The 2023 Mr. Olympia contest is inching closer, prompting Samir Bannout to examine the event in detail. In a recent Old School Labs Podcast, Bannout discussed the Mr. Olympia-winning potential of Derek Lunsford, Samson Dauda, and Hunter Labrada. In addition, Bannout blamed ‘the size game’ for killing off athletes unnecessarily.
Last year, the Men’s Open division transformed following Hadi Choopan’s victory at the 2022 Mr. Olympia. Fans could hear a pin drop in the arena as event announcer Bob Cicherillo delivered the results. En route to claiming gold, Choopan was tested by his teammate, 212-turned-Open star Derek Lunsford and Nick Walker.
Having secured runner-up in his Open debut, Lunsford left Sin City confident about the future. He briefly teased the idea of competing at the 2023 Arnold Classic, but decided to take advantage of a longer off-season instead. Known for his openness with fans, Lunsford said he’s already gained considerable muscle in preparation for his November showdown with Choopan.
Aside from Lunsford, Samson Dauda is optimistic about the upcoming Olympia competition. He narrowly defeated Walker at the Arnold Classic in March and raked in a record $300,000. With hype, a balanced physique, and Milos Sarcev as his trainer, fans expect Dauda to make a push for first in his next appearance. Bannout was the latest to discuss the lineup and laid out why he thinks a new champion will emerge in less than three months.
Samir Bannout Says ‘Playing the Size Game Is Killing Guys,’ Reveals Top 2023 Mr. Olympia Threats
According to Bannout, competitors are beginning to understand the risks of pursuing freakier physiques. He believes the rise in bodybuilding deaths is partially why Open competitions have lacked competitors, like this weekend’s 2023 Tampa Pro, which will feature 9 athletes from the respective division.
“I think most of the guys feel like, ‘Oh, you know, I’m going to get huge.’ But the thing is, they know right away it’s kind of risky to follow this route,” says Samir Bannout. “There’s a downside [to getting freaky big]. I think most people are pulling away and because there’s a lot of – well a lot of guys are dying. A lot of guys are dying. They’re not stupid. I mean, we don’t need to name the guys, we know. A lot of those guys are dying.”
“Coaches… they’re not mellowing out. They’re keeping the pressure of playing the size game and this is what’s really killing these guys,” shared Bannout. “That’s another thing causing the numbers to drop in the Open and people are going to Classic [Physique].”
“Nowadays with the coaches, what they advertise what they’re taking, oh my God, this is suicidal. That’s why I felt bad and get heartbroken to see guys like Shawn Rhoden no longer with us. Dallas McGarver no longer here. Gustavo, Nasser, those guys are supposed to be alive now!”
Samson Dauda
Next, Bannout examined the chances of Samson Dauda heading into this year’s Olympia. He believes if Dauda wants “etched paper-thin skin” he’ll have to drop at least 40 pounds.
“[He’s carrying] more than water, more than water. I believe he needs to drop at least 35-40 pounds. Look, I love his body. Incredible. Very impressive but the quality remains to be seen. If he wants to get that etched paper thin skin, he’s got to drop at least 40 pounds. So, yeah, he looks good. But I think there’s a difference between thin skin and hippo-like skin. I know the cause of the hippo kind of sickness of the skin. So, this is a problem.”
Hunter Labrada
Given Hunter Labrada competes at the Tampa Pro this weekend, Bannout gave his thoughts on the potential physique he’s expected to display.
“He looks way better than he did the last time we were talking about him,” Bannout shared. “Yeah, I mean if he was a little bit more tanned it would look a lot more impressive. I’m telling you, he has what it takes.”
“With a good enhancement to his tan and a little better on positioning, which his dad can fix that quickly, I wonder what he weighs right there because whatever he did, he changed something.”
“He looks a lot tighter than he did last time. There’s still more room for improvement until he steps on stage but definitely, what I don’t like right now is his color. I want to see him more, I want that healthy glow to his skin.”
Derek Lunsford
Looking ahead, Bannout predicted Derek Lunsford to win the 2023 Mr. Olympia competition but cautioned him not to focus on adding size.
“Look, all he [Derek Lunsford] needed is to look how he looked last year, a little sharper in the back department, and he’s right there,” Bannout said. “He’s so massive.”
“I think Derek is going to do it [win 2023 Mr. Olympia]. I just don’t think he needs to be more irrational about putting on more size. As is, go 24-carat and win the fucking title. The only guy who I think could possibly do it, who… Regan.”
Bannout isn’t the only former Mr. Olympia winner backing Derek Lunsford to upset Hadi Choopan in Nov. A few months ago, bodybuilding legend Ronnie Coleman said Lunsford would be named the next champion. ‘The King’ also admitted that Lunsford was his favorite bodybuilder of this era.
With Lunsford adding weight in the off-season, fans expect another jaw-dropping package when he hits the stage. As for Samir Bannout, he predicted Lunsford to win but stressed to all competitors that focusing on the size can result in lifelong consequences.
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