Samson Dauda: Most Improved Bodybuilder of 2022!

Has pro bodybuilding ever seen a near 300-pound stage-ready physique like this with SUCH unquestionable aesthetics with a waist QUITE that small? ‘
No’ is the answer to that one, guys: it has most certainly not, ever.

By Giles “Tiger” Thomas

2022 was a year like no other for international bodybuilding. There were a crazy amount of pro shows all around the world – almost every weekend, it seemed, so there were a LOT of results to digest, a ton of athletes to follow and assess with some improving and moving up and – of course – some slipping. It’s quite an achievement in this competitive an industry of global pro bodybuilding to be named “THE Most Improved Bodybuilder” of any year, especially 2022. Even in 2021, it wasn’t clear to any who followed the sport closely that British Open pro Samson Dauda would be one of THE biggest talking points of the following year. But oh my, he so was.

History Lesson Time

Let’s look back at some pros who many felt were also the most improved guys of their year.

1993: Dorian Yates. Even with his first Mr. Olympia win in Helsinki, Finland the year before, I’m not sure ANYONE saw the drastically improved version coming with Dorian’s return to Atlanta, Georgia at the Mr. “O” a full 15 pounds heavier at 257 pounds – with even crazier condition – that many considered to be bodybuilding taken to an entirely new level. Perhaps even more insane to realize is that in those famous black-and-white sock pictures taken by Kevin Horton six weeks before of Yates posing at 270 pounds, he could ALSO have walked onstage and won. Yates was THAT good that year with everyone simply fighting for second place.

2003: Ronnie Coleman. Ronnie, much like Dorian those 10 years before, also shocked the world with what he brought to the Olympia stage. Ronnie, right after the 2002 Olympia, was actually beaten by Günter Schlierkamp at the 2002 GNC Show of Strength. Ronnie, fearing “they” wanted to take the following year’s Olympia title away from him, took it very seriously and “went to war” (in his own exact words to me on a podcast in 2021), returning the year after – and just like Dorian in ’93 – to drop jaws all through the Mandalay Bay arena, some 40-plus pounds over the 2002 “O” win stage weight. War was indeed declared and victory, was his.

2009: Jay Cutler. This was the year that history was made at the Olympia. Not since the contest’s inception since 1965 had any Mr. Olympia who had lost the title ever won it back. Jay decided otherwise. In 2008, Jay – the then two-time Mr. “O” – lost the title to Dexter Jackson, only to return in ’09 with an ALL-time best look that literally stomped his way back into the number-one pole position and win BACK the title. It wasn’t even up for discussion either, for as soon as he walked out, it was obvious to anyone with two eyeballs in their head who the outright winner was that year.

2020: Big Ramy. I’ll be honest, before this particular Olympia, Ramy’s first win, I’d given up all hope he could really bring it all together on the day to display his best-EVER look that so many felt he was capable of for seven long (mostly disappointing) years from the Gigantic Egyptian. But, Ramy shocked everyone to bring the perfect condition for his colossal frame to FINALLY and outrightly WIN the Sandow trophy and become the 16th man in history to be able to call himself “Mr. Olympia.”

What Do the Experts Say?

Ron Harris

When I saw Samson for the first time at the 2022 Arnold Classic, I was certainly impressed by his overall mass and more so by his stature and structure. This was a big man with a big X-frame, and I thought, this guy will be really good when he fills out. He managed fourth place behind winner Brandon Curry, William Bonac and Steve Kuclo. Samson would earn the same slot a week later in my hometown of Boston, this time with Bonac winning, followed by possibly a best-ever Justin Rodriguez and The Kingsnake again in third. I certainly wasn’t expecting much from Dauda in his Mr. Olympia debut nine months later. That may be enough time for a female human being to gestate a baby, but it’s hardly sufficient for an advanced pro bodybuilder to make any substantial improvements. I was wrong. Samson took his off-season bodyweight up to a staggering 330 pounds, yet somehow his dainty waist didn't expand one bit. All well and good, but how would all this new muscle mass look come contest day? The answer was spectacular! Pushing 300 pounds in very good condition, he showed a rare combination of size and aesthetics. Few had predicted he would make the top six, but he did just that. Many of us felt he genuinely deserved fifth place over Big Ramy. Regardless, Samson Dauda had made a powerful statement in his Mr. Olympia debut. The physique he’d shown back in March would never have cracked the top 10 at this ultra-competitive Mr. Olympia. But thanks to the drastic improvements he’d managed to make in that span of time, Samson had pushed all the way to the coveted top six, with higher placings most definitely in his future. I can’t think of anyone else in Men's Open bodybuilding who is more deserving of the title “Most Improved Bodybuilder of 2022.” I don’t expect Samson to make a similar leap in size in 2023, but he is now getting closer to his full potential and I can’t wait to see how good he can be the next time he steps on the Mr. Olympia stage.

