Jay Cutler broke down the field and believes Derek Lunsford is the name to beat.
Former Mr. Olympia Derek Lunsford is one of the favorites to win the 2025 title this weekend — but should be considered the overall favorite?
Bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler broke down the upcoming 2025 Olympia competition. During his preview, he picked out Lunsford as the competitor to beat on Saturday night.
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“Derek leading into this show, he is probably in the best position to win it, in my opinion.”
Lunsford entered the 2025 season with big plans and has reached them thus far. He won the first-ever Men’s Open Pittsburgh Pro title, which came after his victory in Columbus during the 2025 Arnold Classic. He now has his sights set on the Olympia to complete the trifecta. If he is able to win the Olympia, Lunsford would be the second bodybuilder to ever lose a title and win it back — joining Cutler himself.
Jay Cutler Talks 2025 Olympia Contenders
Jay Cutler talked the competitors near the top of the list to win the Sandow Trophy this weekend. He believes that Lunsford is in the best spot because of his wins this year.
“He’s already won the Arnold. He won the Pittsburgh, he still has the Mr. Olympia title in his back pocket. He did lose it to Samson, and he was third.”
For Lunsford, Jay Cutler believes it comes down to his legs matching his back, which has become his strong point over the years. Since his move to Men’s Open, Lunsford has dominated using his powerful back and turn it into crazy success.
“If he has the big legs with that crazy back, he’s a big problem, a huge problem, for this lineup. He has beaten them and has lately.”
Of course, Cutler did not forget about the reigning champion. Samson Dauda was able to win his first title last year, beating out Lunsford and Hadi Choopan. Cutler believes Dauda has the best overall physique but might not come in with the conditioning needed. If he does so, the conversation could change but for now, Cutler put Lunsford near the top.
“I think we both agree he probably has the best physique in the current crop of professional bodybuilders right now. The structure, the size, the proportions. He just doesn’t have that striking conditioning.”
