Victor Martinez Shares His 2026 Olympia Predictions, Debates On Samson Dauda and More
The 2026 Olympia is quickly approaching, and the Generation Iron Podcast is already breaking down the biggest storylines heading into bodybuilding’s biggest weekend of the year. On the latest episode, hosts Victor Martinez discussed his 2026 Mr. Olympia predictions, with particular attention given to the Men’s Open division and the battle between Samson Dauda, Andrew Jacked, Derek Lunsford, Nick Walker, and Martin Fitzwater.
The hosts also discussed Samson Dauda’s performance at the Europa Pro 2026, Hadi Choopan’s recent comments regarding Hany Rambod, and several of the major contenders across Classic Physique, Men’s 212, Men’s Physique, and Ms. Olympia.
Here’s a brief overview of all topics discussed in this week’s episode:
- Victor Martinez’s 2026 Mr. Olympia predictions
- Samson Dauda’s Europa physique analysis – a worrying sign or a promising path to Olympia?
- Hadi Choopan vs Hany Rambod drama
- Victor breaks down the other Olympia divisions and highlights athletes who might have a shot to take the title
You can watch the full episode of the Generation Iron Podcast above. Keep reading for a more in-depth breakdown of the episode discussion and 2026 Olympia preview and predictions. Let’s dive in!
This week’s episode of the podcast is brought to you by Transparent Labs. If you would like to try Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Protein for yourself, save 10% OFF using code GENIRON10.
For a limited time, Transparent Labs is giving away a FREE Protein Starter Kit with every Grass-Fed Protein subscription! This kit includes a shaker bottle and a variety pack of 5 single-serving protein pouches in their top flavors, so you can find your favorite.
Victor Martinez and Ehsan Farahi Make Their 2026 Mr. Olympia Predictions
The biggest discussion of the episode centered on the Men’s Open Mr. Olympia predictions. With Samson Dauda competing at the Europa Pro just 11 days before the Olympia, the reigning champion’s condition and enormous size have become two of the biggest talking points heading into the 2026 contest.
Victor Martinez believes Samson Dauda looked excellent at the Europa Pro, but
“obviously not great enough to win the Olympia.”
Despite this, he emphasized that fans should not interpret Samson’s appearance as the final version of Samson that will step onstage at the Olympia.
Victor explained that Samson was never expected to peak completely for the Europa Pro. Instead, the show provided a glimpse of what his physique looked like shortly before the Olympia. Samson had spent the year adding considerable size after previously announcing his intention to bulk up to approximately 350 pounds.
For Victor, that massive increase in size was one of the most important takeaways from the Europa Pro.
If Samson can maintain that level of size while bringing significantly sharper conditioning to the Olympia, Victor believes the result could be extremely impressive compared with Samson’s 2025 Olympia physique. However, Victor also acknowledged that conditioning is difficult to peak perfectly for a specific day.
That uncertainty plays directly into his 2026 Mr. Olympia prediction.
Victor Martinez’s top five:
- Samson Dauda
- Andrew Jacked
- Derek Lunsford
- Nick Walker
- Martin Fitzwater
Co-host Ehsan Farahi sees the division differently. His top five prediction is:
- Andrew Jacked
- Derek Lunsford
- Samson Dauda
- Nick Walker
- Martin Fitzwater
The difference between the two predictions highlights one of the biggest questions surrounding the 2026 Mr. Olympia: whether Samson Dauda can successfully combine the enormous size he displayed at the Europa Pro with the conditioning necessary to defend his title.
Andrew Jacked also remains a major factor in Ehsan’s prediction, while Nick Walker and Martin Fitzwater continue to occupy prominent positions in both hosts’ top five.
However, what is interesting to note is that neither host placed Derek Lunsford in the winning position. As the defending champion who also pulled off an impressive triple crown victory last year – his lack of first place in their predictions shows the constant pressure that Lunsford has been under. Earnhing himself a victor this year would lock him in as a reigning champ – and possibly finally silence the nay sayers.
Victor also discussed William Bonac, who is approaching the final stage of his Olympia career. Bonac is expected to retire after the 2027 Arnold Classic UK, and Victor hopes he can finish his Olympia run with a strong placing, potentially inside the top six or at least within the top 10. Victor also identified Michel Krizo and Patrick Moore as competitors who could potentially make the top 10, while noting that both still have areas to improve before challenging the very top of the division.
