Samson Dauda shared a progress video less than five months after the 2026 Olympics, and many fans think he’s already won bodybuilding’s most prestigious show.
The great Briton won the Mr Olympia title in 2024, but surprisingly dropped to fourth place in 2025 as judges felt his body was skewed due to his size, he lost his balance and perhaps lost some of his aura. “We went all the way in deep and we underestimated how long it would take us to fill and that was it.” He explained to David about the wrong calculation. Since then, this mountain man has been on a mission of packing in some serious muscle mass.
If a true hero is defined as someone who takes failure on the chin and recovers even better, then 2026 could see the Nigerian lion as king of the Olympia jungle. In a progress video shared by Factory Gym in Essex, EnglandDauda, no doubt, looks like Daida again and his fans and fans can’t get enough of it. “Visited my old stomping grounds today,” she wrote in an Instagram post to her 1.7 million followers on May 7. “So I have to upgrade at my old place.”
Fans think Samson Dauda can win Mr. Olympia title in 2026
Winning an Olympic title after losing it to another bodybuilder is rare, but it can be done. Jay Cutler won in 2006 and 2007, but lost to Dexter Jackson in 2008. He won the award again in 2009. Phil Heath won from 2011 to 2017lost to Shawn Rhoden in 2018 and regained the title in 2019. The key to a successful comeback is a quick comeback, and Shimshon Dauda could be on course.
IFBB Pro and 212 competitor, Yinka “MajonMuscle” Majolagbe, was so impressed with Dauda’s development that he wrote, “This is from another level. This is from another planet.” The sentiment was echoed by “The Great” Melvin Anthony, who simply added “Sports.”
In January, Dauda explained that he wants to gain 350 pounds for the offseasonand he certainly seems to be around that weight. But despite his great size, the big man also looks cut. “It’s not just about being big,” wrote d5coaching. “The aesthetic here is amazing. No weird veins anywhere, just clean.”
This latest progress video may serve as a warning for current champion Derek Lunsford. But the eagle-eyed follower found a way to make things better for the Nigerian Lions. “They need a bigger door,” wrote bodybuilder and trainer Jacob Egbunike!
Weekend Olympia 2026 will be held from September 24 to 27, 2026 in Las Vegas. For more information, click here.
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