Having supersized to 350 pounds, Samson Dauda is the biggest question mark heading into the Mr. Olympia. In an August 13 video, Phil Heath revealed that if Dauda manages to get peeled, he will recapture the Sandow trophy in Las Vegas.
In 2024, Samson Dauda shocked the world and defeated Derek Lunsford at the Mr. Olympia. His bigger stature and comparable conditioning helped him on his way to gold. However, a year later, “The Nigerian Lion” dropped the title and fell to fourth place with a downsized look.
Dauda attempted to rebound at the Prague Pro but lost to Martin Fitzwater. His struggles continued at the 2025 Arnold Classic, where he lost to Lunsford, which prompted a long off-season. Now, the bodybuilding community is curious if he can bring a winning physique after packing on significant size.
Phil Heath Believes Samson Dauda Will Win 2026 Mr. Olympia If He’s ‘Inside-Out Shredded’
During the Olympia Instagram live video, Heath explained that Dauda still had visible abs despite weighing over 330 pounds.
“I don’t see anyone dominant, and that’s just how I look at it because I saw Samson at the Arnold UK, and I was like good lord, this guy is massive. Arnold asked him to lift his shirt up, and he had abs. Wow, I’ve never seen that from him. He said he weighed over 330 or something like that. This is insane. This is another level.”
He believes Dauda’s size is a gamble, and questions what he’ll do after the Mr. Olympia:
“With that said, it’s a gamble. In my opinion, you can’t get that big in the off-season and then you lose to a smaller guy like Derek.
If that person can make up that much ground on you, then was the 350 really enough? Because, then, what do you do after that? Is it getting bigger or just getting leaner? I think it’s a combination,” said Phil Heath.
According to Heath, if Dauda is peeled, it’s going to be a short night for his competition.
“If he gets peeled, it’s a wrap. Let’s just call it how it is. But how hard is it to do that, to get inside-out shredded? I always feel like the Mr. Olympia needs two deadly shots that they don’t lose to anyone. In this lineup, you have to have it, or it can go either way.”
Heath isn’t the only bodybuilding veteran airing concerns about Dauda’s size. Shawn Ray argued that Dauda’s extra weight could backfire when he steps back onstage.
“I don’t know if he’s got the right strategy. I don’t know if being 340-350 pounds and bringing it down, trying to stay above 300, is going to be his winning ticket. I think being leaner is what got him the Olympia.”
Less than six weeks remain before the biggest bodybuilding show of the year. The 2026 Mr. Olympia will take place from September 24-27 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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