Samson Dauda generated a lot of hype after winning the Arnold Classic 2023. The Nigerian Lion defeated former champion and fan favorite Nick Walker to win the title. He also left behind former Mr. Olympia winner Big Ramy and 212 Olympia winner Shaun Clarida. Dauda’s dominant showing against a roster of champions put him on the pedestal, and fans piled on their expectations.

However, the bodybuilder didn’t live up to such lofty expectations in November 2023 at the Mr. Olympia. While Samson Dauda showcased significant improvement from the 2022 Mr. Olympia, he had to settle for third place. However, it wasn’t because Dauda lagged behind Hadi Choopan and Derek Lunsford in every department. Instead, many fans pointed out a distinct problem with the Nigerian Lion’s Olympia prep.

Samson Dauda wasn’t lean enough on stage!

Fans and experts thought Samson Dauda would improve his physique further. In the months leading up to the Olympia, Duada posted updates and looked more massive than he did at Ohio. The Nigerian added muscle and detail to his biceps, lats, and back. However, what Samson Dauda gained in size, he lost in conditioning on stage.

The Nigerian Lion’s quads looked gigantic but lost detailing. His glutes and hamstrings lost separation compared to the Arnold Classic. The bodybuilding champion’s overall conditioning also looked slightly worse compared to March. However, that hadn’t been the case in the updates leading up to the Super Bowl of bodybuilding. Dauda’s said he was the Open bodybuilder with the “Men’s Physique waist,” in the updates.

However, fans speculated that Sason Dauda might have peaked early and lost the razor-sharp conditioning. In bodybuilding, achieving your ‘peak’ physique can happen in a matter of hours. This is why many competitors look better, or sometimes worse, in the finals than during prejudging. However, people didn’t spot any noticeable difference between Dauda’s pre-judging and final physique.

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Milos Sarcev, who coached Samson Dauda, spoke to Dave Palumbo after the show. The RxMuscle founder asked Sarcev why the Arnold Classic Champion didn’t look shredded on stage. Unfortunately, Sarcev did not provide a concrete answer. The premier coach said Dauda’s physique was the result of “16 weeks of extreme dieting.” With the Arnold Classic fast approaching, Dauda, yet again, looks leaner and fuller than he did at the Prague Pro.

Is Samson Dauda making the same mistake?

Surprisingly, the UK resident didn’t stop after placing third at last year’s Olympia. He continued to compete, winning the EVLS Prague Pro before ending the 2023 season. Nonetheless, the bodybuilder has since been working on his strengths and weaknesses in preparation to defend his Arnold Classic title. After spending months under the radar, The Nigerian Lion shocked the bodybuilding community with his physique updates.

Samson Dauda looked perfect and more shredded than he did at the Olympia and Prague Pro. However, this time, it might be wise to hold off the expectations. While Dauda looks better than ever before in the weeks leading up to the Arnold Classic 2024, it won’t matter unless he improves and maintains conditioning.

After losing his title to Derek Lunsford, former Mr. Olympia Hadi Choopan is coming for Dauda’s Arnold Classic crown. So, the Nigerian Lion has to defeat The Persian Wolf for the first time if he wants to retain the title of Arnold Classic champion. However, Samson Dauda has never beaten the Iranian before. Yet, it won’t be wise to say he’s peaking ahead of time.

The Nigerian Lion’s significant improvements

From the updates, it seems Samson Dauda has made specific improvements. In addition to appearing larger than ever, the Nigerian individual seemed to have focused on improving their weaker body parts while enhancing their strengths. The defending champion suggests having put in the work to bring up his chest and his back.

Since Hadi Choopan currently has the most shredded chest, Samson Dauda improved his. The champion also seems to have learned from his defeat against Derek Lunsford that his back needed improvement. The bodybuilder showed that he has done just that in an update where his back looked massive. Daud’s lower back improved significantly, per se!

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While it’ll be troublesome to beat Hadi Choopan from the front, Dauda certainly has a shot from the back. Choopan himself lagged in back development compared to Derek Lunsford. Samson Dadua also has more well-developed calves than the Persian Wolf. The Nigerian even seems to have developed some feathering in the quads, which he didn’t have during the Olympia.

Since he has always received criticism for missing the mark with his conditioning, one can argue that Samson Dauda won’t make the mistake of peaking too early. The Nigerian Lion knows what’s at stake and how the Persian Wolf will capitalize on even the slightest of slip-ups.