Questions about who will win the 2026 Mr. Olympia are gaining steam. In an August 22 Instagram Stories post, Samson Dauda labeled Nick Walker a top threat less than eight weeks out from hitting the stage in Vegas.
After failing to deliver at the 2025 Mr. Olympia, fans began to doubt Nick Walker’s potential. The drop to sixth place was a huge wake-up call, and Walker responded accordingly. He dropped Kyle Wilkes as his coach and prepped alone for the 2026 Arnold Classic.
Ultimately, the risky decision paid off. Walker pushed Andrew Jacked (Chinedu Andrew Obiekea) but left Ohio with silver. Nevertheless, the showing restored his confidence, and it served as Walker’s first time ever beating Hadi Choopan. Over the weekend, “The Mutant” qualified for the Mr. Olympia with a dominant win at the 2026 Tampa Pro. His success prompted Dauda to assess his chances at the biggest show of the year.
Samson Dauda Not Counting Out Nick Walker at 2026 Mr. Olympia
In the video, Dauda explained that any athlete who finishes in the top 10 at the Mr. Olympia is a legitimate threat.
“How much of a threat do you think Nick will be this Olympia. The same threat he’s always been. He’s always been a threat. Look, we in the Olympia, the top 10 guys in the Olympia, we’ve been there for a time now for a reason because each and every one of us is a threat.”
He shared that competitors don’t count each other out, but fans do:
“We don’t count each other out. You guys count us out. So, when one person has a bad showing, you guys automatically think oh, that’s it, it’s over. Yet, they are still coming back harder the next time. This happens all the time. Anybody who has that ability to get to that level are fucking threats.”
Dauda clarified that he especially wouldn’t overlook a competitor like Walker who has won the Arnold Classic, the second most prestigious contest in the IFBB Pro League.
“This one, Nick is always a threat. You don’t ever look down on anybody that can make it to the Olympia and be that threatening, or who has won an Arnold, and say they are not a threat? Come on, man, it’s common sense,” Samson Dauda shared.
Though his confidence took a hit in 2025, it’s a brand new Walker heading into this year’s Olympia. Having displayed improved aesthetics and a tighter waist in Tampa, the surging mass monster is confident he can win the 2026 Mr. Olympia with slight improvements.
Dauda refuses to count out anyone as he aims to reclaim Olympia gold. The 2026 Mr. Olympia is set for September 24-27 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
