The Biggest Show in Bodybuilding is almost here
The 61st Mr. Olympia competition is set to be the marquee event of the 2025 Olympia Weekend, hosted in Las Vegas, Nevada. This year’s showdown will span two evenings, with the pre-judging taking place on Friday, October 10, and the highly anticipated finals scheduled for Saturday, October 11.
The winner will take home the iconic Sandow Trophy along with $600,000 in prize money, making it the biggest cash award in bodybuilding for 2025.
2025 Mr. Olympia Competitors
Here’s the lineup of athletes, in order of their qualification:
- Brett Wilkin: (USA)
- Samson Dauda: (UK)
- Hadi Choopan: (Iran)
- Derek Lunsford: (USA)
- Rafael Brandao: (Brazil)
- Martin Fitzwater: (USA)
- Akim Williams: (USA)
- Brandon Curry: (USA)
- William Bonac: (Netherlands)
- Vitalii Ugolnikov: (Brazil)
- Chinedu Obiekea: (UAE)
- Nick Walker: (USA)
- Regan Grimes: (Canada)
- Tonio Burton: (USA)
- Sasan Heirati: (United Kingdom)
How Athletes Qualify for the Olympia
According to IFBB Pro League rules, previous Olympia winners have a lifetime invitation to compete but must request approval from IFBB President Jim Manion if they’ve been absent from the event for more than five years. The top three finishers from the prior Olympia automatically qualify for the next year. Beyond that, athletes must win a professional show during the qualification season, which concluded on September 14, 2025. Special invitations are rarely given, and none are expected this year.
Past Champions in the Lineup
This year’s competition includes three previous titleholders: defending champion Samson Dauda, Derek Lunsford, 2022 champion Hadi Choopan, and 2019 champion Brandon Curry.
Main Contenders
Samson, Lunsford, and Choopan, are the primary contenders this year. While Dauda’s massive size and structure are a threat, Lunsford and Choopan’s superior conditioning has consistently given them the edge, though they certainly lose points on the height aspect.
Other high-caliber athletes include Andrew Jacked and Nick Walker. Both are past top-five finishers, with Walker known for his incredible mass, while Jacked combines muscular density with expert-level posing.
Nick Walker’s Return
While many fans were expecting to see Nick Walker stepping on stage at last year’s Mr. Olympia contest, he had unfortunately dropped out of this year’s contest.
Check out the full story here: Nick Walker Drops Out of 2024 Olympia
Now, Walker is back in action, and anticipated to give everyone a run for their money. He is coming in bigger and leaner than ever before, so the competition truly is up for grabs.
Watching the Event
For fans unable to attend in person, the Olympia Weekend will be available via a pay-per-view livestream, covering both the pro and amateur events. More details will be posted on the Olympia’s official website closer to the event date.
Stay tuned to bodybuilding media for further updates and in-depth coverage from Generation Iron leading up to and during the 2025 Mr. Olympia.
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