Bob Cicherillo found himself in the firing line as Dauda and Walker confronted him over comments made ahead of the 2026 Mr. Olympia.
The 2026 Olympia Press Conference featured plenty of talk between the athletes, but Samson Dauda and Nick Walker saved some of their best shots for emcee Bob Cicherillo.
Cicherillo has shared his opinions on the Men’s Open field throughout Olympia prep, and both contenders apparently kept receipts.
Samson Dauda Calls Out Bob Cicherillo Over 300-Pound Comments
Dauda was the first to turn his attention toward Cicherillo, referencing comments about the former Mr. Olympia potentially competing at or above 300 pounds.
“Bob, I heard you had a lot to say about me being 300 pounds on stage,” Dauda said. “If I’m near, over 300 pounds I’m not gonna be top five? … Your mouth is getting bigger every time, man.”
Dauda made it clear that he has been using the criticism as motivation throughout his prep.
“Every time I heard it, I take it to the gym,” Dauda said. “And come Olympia Saturday, I’m gonna stand right in your face and say, ‘What was that?’”
Cicherillo responded by emphasizing his respect for Dauda and clarifying the context of his previous remarks. He explained that he has also said Dauda possesses arguably the best physique in the lineup and believes that if Dauda arrives at 100 percent, nobody can beat him.
Just when Cicherillo thought he was safe, Nick Walker joined in.
Nick Walker To Bob Cicherillo: “I Still Don’t Know Who You Are”
The exchange began when Cicherillo reminded Walker of a previous interaction between the two.
“Last year you didn’t even know who I was,” Cicherillo said.
“I still don’t know who you are,” Walker immediately fired back.
“Well, you will Friday night, my friend,” Cicherillo responded.
Cicherillo again attempted to provide context for his previous analysis, arguing that social media tends to amplify his negative comments while overlooking the complimentary things he has said about Walker’s approach and competition schedule.
Then he revealed that he had Walker finishing considerably higher than eighth this time around.
“And you’ll be happy to know I have you projected higher than eighth place,” Cicherillo said.
“Seventh?” Walker joked.
“I said you could go as high as fourth this year,” Cicherillo replied.
“You’re still lowballing me,” Walker said.
“But that’s a lot better than eighth, come on,” Cicherillo responded.
“Whatever you say, man,” Walker said.
With the talking now nearly finished, Dauda and Walker will have the opportunity to answer Cicherillo’s predictions where it matters most: on the Olympia stage.
Image embed via Mr. Olympia Livestream
