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Mr. Olympia 2026 Press Conference: Title Claims, Comebacks, and Samson Dauda's Shirt Comes Off Again

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Overview

The day before the 2026 Mr. Olympia, the men's Open contenders met the press. On the panel were two-time defending champion Derek Lunsford, 2024 champion Samson Dauda, Nick Walker, veteran Brandon Curry, two-time Arnold Classic winner Andrew Jacked, and Martin Fitzwater, who returned after a turbulent Arnold Classic. The hosts, including a questioner addressed as Bob and a podcaster who co-hosts The Voice of Bodybuilding with a colleague named Sean, kept asking one thing: who can beat the champion, and why this year? Every athlete said they were ready. The event ended with Samson repeating the stunt from the year of his title win and taking his shirt off to show the crowd his physique.

14 min read

Derek Lunsford: Confidence From Wanting It Most

The first question went to Lunsford. The host reminded Lunsford of earlier comments this year that the other competitors "ain't ready" and could not beat what Lunsford was bringing, and asked whether that confidence had changed. Lunsford said it came from wanting the title more than anyone else. Lunsford described being focused on self, family, and personal goals, and said distractions and the competition were not a concern.

Near the end, the host asked Lunsford to name the last two men standing at the final pose-down on Saturday night. Lunsford repeated the claim to want it more than anyone, then said, "it's not a war of words. It's a fight with our physique. And I'm Mr. Olympia for a reason." Pressed to name the second finalist, Lunsford declined and said, "I think you should ask these guys who wants to be second."

5:53

Samson Dauda and the 300-Pound Argument

Earlier in the year, Samson had said he came in slightly off last year and flattened out. The host said Samson had also promised it would not happen again and talked about being very heavy, even going to 350 lb in the off-season and stepping on stage over 300 lb. The host asked whether Samson would weigh 300 lb on stage.

Samson turned the question back on the host, apparently referring to comments made about Samson on a show: "If I'm anywhere near over 300 lb, I'm not going to be top five." The two exchanged jabs while the crowd reacted. Samson said a year of silence did not mean not hearing the criticism: "every time I hear it, I take it to the gym," and on Olympia Saturday "I'mma stand right in your face." The host explained the 300-lb figure came from Samson's own words earlier in the year. The host added that they had also said Samson has "the best physique out there" and cannot be beaten at 100%, and joked, "We got tickets to sell." Samson accepted that bodybuilding is entertainment, then added that "a lot of people seems to do a lot more talking nowadays than actually working," which drew cheers.

8:01

Nick Walker's Reset: Blocking Social Media and a New Coach

A host summarized Nick Walker's year. Walker finished runner-up at the Arnold Classic. For a while people wondered whether Walker would compete again. Walker then returned with a dominant win at the Tampa Pro. The host said Walker looked more locked in than ever. On the Tampa stage Walker barely smiled, hit each pose, and moved to the next.

Walker said the answer was going "back to the drawing board," putting their head down and working hard, and no longer caring what people say. Walker said they had gone so far as to block social media to avoid seeing the commentary. Walker also credited a new coach, who was in the room, with restoring the attitude of "who cares, man? We're doing what we love." Walker said that message resonated after the difficulties of recent years, and concluded, "I feel like I'm back to my old self. And I feel like this is my Olympia to win."

A podcast host then teased Walker. The host said Walker hadn't known who they were last year and that they were still waiting for a promised shirt. Walker answered, "I still don't know who you are." The host then praised Walker. The two had met in New York at Big Steve's 40th anniversary event, and the host said they had told Walker the plan this year was well thought out, adding that critics tend to notice only the negative comments. Walker explained the plan. After the Arnold, Walker stayed on the leaner side, joined the coach about 12 weeks out from Tampa, and kept things simple. Walker said the Olympia look would be even better than Tampa.

The host said Walker could place as high as fourth this year, better than eighth. Walker replied, "I think you're still lowballing me."

Walker's Case: Muscle, Conditioning, and a Fixed Waist

Later, the host returned to Walker's candor about their own physique. Walker had said they lacked the best shape, symmetry, or proportion, but would bring more muscle than anyone and 1990s–early-2000s-style conditioning. Walker added that they had tightened their waist too. The host agreed that this had been a known weak point and said many expected Walker to reach 300 lb this off-season and look bulky. Instead Walker stayed lean and conditioned, which the host called a great move and possibly Walker's best shot at the title.

Walker said nobody would out-muscle, out-condition, or out-pose them, and "now that I fixed my waist, I don't think anyone's just going to be more complete than I am."

The host then raised what they called an unfair narrative of the past few years: that Walker can only win the Olympia if enough other competitors come in off. Walker rejected it. "I don't think anyone needs to be off for me to win," Walker said. If everyone is at their best and Walker is at 100%, Walker said, "I will be the last one standing on that stage." The line drew one of the loudest reactions of the event.

Brandon Curry: The Father of a Football Prospect Who Isn't Retiring

For Brandon Curry, the hosts started with Curry's son, Maximus, who they called a legitimate NFL prospect. The host first said about 15 college football programs were pursuing Maximus, then revised it to about 30 top programs, and noted that many had sent Curry good-luck videos. Curry called it a cool part of being a dad but said they had come on business: "He's got business to handle, I got business to handle." Curry added, "I'm still here to fight."

The host noted that a competitor named William had announced this would be his last Olympia, and that the question of how much longer they could compete followed Curry everywhere. Curry said William's announcement had carried over into people thinking about Curry too, and joked about thinking only vaguely about tomorrow, let alone next year. Curry said this was not a farewell Olympia. Curry said the process had not become harder and had become more enjoyable, partly because of "good distractions."

