While the 2026 Mr. Olympia is still a few months away, speculations regarding who will win it have already begun. And the multiple IFBB Pro contests winner, Phil Clahar, recently opined that Hadi Choopan wouldn't come out on top.

Clahar appeared on the June 2 episode of the 2x Mr. Canada, Matt Tsinkorang's YouTube podcast, Muscle Discord, where the two retired bodybuilders delved into a discussion about the strong contenders for Mr. Olympia 2026. Amid the same, Clahar opined that Choopan would fall behind the other potent contestants like Andrew Jacked and Derek Lunsford.

Replying to Tsinkorang's question about whether Choopan can repeat his 2022 feat, Clahar said, "I don't think it's going to happen." Besides mentioning the merits of other contestants like Samson Dauda, Lunsford, and Nick Walker, Clahar mentioned, "For him [Choopan] to win it again, it's going to be really tough."

The 52-year-old also mentioned the reason behind his opinion, stating, "You got Derek [Lunsford], who regained it. You got Samson, who's coming back to win it back. You got Andrew Jacked with his big wins. He has already beaten Hadi. Regardless of whether he was on or off, he still got a win over him."

Previously, Clahar and Tsinkorang discussed how Choopan's legs could become a major drawback. Describing them, Clahar said, "I've seen his quads a little bit, you know, about two years ago. Uh, a little bit more beef to it. One leg looks a little flat. Is that the right side?"

But, he corrected himself soon, saying, "It's the left leg, right? It's the left leg. Yeah, something's off with that leg there." Understandably, even such small disparities can become the difference between first and second places in a tough contest like Mr. Olympia.

However, Clahar had another reason for mentioning that Choopan wouldn't win the Mr. Olympia title this year.

Phil Clahar viewed Hadi Choopan's coach change as a negative factor

Besides a bodybuilder's intense efforts, their coaches also play a major role in their success. And it often takes a bodybuilder and his coach several months to figure out the exact training regimen that benefits them.

Choopan had been working with his long-time coach, Hany Rambod, for several years. Rambod also helped the Iranian secure the Mr. Olympia title in 2022 and the Arnold Classic title in 2024. However, in late February 2026, the two decided to part ways, with just about two weeks left for the Arnold Classic 2026.

Subsequently, Choopan joined hands with Milos Sarcev, whom Clahar rated as a potent coach. However, considering the time a new coach takes to get accustomed to his disciple's requirements, Clahar opined that the change may not help Choopan's case.

He said, "You know, man, you could hire any coach that's at the top of their game. I mean, Milos is a very knowledgeable guy. He's done very well. [But] I mean, Hadi’s new [to him]. He's taken on Hadi new. You know, when we look at Samson, he's been with him for a while. When we look at the other gentlemen, he's been working for a while; he's had time to get familiarized with their bodies, right?"

Sarcev joined Choopan as his coach with roughly seven months left in Mr. Olympia 2026. So, it will be interesting to see if he can prove Clahar wrong by guiding the Iranian bodybuilder to his second Mr. Olympia victory.

But with Mr. Olympia 2026 scheduled to begin on September 24, do you think that Choopan and Sacrev will be able to accomplish this feat?

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Written by

Souvik Roy

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil