Just four weeks stand between contenders and the highly anticipated 2026 Mr. Olympia. In an August 27 video, Dennis James, Chris Cormier, and Milos Sarcev predicted the top six Men’s Open finishers set to take the stage in Las Vegas.
The Men’s Open lineup just took a massive hit. Former 2022 Olympia winner Hadi Choopan was forced to withdraw from this year’s contest due to visa issues and travel restrictions. This will be the first Mr. Olympia contest in seven years without “The Persian Wolf.”
Despite the fallout, the show must go on. A handful of contenders are eager to capitalize on his absence. Fans expect the ‘big five’ to be in title contention, including reigning two-time champ Derek Lunsford, Andrew Jacked, Samson Dauda, Nick Walker, and Martin Fitzwater.
History is on the line; should Lunsford score another victory, he’ll be the first Olympia champion since Phil Heath to win three Sandow trophies. While Lunsford opted for a longer off-season, Jacked took an entirely different approach. The Nigerian star jumped into the Arnold Classic Ohio and UK events, and won both handily. With the show coming soon, bodybuilding veterans are breaking down what’s most likely to unfold.
Bodybuilding Veterans Share Top 6 Men’s Open 2026 Mr. Olympia Predictions
Chris Cormier
- Winner — Nick Walker
- Second Place — Derek Lunsford
- Third Place — Samson Dauda
- Fourth Place — Andrew Jacked
- Fifth Place — Behrooz Tabani
- Sixth Place — Tonio Burton
Milos Sarcev
- Winner — Samson Dauda
- Second Place — Derek Lunsford
- Third Place — Andrew Jacked
- Fourth Place — Behrooz Tabani
- Fifth Place — Nick Walker
- Sixth Place — Martin Fitzwater
Dennis James
- Winner — Derek Lunsford
- Second Place — Samson Dauda
- Third Place — Andrew Jacked
- Fourth Place — Nick Walker
- Fifth Place — Martin Fitzwater
- Sixth Place — Behrooz Tabani
Before wrapping up the episode, James reacted to Choopan pulling out of the 2026 Olympia, sharing that he’s less interested in the event now:
“Shit, it’s sad because I wanted to see the battle, man. Hadi was the reason why I wanted to be at the Arnold.”
“I just think that if he’s not onstage, there’s just something missing… It’s not the same. That’s how I feel,” James said. “Now it’s not as interesting as it was if Hadi were in there. For real, it took some of the excitement away from me, but it’s still going to be a good Olympia though.”
“That’s how I feel too,” added Sarcev.
Meanwhile, Bob Cicherillo and Shawn Ray also reacted to Choopan’s Olympia withdrawal. Cicherillo shared that he’d ‘call it a day’ if he were in Choopan’s shoes. Shawn Ray went on to predict another big dropout could be coming soon.
When it comes to the Mr. Olympia, nothing is guaranteed. The prestigious event will return from September 24-27 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fitness Volt will have live coverage.
RELATED: Nick Walker Says ‘I Can’t Be Beat’ at 2026 Olympia ‘As Long as I Control My Midsection’
