Lee Haney broke down his top six picks ahead of the competition.
Bodybuilding legend Lee Haney knows what it takes to win on the Olympia stage. The 8x champion has kept up with the current era of bodybuilding and recently made his picks for the biggest show of the year.
Haney joined Ron Harris to make his top six picks for the upcoming 2025 Olympia.
[RELATED: Lee Haney’s Legendary Old School Workout]
Haney is tied with Ronnie Coleman for the most Olympia wins ever. From 1984-91, Haney was unbeatable in Men’s Open. He was able to defeat other all-time greats such as Frank Zane, Sergio Oliva, and Lee Labrada. Now, he continues to follow the sport closely and forms his own opinions on the new era of physiques.
Lee Haney’s Top 6 Mr. Olympia Picks
Haney broke down each competitor in his top six:
- First Place – Samson Dauda
- Second Place – Hadi Choopan
- Third Place – Behrooz Tabani
- Fourth Place – Andrew Jacked
- Fifth Place – Martin Fitzwater
- Sixth Place – Nick Walker
Lee Haney included a dar-horse in Behrooz Tabani into his top three. He believes that because of Tabani’s height, he has a chance to make some noise on stage.
“Tabani, I’m so glad he was able to get his Visa. He has an opportunity here to come in and do a lot of damage. Because guess what, he was height and he has proportion and he has very good muscle maturity.”
Haney pegged reigning champion Samson Dauda as the winner once again. Dauda brings the overall height and size that judges will be looking for. Haney also claims that if Dauda is a bit more conditioned, he has a chance to run away. This was an issue last year despite his victory.
Walker will make his return to the stage after missing the last two years. He has become a favorite to many and Haney includes him near the top but places him sixth. He stated that Walker lacks the symmetry of a true Olympia champion.
“It all depends on what the judges want to see. Nick has a huge following and he’s conditioned out of the kazoo. He’s very conditioned but his proportion, it’s just not what I see as being a Mr. Olympia. Balance and symmetry is everything.”
The final surprise in his top six was the lack of an appearance by Derek Lunsford. The Arnold Classic champion defeated Dauda in Columbus and will need to peak one more time this weekend. If Lunsford comes in with a similar physique, he could be fighting for a spot in the top three.
“It’s hard to beat Hadi’s conditioning but if Derek brings that package he had at the Arnold, I think him and Hadi are going to be fighting for placement.”
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