Asked about last year, when many thought Curry deserved to place higher and Curry was compared back and forth with Antonio and Nick in the sixth-to-eighth range, Curry said, "this is my 14th Olympia. I learned to move on." The focus, Curry said, was this year.

13:50

Andrew Jacked: "It's My Turn"

The hosts introduced Andrew Jacked as a two-time Arnold Classic champion and a legitimate Olympia contender. One host recalled meeting Andrew in a hotel lobby the Sunday after last year's Olympia, where Andrew had placed top three. The host said Andrew looked dead serious and said, "I'm done playing around. Next year is the year," and "they don't see what's coming." Andrew then won the Arnold Classic. Another host joked that two years ago they had discussed Andrew's "aura," and that Andrew had clearly worked on it.

Andrew stayed calm. Andrew said they were taking it one step at a time and climbing the ladder, would go as high as they could reach, and that "the sport came to me. I didn't go to the sport." Andrew said they were enjoying success and consistent improvement, and that "the stats speaks for itself."

Asked why they would be crowned on Saturday, Andrew said, "because I think it's my turn." This became the running joke of the press conference. The host said they hadn't known the competitors were taking turns and said Nick wanted to know when his turn was. The host also joked about checking with Big Steve on when the Olympia had switched to that format. Asked what the judges wouldn't be able to deny, Andrew repeated that it was their turn and that whoever was next could go after. The host recalled that after the Arnold wins Andrew had said they would donate the prize money because they have a real job and compete for the title of world's best. Andrew agreed: "It's been my turn... I've been patiently waiting and knocking."

When the host asked Martin, Nick, and Andrew how badly they wanted the title, Andrew answered, "It's just my turn." When the host told Walker the only problem was that it was Andrew's turn, Walker said, "No, it's not." Samson joined in and said Andrew would have to wait another year or two.

16:27

Martin Fitzwater: Reflection After the Arnold

The host introduced Martin Fitzwater, nicknamed "The Martian," as someone "from a different planet." The host said a lot happened on and after the Arnold Classic stage, that many people turned away from Martin in the three to four months since, and asked what Martin went through during that time.

Martin said the period showed who "my real people were," who had their back, and who believed in them. It also showed how much Martin loves bodybuilding. Even while they "got kicked in the teeth," hated every second, and didn't want to do it, Martin kept packing the gym bag and training every day with best friend Brett. The two have trained together for 10 years, and Martin called that time the favorite part of the day.

The harder question, Martin said, was how to approach bodybuilding and the fans, both supporters and those who had turned away. Martin said this was the most enjoyable prep so far because "I turned all that crap off" and gave time only to people who loved and believed in them. Martin said Phil, who was sitting in the front row, called as soon as he learned Martin was in a bad place. According to Martin, Phil said Martin had everything needed to be a champion but had to put it all together, which takes time: "You're not going to be Mr. Olympia at 20." Martin added that failure teaches more than success, and called the Arnold "exactly what I needed to have my best showing here."

Asked what returning meant, Martin said they love bodybuilding more than anything and wear their heart on their sleeve. Martin mentioned sharing the stage with Mr. Olympias they had looked up to "since I was a little kid," then quickly apologized to Brandon: "in a loving way." Martin said being on stage was "a 10-year-old little boy getting to live his dream," a dream that began with reading Flex magazine and begging their dad to let them go to the gym. Asked how badly they wanted the title, Martin said, "more than anything in the world right now." Asked the same question, Walker answered, "Tell me where to sign on the dotted line."

Samson on Setbacks and His Wife as Coach

A host said Samson's past year resembled the early part of Samson's career. Samson had been knocked down and unsure about continuing, then won the Olympia, then faced social media doubts about whether they would ever regain their 2024 form. Samson answered that being knocked down "is literally how I got here." Samson described the question each time as how badly they want it and how badly they want to get back up. Samson cited a favorite saying: "if you get knocked down, try to land on your back because if you can look up, you can damn sure get up." Samson said that every time they had been knocked down, "we all know what happens," and that this weekend would show the result.

Another host raised criticism that Samson's wife was also Samson's trainer and oversaw the preps. The host called it unjust and reminded people that Samson won the Olympia two years ago with the same trainer. Samson attributed the criticism to "really chauvinistic men out there that don't give no woman appraise, even though she's proven it time and time and time again." Samson warned, "you talking about my wife again, we going to have words."

History Repeating: The Shirt Comes Off

At the end, a host reviewed Samson's approach two years ago. Samson competed in a show just before the Olympia, which the host called a great strategy and possibly the key to the title. Samson did the same this year, won that show, and the host said people saw Samson as "big as a house" and ready. The host recalled that in the title year, Samson was the only competitor willing to take off his shirt when asked whether anyone wanted to give the audience a preview. The host told Samson that if Samson wanted lightning to strike twice, "the stage is yours."

Samson asked the crowd, "Who here wants history to repeat itself?" Samson recalled challenging the others two years ago: anyone who felt "man enough to win this Olympia" should step up on stage with Samson. Samson said, "the offer is on the table again." The hosts shouted, "This is happening," the music started, and the press conference ended with Samson's physique on display.

The main questions are left for the stage. Lunsford says the title will be settled by physiques, not words. Walker says they can win even if everyone is at their best. Andrew says it's their turn. Martin says the Arnold setback set up their best showing. Curry says they are not done. Samson has once again invited the others to stand beside him on stage.

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