Checking In On 2023 Mr. Olympia Contenders
The 2023 Mr. Olympia contest is still around six months away as of this writing, but the buzz around bodybuilding’s biggest contest has already begun. Fans are already asking themselves if Hadi Choopan can defend the title as well as he claimed it one year ago, if Brandon Curry or Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay can reclaim it, or if a new champion will ascend to the throne.
The athletes themselves have been contributing to the speculation by sharing updates on social media. Here are a few of those check-ins that have many fans around the world talking.
Nick Walker
2021 Arnold Classic winner and 2022 Mr. Olympia third-place finisher Nick Walker showed his fans why he’s known as “The Mutant” thanks to this post that indicated he weighed 283 pounds. The various photos show him hitting several standard poses in Flex Lewis’ Dragon Lair’s Gym in Las Vegas, NV. He also said he feels that he’s staying tighter despite the weight gain since he last competed in the 2023 Arnold Classic, where he placed second.
Samson Dauda
The man that Walker placed second to in that Arnold Classic show was Samson Dauda, and the 2023 champion has been sharing knowledge at seminars and guest posings, such as this seminar that he attended in Romania. You can see him training and demonstrating various exercises followed by him peeling down to hit some shots for those in attendance. There’s a good chance he weighs over 300 pounds, but he didn’t share his weight in the video or caption.
Hunter Labrada
This post from late April shows that Hunter Labrada is already in prep mode. He revealed in the caption that he intends to enter the Tampa Pro and Texas Pro this summer. Labrada was fourth at the 2021 Olympia, but he finished seventh in 2022. That means he has to qualify for the Olympia. The fans in Florida and Texas should be in for a solid show if this is how he looks at the beginning of his prep.
Brandon Curry
No, the 2019 Mr. Olympia didn’t turn his back on his fans. He was just showing what it looked like. The Tennessee native has clearly been putting in work on the offseason because he looks very wide and thick while performing those various rows. He was fourth last year, but his fans still feel he can take another Sandow Trophy before it’s all said and done.
Hadi Choopan
Last, but certainly not least, is the champ himself. Choopan shared a video of himself performing seated dumbbell presses in this post. Thanks to wearing a string tank top, you can see enough of his upper body to tell that he’s all gas and no brakes this year. “The Persian Wolf” knocks these 12 reps out with ease. The 2023 Mr. Olympia contest looks to be a very challenging one for the champion, but he appears to be poised to repeat.