Lee Haney is ready for the stacked 2026 Mr. Olympia, set for September 24-27 in Las Vegas, Nevada. On March 7, 2026, he offered Andrew Jacked and Samson Dauda key advice ahead of their showdown.
Chinedu Andrew “Jacked” Obiekea has quickly cemented himself as an Olympia frontrunner. He claimed bronze at the event last year, holding his own against Hadi Choopan and champion Derek Lunsford. In his next outing, the Nigerian native secured his Olympia qualification after his big win at the Romania Pro.
Jacked continued the momentum at the 2026 Arnold Classic. He overwhelmed Nick Walker and Choopan in the finals to secure a $750,000 grand prize. He raked in another $250,000 at the Arnold UK, becoming the first bodybuilder in history to clear $1 million in prize earnings within a month.
Samson Dauda, meanwhile, is focused on rebuilding what he once had. He won the 2024 Mr. Olympia with a balanced and full physique. However, he missed the mark in his title defense and fell to fourth place. His rebound plan at the Prague Pro was shot down by Martin Fitzwater, prompting Dauda to finally take a break from competing. With the contest taking place in less than six months, Haney discussed how these taller competitors could wind up on the podium.
Lee Haney Shares Arnold-Inspired Advice for Samson Dauda and Andrew Jacked Ahead of 2026 Mr. Olympia
In the Instagram post, Haney shared advice that he picked up from bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger. He urged Jacked and Dauda to ‘stand tall and pose big.’
“Arnold said to me after placing 3rd in my first Olympia, I needed to stand tall and pose big. I second this to Samson and Andrew as their set to battle it out at the 2026 Mr. Olympia. Gonna be blood and guts everywhere🫵🏽👌🏽🫵🏽,” Lee Haney shared.
Anticipation for Dauda’s next performance is growing. He recently laid out his plan to become a ‘350-pound’ monster, noting that size remains his greatest weapon onstage. To get back in the winner’s circle, bodybuilding veteran King Kamali suggested he start training under Dorian Yates’ guidance.
Some in the sport, like Jay Cutler, are extremely confident in Jacked’s future. Cutler predicted Jacked would win the 2026 Mr. Olympia on his fifth attempt. With more momentum than ever, he stands a definite shot at securing the Sandow trophy.
Time will tell if fans get to witness the highly anticipated two-man battle between Jacked and Dauda. For Haney, he stressed that standing tall and posing with conviction will go a long way.
