Samson Dauda’s status for the Arnold Classic UK remains up in the air.
Samson Dauda is just days removed from finishing as the runner-up at the 2024 Arnold Classic. After the show, Dauda was back to work to prepare for the Arnold Classic UK but was not feeling like himself. On Wednesday, Dauda shared that he will be checking himself into the hospital and that his status for the show next week is to be determined.
Dauda battled Hadi Choopan during the final on Saturday night and came up just short. Dauda explained how he was “feeling ill” following the show due to his lack of body fat, leaving his body vulnerable.
“We pushed. We pushed and I gave my absolute best for this one…I don’t know if I have anything left to give. I said a few weeks ago that if I pushed more, I was going to end up in the hospital.”
Dauda shared a video to his Instagram story on Wednesday explaining his current situation.
Samson Dauda: “My Body Is Just Failing”
Samson Dauda returned to the gym this week, sharing stories as recent as yesterday training. As time went on, he continued to now feel like himself and this has led to checking himself into the hospital to get checked out.
“I have to take myself to the hospital to get checked out because I don’t know, my body is just , I’m trying to push through and trying to train, but my body is just failing at this point.
Honestly, I don’t know what else I could do. given what happens to me in the next few days, after I get checked out in the hospital, it will determine whether I will be doing the Arnold Classic UK next week.”
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Dauda is still scheduled to compete at the Arnold Classic UK but will make a final decision once he gets checked out.
“I’m really hoping I can somehow carry this on and keep fighting. That’s what I’ve done my whole life. When my health is starting to fail and my family and I being drug through the mud, I have to question why I’m doing this. And why I’m putting them through this. I really hope, with all of my heart, that’s not the case.”
Samson Dauda also described his battle with Choopan on stage. Entering the Arnold Classic, it was clear that the battle would come down to two. That is how it played out on stage from prejudging.
Dauda pushed Choopan to the brink from the beginning. Both competitors were told that they needed to return better on Saturday during the finals and this is exactly what happened.
“I came back better on Saturday and we gave everything for. The better man won. I shook his hand and I said ‘man, you’re absolutely amazing and you’re a warrior.’
We brought out best to the stage. We’ve never been that good before. It was one of the most epic moneys I’ve ever had on stage, going head-to-head with Mr. Olympia and battling it out with him on stage. I felt nothing but pride in doing that. In the end, the better man won.”
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Samson Dauda Talks Disrepsect In Bodybuilding
There has been a lot of negativity surrounding bodybuilding following big shows, such as the Arnold Classic. Samson Dauda has spoken out against this but shared that is continued on Saturday.
“It’s another thing to come off stage and have disrespect for you and your family. And for what? For a sport?”
Following the Olympia, many were upset with the outcome of Derek Lunsford winning the title over Choopan. The overall outrage and reaction are things that Lunsford spoke out on himself but Dauda was also right behind him.
“After the Olympia, I came out and said we have to make this sport better. We have to respect each other. We have to be more understanding of each other. And it felt like that all fell on deaf ears.
We sacrifice a lot to do this sport. To come out and be disrespected so badly by people who have no right to do so and to humiliate us and my family because of the joys of what? You felt it’s just and you felt it’s your opinion. You should be ashamed of yourself for doing that.”
Samson Dauda will get checked out and hopefully be able to return to the stage as scheduled next week. He brought an incredible package to the stage in Columbus and will be a contender in Men’s Open moving forward.
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