a vice-like grip on the Olympia throne from 1984 to 1991. He won the Olympia title for eight consecutive years, beating Schwarzenegger’s record.

Haney hung up his posing suit after the 1991 Mr. O.

1984:New York, NY

  • First: Lee Haney
  • Second: Mohamed Makkawy
  • Third: Jusop Wilkosz

1985: Brussels, Belgium

  • First: Lee Haney
  • Second: Albert Beckles
  • Third: Rich Gaspari

1986: Columbus, OH

  • First: Lee Haney
  • Second: Rich Gaspari
  • Third: Mike Christian

1987: Gothenburg, Sweden

  • First: Lee Haney
  • Second: Rich Gaspari
  • Third: Lee Labrada

1988: Los Angeles, CA

  • First: Lee Haney
  • Second: Rich Gaspari
  • Third: Barry DeMey

1989: Rimini, Italy

  • First: Lee Haney
  • Second: Lee Labrada
  • Third: Vince Taylor

1990: Chicago, IL

  • First: Lee Haney
  • Second: Lee Labrada
  • Third: Shawn Ray

1991: Orlando, FL 

  • First: Lee Haney
  • Second: Dorian Yates
  • Third: Vince Taylor

Dorian Yates (1992-1997)

Yates made his Olympia debut in 1991 and took a second-place finish behind Haney. However, Yates returned with vengeance for his sophomore year at the Olympia. He brought size and conditioning that no one had ever seen before.

Dorian Yates
Dorian Yates

Dorian Yates is credited with starting the mass monster era in bodybuilding. His size, density, thickness, and vascularity allowed him to retain the Olympia throne for six consecutive years.

1992: Helsinki, Finland

  • First: Dorian Yates
  • Second: Kevin Levrone
  • Third: Lee Labrada

1993: Atlanta, GA

  • First: Dorian Yates
  • Second: Flex Wheeler
  • Third: Shawn Ray

1994: Atlanta, GA

  • First: Dorian Yates
  • Second: Shawn Ray
  • Third: Kevin Levrone

1995: Atlanta, GA

  • First: Dorian Yates
  • Second: Kevin Levrone
  • Third: Nasser El Sonbaty

1996: Chicago, IL

  • First: Dorian Yates
  • Second: Shawn Ray
  • Third: Kevin Levrone

1997: Long Beach, CA

  • First: Dorian Yates
  • Second: Nasser El Sonbaty
  • Third: Shawn Ray

Yates’ win at the 1997 Olympia was controversial as he was dealing with injuries and was not at his best. Many experts believe that Nasser El Sonbaty should have won that year. Yates retired after the 1997 Olympia, leaving the Sandow trophy up for grabs. 

Ronnie Coleman (1998-2005)

Coleman’s maiden Olympia title win in 1998 can be regarded as the biggest surprise in the sport’s history. While the previous upcoming champions had been in the top three positions before grabbing the Olympia throne, Coleman jumped from the ninth spot in 1997 to hoisting the Sandow trophy in 1998.

Ronnie Coleman
Ronnie Coleman

“The King of Bodybuilding” pushed the human form to its max during his eight-year reign. He weighed a mind-boggling 296 pounds at the 2004 Olympia prejudging, which was unheard of at that time. 

Coleman became the second male bodybuilder to win eight consecutive Olympia titles. 

1998: New York, NY

  • First: Ronnie Coleman
  • Second: Flex Wheeler
  • Third: Nasser El Sonbaty

1999: Las Vegas, NV

  • First: Ronnie Coleman
  • Second: Flex Wheeler
  • Third: Chris Cormier

2000: Las Vegas, NV

  • First: Ronnie Coleman
  • Second: Kevin Levrone
  • Third: Flex Wheeler

2001: Las Vegas, NV

  • First: Ronnie Coleman
  • Second: Jay Cutler
  • Third: Kevin Levrone

2002: Las Vegas, NV

  • First: Ronnie Coleman
  • Second: Kevin Levrone
  • Third: Chris Cormier

2003: Las Vegas, NV

  • First: Ronnie Coleman
  • Second: Jay Cutler
  • Third: Dexter Jackson

2004: Las Vegas, NV

  • First: Ronnie Coleman
  • Second: Jay Cutler
  • Third: Gustavo Badell

2005: Las Vegas, NV

  • First: Ronnie Coleman
  • Second: Jay Cutler
  • Third: Gustavo Badell

Jay Cutler (2006-2007)

After chasing Coleman for five years and placing second behind The King for four years, Cutler finally beat the Texan bodybuilder in 2006 to win his first Mr. Olympia title. 

Cutler managed to defeat Victor Martizen marginally at the 2007 Mr. Olympia to retrain his throne. 

2006: Las Vegas, NV

  • First: Jay Cutler
  • Second: Ronnie Coleman
  • Third: Victor Martinez

2007: Las Vegas, NV

  • First: Jay Cutler
  • Second: Victor Martinez
  • Third: Dexter Jackson

Coleman retired from competitive bodybuilding after placing fourth at the 2007 Mr. Olympia. 

Dexter Jackson (2008)

Experts believe that Cutler got a little complacent after beating Coleman. 2008 proved to be one of the most heart-breaking years for Cutler at the Olympia as he lost his Olympia throne two years after winning it. Cutler’s three immediate predecessors had retained the title for an average of seven years, while he could only hold it for two. 

He suffered a defeat at the hands of Dexter “The Blade” Jackson in 2008.

2008: Las Vegas, NV

  • First: Dexter Jackson
  • Second: Jay Cutler
  • Third: Phil Heath

Jackson took a different path to win the Mr. O title. He didn’t play the size game with Cutler but instead relied on his razor-sharp conditioning, symmetry, and balance to win his first Sandow trophy. 

Jay Cutler (2009-2010)

After the rude wake-up call at the 2008 Olympia, Cutler went back to the drawing board and worked on his physique. He returned with a bang at the 2009 Olympia and regained his Olympia throne. Cutler became the only bodybuilder in the sport’s history to win back the title after losing it.

Jay Cutler

Jay Cutler‘s quad stomp at the 2009 Olympia is one of the most iconic moments in the sport. 

2009: Las Vegas, NV

  • First: Jay Cutler
  • Second: Branch Warren
  • Third: Dexter Jackson

2010: Las Vegas, NV 

  • First: Jay Cutler
  • Second: Phil Heath
  • Third: Branch Warren

In 2010, Cutler claimed his fourth Mr. Olympia title, becoming the fifth competitor in Olympia history to win the title more than three times.

Phil Heath (2011-2017)

Phil Heath
Phil Heath

Phil Heath, known for his symmetry, balance, conditioning, and insane genetics, defeated Cutler to win his maiden Mr. Olympia title in 2011. “The Gift” would retain the title for six more years until 2017. 

Heath became the third man to win the Mr. O title seven times straight and the fourth man overall to win seven Mr. Olympia titles. 

2011: Las Vegas, NV

  • First: Phil Heath
  • Second: Jay Cutler
  • Third: Kai Greene

2012: Las Vegas, NV

  • First: Phil Heath
  • Second: Kai Greene
  • Third: Shawn Rhoden

2013: Las Vegas, NV

  • First: Phil Heath
  • Second: Kai Greene
  • Third: Dennis Wolf

2014: Las Vegas, NV

  • First: Phil Heath
  • Second: Kai Greene
  • Third: Shawn Rhoden

2015: Las Vegas, NV

  • First: Phil Heath
  • Second: Dexter Jackson
  • Third: Shawn Rhoden

2016: Las Vegas, NV

  • First: Phil Heath
  • Second: Shawn Rhoden
  • Third: Dexter Jackson

2017: Las Vegas, NV

  • First: Phil Heath
  • Second: Mamdouh Elssbiay
  • Third: William Bonac

Shawn Rhoden (2018)

Shawn Rhoden At Mr Olympia Stage
Shawn Rhoden at Mr. Olympia Stage

Shawn Rhoden jumped from the fifth spot at the 2017 Mr. Olympia to unseat Heath at the 2018 Olympia showdown. The late Jamaican bodybuilder brought a fantastic package to the stage to dethrone the reigning champ. Plus, experts believe Heath’s double hernia surgery hampered his 2018 Olympia performance. 

