The 62nd Mr. Olympia runs Sept. 24 to 27 in Las Vegas. The Men’s Open field is deep this year, but the Sandow is realistically going to one of four men. Here is how each got here and what he is betting on.
Derek Lunsford, the defending champion
Lunsford, 33, took the title back last October, joining Jay Cutler as the only men to win the Open Olympia after losing it on stage. He is the smallest man in this group and wins on shape, conditioning, and a waist the others cannot match. His bet: that the judges keep rewarding the complete package over raw mass.
Samson Dauda, the 2024 champion
Dauda won in 2024, then fell to fourth in 2025 after chasing drier conditioning and coming in flat. He spent the offseason pushing past 350 pounds and is running a warm up show at the Europa Pro just 11 days out to test his peak. His bet: size, and a rehearsal so he does not miss twice.
Chinedu “Andrew Jacked” Obiekea, the momentum pick
Third at the 2025 Olympia, then winner of the 2026 Arnold Classic. Obiekea has the frame and the structure, and every year the conditioning gets closer. His bet: that this is the year the last few percent shows up.
Nick Walker, the mass monster
Walker qualified with a win at the Tampa Pro and has said publicly that he would leave Las Vegas with the title even if every rival showed up at his best. His bet: that the judges want the biggest, hardest physique on stage and nothing else.
Hadi Choopan, runner up three years running, is the man who can spoil any of these stories.
The one thing that applies to you
Four elite athletes, four different strategies, and every one of them is built on the same base: years of progressive overload, enough protein, and a prep diet that still costs them muscle. The last 1 percent is what decides the show. The first 99 is the same for everyone.
This story was originally published by Men’s Fitness on Sep 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men’s Fitness as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