Hadi Choopan and Hany Rambod Controversy Discussed
The podcast also addressed Hadi Choopan’s claim that he was responsible for making Hany Rambod famous following the end of their professional relationship.
Victor Martinez pushed back against the idea that Hany Rambod’s reputation was built entirely through his work with Hadi. He pointed out that Rambod was already an established bodybuilding coach and guru before working with Choopan. Of particular note – coaching 7x Mr. Olympia champion Phil Heath.
Victor also noted that Rambod’s relationship with Hadi was a professional one. While Victor does not know the financial details, he believes Rambod was working with Hadi as a paid client and also provided additional assistance related to Hadi’s ability to travel to the United States.
Ehsan offered another perspective. He agreed that Rambod likely received payment for his work but argued that Rambod had enough clients that he did not necessarily need to take Hadi on. In that sense, Ehsan viewed the decision to work with Hadi as a favor, even within a paid professional relationship.
The discussion eventually turned toward the circumstances surrounding their split and the political tensions involving Iran and the United States. Ehsan explained that Rambod’s Persian background and business interests in Iran created potential complications after Hadi became more politically outspoken.
Victor’s main issue was with the public nature of the disagreement. Professional relationships end, and feelings can be hurt, but Victor believes those private matters do not necessarily need to become public disputes.
2026 Olympia Predictions Across the Divisions
The Generation Iron Podcast also offered predictions for several other divisions at the 2026 Olympia.
Classic Physique
Victor Martinez is backing Ramon Dino to win the Classic Physique Olympia, with Mike Sommerfeld in second and Terrence Ruffin in third.
Victor acknowledged Sommerfeld as a serious threat but believes Ramon has the potential to repeat as champion. The panel also discussed Piotr Wojtowicz, who has generated significant attention this year. Victor believes Wojtowicz could make an impression but noted that he has not yet been tested against competitors such as Ramon and Sommerfeld.
Another major question concerns whether Sommerfeld will have difficulty making the division’s weight limit again. The panel will find out whether he can bring his best package without pushing the limits of the weight and height requirements.
Men’s 212 Olympia
Victor Martinez’s prediction has Keone Pearson winning the 212 Olympia, followed by former champion Shaun Clarida and newcomer Naotaka Yokokawa.
Pearson remains the man Victor sees as the competitor to beat, while Clarida’s championship experience makes him an obvious threat. Yokokawa, however, has emerged as one of Victor’s most intriguing dark-horse competitors.
Men’s Physique
The Men’s Physique discussion focused on Ali Bilal and Ryan Terry.
Bilal finished second last year and has continued to attract attention, particularly after winning the 2025 Arnold Classic. Ehsan praised Bilal’s front-facing presentation but questioned whether he has developed enough muscle maturity to defeat Terry.
Terry has been one of the division’s most consistent competitors over the past three Olympia contests, making their potential battle one of the major storylines heading into the 2026 event.
Ms. Olympia
Victor Martinez sees Andrea Shaw as the competitor to beat in the Ms. Olympia. Shaw has maintained her position at the top of the division for an extended period, making her title defense another major storyline of the weekend.
Fit Model Division & Olympia Runtime
Victor Martinez admitted that he does not know enough about the new Fitness division to offer a meaningful prediction. However, he did raise another issue surrounding the growing Olympia schedule.
With another division added to the event, Victor expects the Olympia broadcast could potentially extend toward midnight on both nights. For viewers on the East Coast, that could mean watching until approximately 3 a.m.
Victor suggested that the Olympia organizers may eventually need to consider expanding the professional competition across three days rather than continuing to add divisions to an already lengthy two-day schedule.
Wrap Up – The 2026 Mr. Olympia Is Set for a Major Showdown
The latest Generation Iron Podcast episode makes clear that the 2026 Mr. Olympia predictions remain far from unanimous, particularly in the Men’s Open division.
Victor Martinez has Samson Dauda finishing first, while Ehsan Farahi has Andrew Jacked at the top of his list. Both agree that Derek Lunsford, Nick Walker, and Martin Fitzwater belong among the leading contenders, but they differ significantly on the eventual winner.
Samson’s Europa Pro appearance has only added another layer to the conversation. His enormous size is already evident, but the critical question is whether he can bring that size together with the precise conditioning required on Olympia weekend.
With the reigning champion, former champions, rising contenders, and several major storylines converging on Las Vegas, the Men’s Open Olympia lineup is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched competitions of the 2026 bodybuilding season.
