Bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler says reigning champion Samson Dauda is in the driver’s seat ahead of the 2025 Mr. Olympia. On June 20, 2025, via YouTube, Cutler called Dauda the most complete and aesthetic bodybuilder and offered key tips to Andrew Jacked.
Dauda won the 2024 Mr. Olympia title with the perfect combination of hardness and conditioning. While he took Lunsford’s title from him on the world’s biggest stage, their battle in Columbus, Ohio, had a different outcome. When they rematched, Lunsford brought his all-time best and upset Dauda to claim his first Arnold Classic victory.
Dauda decided to shut things down until his title defense at the Mr. Olympia. Despite his setback against Lunsford, Cutler, a former four-time Mr. Olympia, believes no one has a shot at Dauda 17 weeks from their showdown in Las Vegas.
Jay Cutler Gives Andrew Jacked Tips, Backs Samson Dauda at 2025 Mr. Olympia: “No One Has a Shot Right Now”
In the recent YouTube video, Cutler emphasized that no one has a shot at Dauda right now, praising him as the ‘most complete and aesthetic’ bodybuilder in the Open.
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“I always I think this guy is going to win. Look at the pictures of Samson that I just called you about last week. I feel walking into the Olympia, no one has a shot right now. I feel like Samson shows up, like Samson can, with this, sorry guys, no one is beating him. He’s the most complete and aesthetic.”
There’s been criticism about modern bodybuilding’s standing relaxed pose, mainly from Lee Haney, but Cutler believes Dauda can hit the pose however he wants.
“He’s standing that way [motorcycle stance], but they don’t correct it. So he can stand whatever way he wants. He can stand with his hands over his head if that’s the way he wants to present his standing relaxed.”
“He’s in the driver’s seat. The guy is Mr. Olympia. He can do whatever he wants.”
Ultimately, Cutler predicts Lunsford peaking at the Arnold Classic will hurt him on the Olympia stage.
“Samson stopped after the Arnold where Derek had to peak again for Pittsburgh. It’s going to hinder him come the fall. I don’t care. It’s going to be hard for him to peak again because he peaked we saw him really hard once at the Arnold.
I don’t care, he’s got enough size now, those big bodies are hard to peak like that, where Samson didn’t hit his peak, but I still think he has a window where he still hasn’t hit his all-time best. He’s not close. When he does, he’s in Coleman territory now with the muscle density,” shared Cutler.
Instead of pursuing size, Cutler stressed that Andrew Jacked should focus on conditioning, which he said will make his physique appear bigger.
“If I were Andrew, I wouldn’t put on any more size. I would refine what he has, and honestly, that conditioning will make him look that much bigger. He doesn’t need to get bigger.
He needs to just keep training and just round out the muscles some more, get some more maturity. Remember, he’s still a young body comparable to how long he’s been competing at this level.”
He also cautioned Jacked to avoid adding extra meals or taking additional performance-enhancing drugs.
“Don’t try to add extra meals, don’t try to take more shit, I think he should just stay with routine, put the time in the gym. There’s nothing like time in the gym. Samson just proved that.”
Bodybuilding veterans are beginning to lay out their predictions for the ‘Super Bowl of Bodybuilding.’ Rich Gaspari recently indicated that Samson Dauda would likely win a second title and believes Lunsford will land in the top three.
Time will tell if Samson Dauda can retain his Mr. Olympia title with a successful title defense. The 2025 Mr. Olympia is set for October 9-12 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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