Milos Sarcev

Giles: What were your initial feelings toward Samson Dauda’s overall potential, Milos?

Milos: I was a big fan of Samson’s physique even before I ever started working with him, Giles. I’d seen some pictures and video footage and I said to myself, “This guy has that something,” that shape, the almost superhero “look,” round muscle bellies, a “complete” physique with good structure and great balance. I could see he did need improvements, but in time, all this comes, THEN he contacted me.

Giles: Why was that?

Milos: Well god rest his soul, Samson’s coach John Meadows sadly passed away seven weeks out of Samson’s next show and John told him that if anyone else was ever to coach him he wished that it was me, so it was a no-brainer – and how could I refuse? Anyway, we were just seven weeks out from the 2021 Arnold UK and then another FIVE shows – if you remember – after that, it was Spain, then Italy, Egypt, Prague, Romania, so he didn’t really have time to grow, just compete in one show after another, each time trying to peak him as best we could for each event. Then, as you know, he DID qualify for the 2022 Mr. Olympia by winning the EVLS Prague show and at the same time, Samson also applied to compete at the Arnold Classic in March 2022 and his invitation was approved, so immediately we were aiming for the Arnold Classic and he made tremendous improvements.

Giles: Samson told me that in November 2021 he was 270 pounds onstage when he won in Prague at the EVLS then four months later at the Arnold was 10 pounds heavier at 280? That’s incredible improvements in such a short space of time.

Milos: That’s 100% correct Giles, but what happened after the fourth place at the Arnold Classic was that the world had registered and now realized how good he actually was at that time. He had now put his name on the map, so to speak, and that he is a complete package with size, width, thickness, structure, shape, balance, EVERYTHING is there!

Giles: I’d imagine his confidence was really growing at this stage also?

Milos: Well, I’m going to tell you just this then, right before the Olympia, he said to me: “Coach, I just HOPE they put me right next to Ramy, because I’m going to hold my own!”

Giles: Wow! That’s EXACTLY happened too.

Milos: (Laughs) Imagine that statement, then Giles, hearing that a couple of months BEFORE the Olympia contest. Big Ramy is Big Ramy, he’s the best in the world, the current and two-time Mr. Olympia – and sure enough – Samson drew the number right before Ramy’s, meaning this DID in fact happen – and the rest is history.

Giles: I did have Samson beating Ramy, he should have been fifth in my eyes, not sixth. So what are your feelings on the upcoming Arnold Classic, can he win?

Milos: This is the guy now that is going to be super hard to deal with in Columbus, Giles. I don’t care who you are, you’re going to be facing Samson that has ALREADY proved himself at the Arnold with his fourth place and now sixth in his first-ever Mr. Olympia.

Giles: He is also the highest-placed British pro in the Olympia since Dorian Yates in 1997, might I add.

Milos: Yes, that too Giles. I think he can aim for first place in Columbus, but to say that he is driven is an understatement. I rarely am in touch with someone that is SO committed and guaranteed 24 hours a day, every day with NOTHING else in his head BUT improvement – and improvement he is going to still continue to show in 2023, Giles. We all agree Samson is the most improved pro of 2022, but for 2023, you just know what is coming!

Tiger’s Take …

2014 was the very first time I ever heard of Samson Dauda. I remember clearly that year, a good friend of mine and colorful character and show promoter, Scott “Hollywood” Horton, was raving about this exciting new guy that had just won his show. “Hercules Olympia 2014, Giles, Samson won the tall class and I gave him a run out to the World Championships, not just to make up the numbers, but get him on course and show him what the big bad bodybuilding world was like,” Scott recalled.

