In a detailed update explaining the score cards for the 2024 Mr. Olympia – Tyler Manion claims that Samson Dauda won five poses over Hadi Choopan’s three
Las Vegas, Nevada, once again hosted the world’s top bodybuilders for the 2024 Mr. Olympia, delivering one of the most memorable competitions in recent history. Samson Dauda emerged victorious, surpassing former champion Hadi Choopan in a closely contested battle, and Derek Lunsford dropped to a surprising third place. Tyler Manion, Vice President of the IFBB Pro League, provided an in-depth analysis of the event in a YouTube video shared on October 17, 2024. According to Manion, Dauda bested Choopan in five of the eight mandatory poses, securing his first Mr. Olympia title.
Samson Dauda’s Dramatic Improvements Seal the Win
In his assessment, Tyler Manion highlighted Samson Dauda’s remarkable physical improvements, noting enhancements in his back, arms, chest, and shoulders. This year, Dauda stepped onto the Olympia stage showcasing a more balanced physique, which proved instrumental in his win. Dauda’s muscularity and conditioning, combined with his overall stage presence, allowed him to edge out Choopan in multiple key poses, particularly those where size and fullness played crucial roles.
Manion pointed out that Samson Dauda’s growth in his biceps and triceps played a pivotal role in one of the closest comparisons of the contest—the front double biceps pose.
“Samson and Hadi both have very strong front double biceps poses. For me, Samson’s front double has improved show to show and year over year. His arms have come up considerably both biceps and triceps,”
Manion explained, adding that Dauda’s enhanced arm size and shape gave him the upper hand in this pose.
Dauda’s Dominance in Lower Body and Chest Thickness
The evaluation also touched on Samson Dauda’s impressive lower body, with Manion emphasizing that his leg development stood out in the Men’s Open division. Dauda’s quads were notably dominant, contributing to his success in poses like the front lat spread, where Hadi Choopan struggled with thickness.
“For me, this is Hadi’s weakest pose,” Manion said about Choopan’s front lat spread. “He still needs more thickness to the chest. He has a detailed chest but needs more thickness. When you compare it to someone like Samson, you see the difference.”
Manion contrasted Hadi Choopan’s challenges with Samson Dauda’s presentation, praising Dauda’s chest density and the roundness of his shoulders and arms, which carried him through this round. He noted that Dauda’s control of his midsection, an area where he had previously struggled, had greatly improved.
Choopan’s Struggles with Size and Detail
Hadi Choopan, known for his dense and detailed conditioning, found himself at a disadvantage due to a slight reduction in size, particularly in the legs. Manion observed that this size discrepancy affected his side chest pose and overall balance on stage.
“He [Hadi Choopan] needed more size to his legs from the side,” Manion remarked. “Even at his best, which in my opinion, was the Arnold Classic this year, you could still see he could use a little bit more of that thickness to the side leg.”
This downsizing of Choopan’s legs and chest detail ultimately gave Dauda the edge in certain poses, including the side chest, which Manion described as one of Dauda’s strongest shots.
“He was going up against an all-time best Samson,” Manion said of Dauda’s side chest pose. “Arms and shoulders very full, very big, very round. Chest, extremely full. Also, seeing detail and striations through it.”
The Back Battle: Dauda’s Improvements Make the Difference
The competition between Samson Dauda and Hadi Choopan remained fierce in the back poses, often a decisive category in the Men’s Open. Here, Dauda showcased the improvements he made to his back’s thickness and depth, particularly in the back double biceps pose. Manion was impressed with Dauda’s ability to bring a balanced and detailed look to this pose.
“Surprisingly, Samson brought this pose up a lot,” Manion noted. “He improved the taper and dramatically improved the depth and thickness of his back. Top to bottom balance, very very good for him.”
While Hadi Choopan’s back lat spread remained one of his stronger poses, his overall condition appeared softer than in previous competitions, leading to a slight edge for Samson Dauda in the back double biceps.
“With Hadi, this is where we saw that it wasn’t Hadi at his normal self,” Manion mentioned, referring to Choopan’s softer appearance compared to his usual standard.
Final Poses: Most Muscular and Abs & Thigh
The competition came down to the final poses, where the size differential played a major role. In the most muscular pose, Samson Dauda’s larger frame and fullness won over the judges, despite Hadi Choopan’s usual advantage in this category due to his chest detail and tight midsection. Manion emphasized how Dauda’s size was a key factor in this comparison.
“Being as big and separated as it was, it’s the most muscular pose for a reason and this displayed how big Samson truly was at this show,” Manion remarked.
The abs and thigh pose, however, went to Choopan. Manion described Choopan’s abs and thigh as ‘the best in the IFBB Pro League,’ while acknowledging that Dauda’s midsection control had improved significantly.
“Hadi is still very strong, all the detail through his midsection, great taper, quads are still conditioned,” Manion noted, highlighting why Choopan was able to take this pose.
Dauda Edges Out Choopan: 5 Poses to 3
With the scorecards indicating a close contest, Samson Dauda ultimately defeated Hadi Choopan by winning five poses to Choopan’s three. Manion’s breakdown provided fans with a clearer understanding of the judges’ decision and how each competitor performed under the spotlight. The Nigerian Lion’s victory marks a new chapter in the Men’s Open division, as he takes his place as the 2024 Mr. Olympia champion.
With this win, Dauda has proven that his relentless improvements and dedication have paid off, setting the stage for what promises to be an exciting year ahead in the world of professional bodybuilding. As the dust settles, all eyes now turn to the next big event, where Dauda, Choopan, and Lunsford will once again battle for supremacy on the bodybuilding stage.
You can watch the full posing analysis video below:
