The 2026 Mr. Olympia Men's Open hits Las Vegas September 24–27, with the final on Saturday. The question: can anyone dethrone reigning champion Derek Lunsford? The two-time champion wins on his total package, not any single strength, and says he doesn't see anyone beating him if his prep goes to plan. 

He faces a stacked field. Samson Dauda, the 2024 champion, brings momentum after a Europa Pro win and imposing size and structure, if his conditioning holds up. 

Andrew Jacked has had a career-best season, winning the Arnold Classic and Arnold Classic UK. Nick Walker, Martin Fitzwater, and former champion Brandon Curry round out a legitimate top six. 

With that said, here are the top six for Mr. Olympia 2026 according to the list put out by Generation Iron, written by Dylan Wolf. 

2026 Mr. Olympia top six predictions 

Lunsford's proven ability to deliver a complete package under pressure makes him the pick to win it again. He's the safest bet in the field because his flaws, if he has any, are small ones, while his rivals are still chasing consistency at the very top. 

Dauda is the most credible threat to that pick. He's beaten Lunsford for a Sandow before, and if the size he's carrying now shows up dry and full under the lights, this becomes a genuine two-man race rather than a coronation. 

 Andrew Jacked is the wildcard worth watching most closely. His season has been the best of anyone's in the lineup, and a third-place finish last year means he's already shown he belongs in the conversation. If his conditioning peaks on the same night his structure does, he has the tools to jump both men above him. 

Expect the podium to come down to these three, with Lunsford narrowly holding on, Dauda pushing him the hardest, and Jacked closing the gap enough to make it interesting. 

Nick Walker, Martin Fitzwater, and Brandon Curry are the safer bets for the back half of the top six, each needing a favorite to slip rather than a leap of their own to move up. 

2026 Mr. Olympia preview 

This year's field looks different with Hadi Choopan out, the 2022 champion sitting out over visa complications and removing one of the division's most dangerous physiques from the comparisons. 

That absence has shifted the conversation toward a rematch angle: Dauda enters looking to avenge the title he lost to Lunsford last year, while Jacked arrives off the best stretch of his career and looking to close the gap he opened at the 2025 Olympia, where he finished third.

The rest of the lineup adds real depth rather than just names. Walker, Fitzwater, and Curry have each turned in credible results this season, meaning a stumble from any of the top three wouldn't just shuffle the podium; it could open the door for a genuine surprise finish further down the card.  

Predictions only carry so much weight in a sport decided entirely by who peaks best on the night. With this much depth at the top, Saturday's lineup will decide who leaves Vegas with the 2026 Mr. Olympia title, not any forecast made beforehand. 

Written by

Chionia Libania Colaco