Samson Dauda unveiled his top four picks for the 2026 Arnold Classic, but left fans speculating on his 2026 plans.

In a recent interaction with former bodybuilder Fouad Abiad on his Real Bodybuilding Podcast, Mr. Olympia 2024, Samson Dauda revealed his top four contenders, whom he believes could take the prestigious 2026 Arnold Classic title this year:

• Hadi Choopan - because he has the least amount of weakness, is the most consistent, and is overall the most balanced.
• Andrew Jacked - because he has a dominant front side and incredible muscle shape.
• Nick Walker - because of his amazing back and hamstrings, and a detailed body.
• Martin Fitzwater - because he is younger and has an improved physique than before

Dauda also named Rafael Brandeo as a potential wild card who could tip the scales at the competition with a wild card win. The competition is set to be held between March 5 and 8 in Columbus, Ohio.

The winner will take home a hefty cash prize of $750,000, the biggest one yet, and will be directly qualified to compete in Mr. Olympia and challenge current winner Derek Lunsford. But what is the champ himself upto?

What are Samson Dauda's plans for 2026?

When Abiad asked Dauda about his plans for 2026, he replied with a mysterious answer:

"Never say never. For me, I never say never. People say when you are trying to peak with a new added muscle, new structure, what you've done doesn't suddenly work again the same way. So, sometimes you might have to take a test to see how your body responds. Olympia was a prime example."

Samson revealed that a trial show before the main event, Mr. Olympia, will help him determine where he stands in his preparation and if what he has done so far will work. Not confirming on what shows he will compete in, but a trial run before the main challenge is on the cards for him.

All the talk about his future got him nostalgic about his past; he reminisced about how the same strategy helped him win the Mr. Olympia title in 2024.

"If you're just on a show beforehand, and you make a mistake at that show, you can be able to gauge, okay, you're either not lean enough, or you've gone one way or the other way. This is one of the things we did in 2024 that worked out well for us."

Would you be excited to watch Samson Duada compete on the bodybuilding stage soon?

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Written by

Ruwa Javed

Edited by

Joyita Das