 2018: Las Vegas, NV

  • First: Shawn Rhoden
  • Second: Phil Heath
  • Third: Roelly Winklaar

Read also: Former Mr. Olympia Shawn Rhoden Dead at 46

Brandon Curry (2019)

Brandon Curry Wins 2022 Arnold Classic
Brandon Curry (Image via @w_wittmannphoto on Instagram)

Due to the sexual assault charges against him, Rhoden was banned from competing at the 2019 Mr. Olympia contest and future competitions, leaving the Mr. Olympia throne up for grabs. 

Brandon Curry’s size and conditioning helped him become the 15th bodybuilder to win the Mr. Olympia title. 

2019: Las Vegas, NV

  • First: Brandon Curry
  • Second: William Bonac
  • Third: Hadi Choopan

Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay (2020-2021)

The 2020 Olympia was a much-awaited contest as the seven-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath was making a comeback after a year’s break. Plus, the Olympia management, under the new owner Jake Wood, extended a special invite to Big Ramy to compete at the 2020 Olympia as he couldn’t qualify for the Superbowl of bodybuilding per the Olympia Qualification System, (OQS). 

Big Ramy 2020 Mr. Olympia
Image via @w_wittmannphoto

To everyone’s surprise, Big Ramy showed up with his trademark size and perfect conditioning. The combination was enough to dethrone Curry and push Heath to third place. 

Big Ramy held onto his throne at the 2021 Olympia by fending off Curry and Iranian bodybuilder Hadi Choopan. Working with Dennis James and Chad Nicholls has helped Big Ramy dial in his physique and achieve consistency.

2020: Orlando, FL

  • First: Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay
  • Second: Brandon Curry
  • Third: Phil Heath

2021: Orlando, FL

  • First: Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay
  • Second: Brandon Curry
  • Third: Hadi Choopan

Hadi Choopan (2022)

Hadi Choopan
Hadi Choopan (via @moriauphoto/Instagram)

With 30 bodybuilders competing for the sport’s highest honor, the 2022 Olympia was one of the most exciting Men’s Open division contests in a long time. Hadi Choopan dethroned the reigning champ Big Ramy, who couldn’t hold his own and fell to the fifth spot.

After three years in the top five at the Mr. O, “The Persian Wolf” showed up with a bigger and more conditioned physique and received the nod from the judges for his maiden Olympia title victory.

With his win at the 2022 Olympia, Choopan became the 17th bodybuilder to hoist the elusive Sandow trophy and the first Iranian man to achieve the feat.

2022: Las Vegas, NV

  • First: Hadi Choopan
  • Second: Derek Lunsford
  • Third: Nick Walker

Derek Lunsford (2023)

Derek Lunsford Wins 2023 Olympia
Derek Lunsford (via @moriauphoto)

The walls of the Orange County Convention Center echoed with cheers as Derek Lunsford was crowned the new Mr. Olympia, marking a historic moment in bodybuilding. Having claimed the 212 Olympia title in 2021, Lunsford now stood as the undisputed king of the Men’s Open division in 2023, showcasing his relentless pursuit of excellence.

From last year’s runner-up to this year’s champion, Lunsford, who stepped into the Open division with a special invitation, outshone his competition. His showdown with former champ Hadi Choopan and 2023 Arnold Classic winner Samson Dauda was a spectacle of mass and definition. Yet, it was Lunsford’s unparalleled conditioning that captivated both judges and audience, earning him the prestigious Sandow trophy and the People’s Choice Award.

