Dauda’s Arnold Classic triumph has lifted him into the upper echelons of the game.
Samson “The Nigerian Lion” Dauda’s win within the 2023 Arnold Classic (AC) probably wasn’t shocking per se. He just wasn’t the athlete some expected to face on top of the rostrum. Now, the brand new title notch in Dauda’s belt is rightfully drawing the eye of outstanding bodybuilding commentators and analysts. The general message is obvious: Dauda’s AC victory has put him on the map.
On Mar. 7, 2023, famed bodybuilding trainer Miloš Šarčev appeared on the Cutler Solid with Mr. Olympia icon Jay Cutler. The pair recapped the events of the AC which occurred just days earlier, and, naturally, they discussed Dauda’s standout performance. Šarčev and Cutler would eventually conclude that Dauda needs to be considered considered one of the highest contenders for the 2023 Mr. Olympia title in early November.
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Šarčev and Cutler could have chosen their words fastidiously. They might’ve treaded flippantly across the potential Dauda presents. As an alternative, they gave the first-time AC winner a ringing Olympia endorsement. (Note: Dauda finished in sixth place on the 2022 iteration of the competition.)
Why? They view Dauda as a well-rounded, elite competitor who can topple anyone, including reigning Olympia champion Hadi Choopan and runner-up Derek Lunsford.
He’s [Dauda] the very best combination of all the things,” Šarčev said. “Can he beat Hadi [Choopan] and Derek [Lunsford]? Yes. Would his conditioning and size beat them on the [2023] Olympia? We’d should see them lined up next to one another.“
Cutler would echo this sentiment from Šarčev, explaining that he thinks Dauda is beginning to piece together learn how to prepare for an elite performance on stage. The four-time Mr. Olympia (2006-2007, 2009-2010) related it to his own profession experience and put it plainly.
Dauda just has to refine small details moving forward.
“I believe now you’ve figured the formula and it’s just working to get the skin slightly thinner as you progress,” Cutler said. “It’s just routine now … you’re in that ‘click’ period and there’s a certain click period that folks undergo. I experienced this in my late 20s … I feel that his [Dauda] peak is slightly delayed due to the experience and also you’ve seen this crazy growth during the last yr. But now, it’s just refinement of the skin thinning down slightly bit higher. Nothing else. Every part will improve. It’s all about just routine and training.”
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After winning the 2023 AC, Dauda would write in an Instagram post that “it’s a dream come true.” There’s no telling what styles of emotions would run through the competitor were he to win his first Olympia title in the identical yr. Though, if Cutler and Šarčev are correct of their evaluation, a second greater dream may be fulfilled for Dauda on November 3-5, 2023, in Orlando, FL.
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Featured image: @samson__dauda on Instagram