Conversations around the 2024 Mr. Olympia results are brewing following its epic conclusion. In an Old School Labs podcast that aired on October 17, 2024, Samir Bannout, a former Olympia winner, discussed Samson Dauda’s shocking victory against Hadi Choopan. He also revealed that if Derek Lunsford had the same muscle hardness as Choopan, he would have won a second title.
The 2024 Mr. Olympia competition in Las Vegas, Nevada was an eye-opener, especially for those who follow the Men’s Open division. Samson Dauda brought an all-time best physique and defeated finalist Hadi Choopan by three points on the scorecard to become champion. He became the first Mr. Olympia from the UK since Dorian Yates‘ reign in the 1990s.
Derek Lunsford fell to third place. IFBB Pro League Vice President Tyler Manion explained that Lunsford took bronze because his legs were down in size which caused his physique to appear imbalanced. However, Samir Bannout has a different take on why the former two-division Mr. Olympia lost his title.
Samir Bannout: Derek Lunsford Needs ‘Harder’ Muscle, Believes 2024 Mr. Olympia Results Could Have Gone ‘Either Way’
Bannout thought the showdown between Dauda and Choopan was very close. He believes Samson Dauda deserved the victory but said the event could have gone either way.
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“I like his physique. We said it time and time and over and over again, that once Samson gets shredded he’s going to be hard to beat. For me, it was a very close show between him and Hadi and the score said so. But if you want to about quality, Hadi has incredible shredded front body.”
“Yes, it could have gone either way but if you ask me, are you okay with Samson winning? Absolutely, I’m okay. Why? Look at the body… from head to toe, beautiful lines.”
As for Derek Lunsford, Bannout explained that his main obstacle on stage was a lack of muscle hardness.
“Derek needs to come in harder. He needs to come harder. He walked out on the stage and honestly, I was disappointed he was not hard. As the show went on, he started to look better and better. So, Derek is always in the winner’s circle but if he gets shredded, look out. He needs to be more shredded. His glutes were great. He looked beautiful. He just has to focus more on quality.”
He believes if Lunsford was as hard as Hadi Choopan was, Bob Cicherillo would have called his name in first place.
“If he was as hard as Hadi, he would have won,” adds Bannout.
After prejudging, Bannout told Dauda that if he brought more quality, his chances of winning would increase.
“Samson is improving every year. I told him, I said Samson, the more quality you bring the easier it is for you to win. I sincerely told him that. I saw him right after prejudging. And at prejudging, honestly, I had him tied, exactly what the judges saw. I had him tied, I said you know what? It’s like this. You are a frontrunner 100 percent, first or second.”
The former 1983 Mr. Olympia shared that Dauda has ‘everything,’ and understood how to peak properly this year.
“Right there, you can see why Samson won. The guy looks like a mountain of muscle and he really looks great. He looks perfect right there, standing relaxed, shoulders, chest, abs, legs are — he’s got everything.”
“Waist is small,” says Bannout. “His waist got smaller. I’m serious. Sometimes when you’re flat, your waist looks wider. You have to understand this game. Flat means wide waist, smaller shoulders. When you’re full you got wider shoulders. Your V, the ratio becomes different.”
He believes diuretic dosages could also make a world of difference for top Open competitors on the Mr. Olympia stage.
“I’m not saying the diuretics alone, but the excessive amount of diuretics, sometimes diuretics can be used and instead of taking let’s say 10 milligrams, take 3-4 milligrams because you already are right there. Losing a little bit instead of losing a lot, it makes a huge difference.”
Dauda has no intention of sitting out until his Olympia title defense. ‘The Nigerian Lion’ has already thrown his name into the upcoming 2025 Arnold Classic, where a staggering $500,000 cash prize awaits the fortunate Men’s Open winner.
With Derek Lunsford no longer champion, the Open landscape has undergone immense changes. As one of the tallest competitors in the category, Dauda’s opposition has a tough task ahead if they hope to take his crown away.
Watch the full video from the Old School Labs Podcast below:
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