In the finals that had fans on their feet, it was Lunsford, Choopan, and Dauda who battled for supremacy. However, Lunsford’s performance, especially in the back poses, secured his legacy as the 18th Mr. Olympia, etching his name in the annals of bodybuilding greatness.

2023: Orlando, FL

  • First: Derek Lunsford
  • Second: Hadi Choopan
  • Third: Samson Dauda

Samson Dauda (2024)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Samson Dauda (@samson__dauda)

The 2024 Olympia was the show’s 60th anniversary and proved to be one of the fiercest battles in the sport’s history. Each of the 15 elite competitors showed up in peak form for the bragging rights to call themselves the best bodybuilder in the world. 

The third time was the charm for British bodybuilder Samson Dauda. The British bodybuilder, who debuted at the Olympia in 2022 and placed third in 2023, ascended to the throne in 2024.

Along with the title, Dauda received a $600,000 winner’s cheque — a significant increase thanks to Olympia owner Jake Wood — an exclusive championship ring and a one-of-a-kind golden Sandow trophy.

2024: Las Vegas, NV

  • First: Samson Dauda
  • Second: Hadi Choopan
  • Third: Derek Lunsford

Number of Overall Wins

Given below are the total number of wins and the years for each Mr. Olympia champ:

Bodybuilder Overall Wins Years Won
Lee Haney 8 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991
Ronnie Coleman 8 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005
Arnold Schwarzenegger 7 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 (overall & heavyweight), 1975 (overall & heavyweight), and 1980
Phil Heath 7 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017
Dorian Yates 6 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997
Jay Cutler 4 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2010
Frank Zane 3 1977 (overall & lightweight), 1978 (overall & lightweight), 1979 (overall & lightweight)
Sergio Oliva 3 1967, 1968, and 1969
Franco Columbu 2 1974 (lightweight), 1975 (lightweight), 1976 (overall & lightweight), and 1981
Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay 2 2020 and 2021
Larry Scott 2 1965 and 1966
Chris Dickerson 1 1982
Samir Bannout 1 1983
Dexter Jackson 1 2008
Shawn Rhoden 1 2018
Brandon Curry 1 2019
Hadi Choopan 1 2022
Derek Lunsford 1 2023
Samson Dauda 1 2024
Robby Robinson 0 2 Heavyweight — 1977 (heavyweight) and 1978 (heavyweight)
Kenny Waller 0 1 Heavyweight — 1976 (heavyweight)
Mike Mentzer 0 1 Heavyweight — 1979 (heavyweight)

The winners of the other divisions:

  • Every 212 Olympia Winner Since 2008 (and History of the Division)
  • Every Wellness Olympia Winner Since 2021
  • Every Classic Physique Olympia Winner Since 2016
  • Every Bikini Olympia Winner Since 2010
  • Every Fitness Olympia Winner Since 1995
  • Every Wheelchair Olympia Winner Since 2018
  • Every Women’s Physique Olympia Winner Since 2013
  • Every Figure Olympia Winner Since 2003
  • Every Men’s Physique Olympia Winner Since 2013
  • Every Ms. Olympia Winner Since 1980 (and History of the Division)

If you have any questions or need further clarification about this article, please leave a comment below, and Vidur will get back to you as soon as possible.

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Categories: Bodybuilding Mr. Olympia
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Vidur Saini

Vidur Saini

Vidur is an ACE-certified personal trainer, writer, and editor at FitnessVolt.com. He has been lifting since 2007 and loves sharing his hard-earned knowledge and passion for strength sports with anyone who lends him an ear. An expert at giving unsolicited advice, his writings benefit the readers and infuriate the bros. Vidur's work has appeared in leading publications such as BarBend and Generation Iron.

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