Four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler believes several competitors missed the mark at the 2026 Olympia
Nick Walker walked away with his first Mr. Olympia title in 2026, but the debate over how the competition unfolded is far from over. Four-time Mr. Olympia champion Jay Cutler is questioning Walker’s assessment that his fellow competitors were all at their best onstage.
During a recent episode of the Cutler Cast, Cutler discussed the results alongside Keone Pearson and Amanda Kohatsu. While all three acknowledged Walker’s impressive victory, the conversation quickly shifted to whether some of the sport’s biggest stars failed to bring their best packages to the Olympia stage.
In particular, Cutler singled out former Mr. Olympia champion Samson Dauda, suggesting the massive bodybuilder was far from his best during Friday night’s competition.
Jay Cutler Disagrees With Nick Walker’s Assessment of the 2026 Olympia
Walker captured his first Sandow trophy in a tightly contested battle at the 2026 Mr. Olympia. His victory over a stacked field, including Samson Dauda, established him as the new face of Men’s Open bodybuilding.
However, Cutler believes there is an important distinction between Walker bringing the best overall package and every competitor reaching their full potential.
“I know Nick won and listen, we all kind of agree Nick brought the overall best package for sure, but he did say all the other guys were on the money.
I don’t think that was the case. I don’t think everyone hit it perfectly. Like Samson definitely wasn’t on Friday night.”
Cutler’s comments weren’t intended to diminish Walker’s achievement. Instead, the bodybuilding legend questioned whether the field was truly operating at its highest level.
In a sport where conditioning, fullness, symmetry, and presentation can make the difference between first place and falling several spots, even a small mistake during peak week can prove costly.
Keone Pearson Agrees Samson Dauda Wasn’t at His Best
Keone Pearson, one of bodybuilding’s most accomplished 212 competitors, agreed with Cutler’s assessment of Dauda.
“Yeah, I think we all know that Samson wasn’t at his best,” Pearson said.
Cutler then raised an interesting question about Dauda’s potential when everything comes together.
“You think if he was his best, he has one of the best bodies,” Cutler said.
Pearson didn’t hesitate to praise the former Olympia champion’s physique.
“Yeah, that’s just the type of physiques that I really look up to…I always felt like if Samson [is] on 100%, he’s the best bodybuilder, Pearson responded.
Amanda Kohatsu agreed with the praise, adding, “Incredible physique.”
The exchange highlights the respect Dauda continues to command among some of bodybuilding’s biggest names, even following a disappointing showing by his own lofty standards.
Could a 100% Samson Dauda Have Changed the Olympia Results?
The discussion raises one of the biggest questions coming out of the 2026 Olympia: Would the results have been different if Samson Dauda had arrived in peak condition?
Dauda has long been praised for his combination of massive size, round muscle bellies, and flowing proportions. His physique presents a unique challenge for competitors who rely heavily on extreme conditioning to separate themselves from the field.
Walker, meanwhile, earned his first Olympia victory by bringing the package the judges rewarded onstage. His combination of muscularity, conditioning, and improvements proved enough to secure bodybuilding’s most prestigious title.
The margin between Walker and Dauda made the competition particularly compelling, and Cutler’s comments suggest the former champion still believes Dauda has the tools to defeat anyone when he reaches his full potential.
Of course, bodybuilding competitions are decided by what athletes bring to the stage, not what they might have looked like under different circumstances.
Walker delivered when it mattered most and deserves credit for doing so.
Still, Cutler’s observations add another layer to the ongoing debate about the 2026 Olympia. With Dauda looking to regain his position at the top of the sport and Walker already setting his sights on multiple Olympia titles, the rivalry could become one of bodybuilding’s defining battles in the years ahead.
Header image embed via Instagram @mrolympiallc
