The second-biggest show of the year is around the corner, and Samson Dauda is sitting it out. On Feb. 11, 2026, he teased a possible ‘trial run’ contest before the next Mr. Olympia. He also revealed his top four Open picks for the Arnold Classic.
Samson Dauda won the 2024 Mr. Olympia but was unable to successfully defend the title in 2025. Instead, he took fourth place and watched Derek Lunsford reclaim the Sandow trophy, joining Jay Cutler as only the second bodybuilder to do so after losing it in competition.
Dauda attempted a rebound show at the Prague Pro but couldn’t get past Martin Fitzwater. Since then, he’s packed on considerable size, tipping the scales at over 350 pounds. While some bodybuilding veterans think that the game plan could backfire, Dauda is determined to add mass and reaffirm himself as an Olympia title contender.
Samson Dauda Leaves Door Open to Competing Before 2026 Mr. Olympia
In the video, Dauda touched on the challenges of peaking for a show after adding significant muscle mass to his physique. When pressed on whether he’ll compete before Olympia, Dauda shared, “Never say never.”
“Never say never. For me, I never say never. People say when you’re trying to peak with a new added muscle, new structure, what you’ve done before doesn’t suddenly work again the same way. So sometimes you might have to take a test to see how your body responds. Olympia was a prime example.”
He explained that a trial run show allows him to assess how his body reacts to the peaking process onstage:
“If I’ve done a show before and realized I ate all this food and I’m not full, I’m like shit, I’m not going to do that, and I’ll have to eat a lot more for Olympia, won’t I? You learn based on those past experiences.
I’m not going to put it out that it’s not going to happen. At the same time, I’m open-minded that I might have to do a trial run to make sure everything is responding like I think and hope we would be,” he shared.
This strategy helped him win the Mr. Olympia title back in 2024.
“If you’re just on a show beforehand, and you make a mistake at that show, you can be able to gauge, okay, you’re either not lean enough, or you’ve gone one way or the other way. This is one of the things we did in 2024 that worked out well for us.”
Dauda’s Top 4 Men’s Open Picks at the 2026 Arnold Classic
Find his picks from the Fouad Abiad Media YouTube channel below:
- Hadi Choopan
- Andrew Jacked
- Nick Walker
- Martin Fitzwater
Dark Horse: Rafael Brandao
The winner of the 2026 Arnold Classic will be in a prime position to challenge Lunsford for the Olympia title. Dauda noted that he needed time off, giving him the opportunity to rebuild his physique. The show is stacked with top-tier threats, including Hadi Choopan, Chinedu Andrew ‘Jacked’ Obiekea, Nick Walker, Martin Fitzwater, and Brandon Curry.
The Open champion will walk away with a $750,000 prize purse, the highest payout in bodybuilding history. In less than four weeks, the 2026 Arnold Classic returns to Columbus, OH, from March 5-8.
RELATED: Bodybuilding Veteran Jose Raymond Shares His Top 10 Men’s Open Picks for the 2026 Arnold Classic
Watch the full video from the Fouad Abiad Media YouTube channel below:
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