The 2024 Arnold Classic, hosted by Arnold Schwarzenegger, delivered unforgettable action, setting the table for an epic year in bodybuilding. In a recent YouTube video, Nathan De Asha discussed Hadi Choopan’s and Wesley Vissers’ victories in Columbus, Ohio.
Taking place from February 29 to March 3, the 36th annual Arnold Sports Festival concluded with seven champions being crowned. Among the highest moments of the night was Wesley Vissers upsetting the reigning Classic Physique titleholder Ramon Rocha Queiroz with striated delts, chest, and overall muscle separation. Towering over competitors at 6 feet and 3 inches, Vissers’ golden-era look will present a unique challenge for the reigning five-time Classic Physique Olympia Chris Bumstead in the future.
As for the Men’s Open division, fans witnessed a two-man battle for first place between reigning champion Samson Dauda and Hadi Choopan. Despite Dauda’s best efforts, Choopan won the event handily, having surpassed ‘The Nigerian Lion’ by ten points on the scorecards. This victory sets Choopan up as the clear number-one contender to Derek Lunsford’s Olympia title in October.
Nathan De Asha, who previously took fourth place to Samson Dauda at the 2023 Romania Muscle Fest Pro, recapped the 2024 Arnold Classic action from Classic Physique and the Open in his latest online appearance.
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Nathan De Asha Breaks Down Men’s Open and Classic Physique Action Post-2024 Arnold Classic
Even though he lost money betting on Samson Dauda to win in Ohio, Nathan De Asha acknowledged that Hadi Choopan brought one of his best physiques to date.
“The last Olympia, he wasn’t his best, the one before that he wasn’t his best as well but this Hadi bro, it was crazy. I had Samson to win so I lost money. I got to get some money back. I lost a lot of money in the gym in regard to Samson. I got to walk in the gym tomorrow with my head held high.”
De Asha explained that most of his predictions were inaccurate leading up to the event.
“Yeah man, Hadi again, Hadi was showing off. Samson was out there posing and posing, I had Samson, Hadi, Ramon, then I had James, and then, I thought Akim would have been fifth, I did not have Delarosa in it, no way. But John shocked everyone bro.”
While Dauda likely outweighed Choopan by 30-40 pounds, De Asha noted that the former Mr. Olympia still matched him with comparable size.
“The condition was that far ahead [with Hadi Choopan] it was just crazy. He had, you know, Samson is like what 30-40 pounds heavier than him… he looked the same size as Samson.
So, you know, it’s crazy, and then you think to yourself, imagine Samson got the condition that Hadi got, suffer how Hadi suffered, bro, Samson would be unbeatable, he would be fucking unbeatable it’s just Samson’s issue is a condition issue.”
According to De Asha, Dauda brought a fuller and heavier look to the finals but Choopan was ‘miles ahead’ thanks to added size and dry conditioning.
“In the evening he came back a lot fuller. I didn’t like the finals look. I think he went for fullness, of course the prejudging look was better for Samson. He looked about 10-15 pounds heavier the next day but I still… Hadi was again, miles ahead. Complete, complete. I think Steve and the guys gave the audience a show of what they wanted.”
Before moving on to Classic Physique analysis, De Asha underlined that Akim Williams, who placed sixth, was overlooked.
“I also thought Akim was overlooked, to be honest,” adds Nathan De Asha. “I thought Akim got fourth and he got sixth. Not sure what was going on there in the judges’ minds. Akim looked crazy.”
As for Classic Physique, De Asha anticipated a two-man show between Urs Kalecinski and Rocha Queiroz. However, his teammate, Wesley Vissers, turned the bodybuilding world upside down with a career-best performance.
“I, in my heart of hearts, thought it was going to be a two-man show with Urs and Ramon. I think everyone thought that. But then, the second Wesley got called out, he hasn’t been given his fair chance in a lineup, he just hasn’t right. He always gets put aside for no reason. I think when he got up there and this increased weight cap… bro, he just looked like a man mountain next to these guys.”
As long as Vissers can add tissue to his hamstrings, De Asha envisions him challenging Chris Bumstead for the Classic Physique Olympia title in due time.
“He needs to get the hamstrings a little bigger and keep the legs in that pose. I believe he’s the best man to give Chris a run for his money, bro, I honestly do. Chris has not met someone this big. He always out-sizes the guys but no way will he out-size Wesley, no way.”
“Give Wesley his due bro, he deserved that. I don’t think anyone could take that away from him, no one.”
De Asha hasn’t been the only notable voice in the bodybuilding community to break down the results. Judge Terrick El Guindy assessed the aftermath recently. He believes Choopan sent a clear message to Derek Lunsford with his dominant victory in Ohio, specifying that this was one of ‘The Persian Wolf’s’ best physiques ever.
With the 2024 Arnold Classic recorded in the history books, fans now shift their attention to the biggest bodybuilding event of the year — the 2024 Mr. Olympia competition, set for October 10-13 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
RELATED: 2024 Arnold Classic Results For All Divisions
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