I personally could see Samson had potential, beautiful shape, symmetry, amazing presentation, but if I’m completely honest, I’d seen plenty of other physiques around the World – and especially in the UK – that perhaps stood out more. Even in 2017 at the UKBFF British Championships, when he took the runner-up position behind super-heavyweight and overall winner James Hollingshead, I absolutely could not have predicted that five years later, Samson would have many saying that he not only deserved to beat Big Ramy at the 2022 Mr. Olympia, but holding his own size-wise with the man who’s name literally begins with “Big”! Looking back now, even what was achieved from 2017 to 2018 was so bloody impressive. After that 2017 British finals runner-up position, one week after, Samson secured his pro card by winning the IFBB Diamond Cup show in Rome, Italy. Clearly I can recall one prominent figure in British bodybuilding saying to me that he felt that due to that particular win by Samson, that pro cards were too readily being handed out, indicating a feeling that here was Samson not ready or good enough perhaps to even deserve being awarded pro status? Fast-forward to one year later – and in his pro debut – Samson placed fourth behind the likes of winner Roelly Winklaar and Nathan De asha in second. Boom. Take that, doubters.

2022 was the year, I believe, when everything fell into place for Samson. Milos Sarcev stepped in as coach and continued the incredible progress that Samson and John Meadows (who sadly passed away) that had left Samson feeling (as he told me himself in an episode of “MD Global Muscle”) “lost” and at a very low point with John now sadly, gone. He had lost both a coach and a friend with the unexpected, sudden death of John who was also someone that – like Milos now – had full faith in his ability to rise to the very top of this sport. Add to that the support from Hosstile (his new sponsor that came in at that time) now allowing him to leave his full-time construction job and purely be a 24/7, 365 day of the year pro bodybuilder. With Milos, Fouad Abiad (who created Hosstile) and his ever-supportive partner Marlenka who had been behind him from day one of his bodybuilding career, it’s pretty easy to see how his trajectory just went up and up, FAST. Let’s use stage weight to attempt to gauge the progress – November 2021, he won the EVLS Prague Pro, beating Brazil’s Rafael Brandão (second), Regan Grimes (third) and nine-time pro show winner Nathan De asha (fourth), at 270 pounds. Four months later, Samson stormed to fourth in the 2022 Arnold Classic behind winner Brandon Curry, William Bonac in second and Justin Rodriguez, taking third at 280 pounds onstage. Ten quality pounds heavier with pretty much two show preps back-to-back whilst retaining the small waist and ALL his aesthetics, completely intact. No mean feat.

But here was when momentum really kicked in HARD for the “Nigerian Lion.” Nine months later, I discovered by discussing with his coach Milos at the Olympia Gala (immediately after the Saturday night finals) that Samson (upon request from Milos) had weighed himself fully depleted at 294.5 pounds in Las Vegas for his highly anticipated Mr. Olympia debut. Has pro bodybuilding ever seen a near 300-pound stage-ready physique like this with SUCH unquestionable aesthetics with a waist QUITE that small? “No” is the answer to that one, guys: it has most certainly not, ever.

As I write this, Samson is now gearing up for the 2023 Arnold Classic and I messaged him last night when I heard the news that Ramy was now IN the show as well. I’ll make a prediction whilst we’re all here. Samson WILL bring an even better package than he displayed at his first-ever Mr. Olympia – and he will place ahead of Big Ramy. Can he even WIN the Arnold Classic this year? Well, one thing's for sure, he’s consistently proven to be full of surprises AND improvements, so who knows, maybe in another year we might be writing ANOTHER MD feature entitled “Samson Dauda, Most Improved Bodybuilder of 2023”? It would not surprise me one bit.

DISCUSS ON OUR FORUMSSUBSCRIBE TO MD TODAY
GET OFFICIAL MD STUFFVISIT OUR STORE
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

ALSO, MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOKTWITTERINSTAGRAM YOUTUBE








Top








Samson Dauda: Most Improved Bodybuilder of 2022!



Has pro bodybuilding ever seen a near 300-pound stage-ready physique like this with SUCH unquestionable aesthetics with a waist QUITE that small? ‘


No’ is the answer to that one, guys: it has most certainly not, ever.



By Giles “Tiger” Thomas



2022 was a year like no other for international bodybuilding. There were a crazy amount of pro shows all around the world – almost every weekend, it seemed, so there were a LOT of results to digest, a ton of athletes to follow and assess with some improving and moving up and – of course – some slipping. It’s quite an achievement in this competitive an industry of global pro bodybuilding to be named “THE Most Improved Bodybuilder” of any year, especially 2022. Even in 2021, it wasn’t clear to any who followed the sport closely that British Open pro Samson Dauda would be one of THE biggest talking points of the following year. But oh my, he so was.





History Lesson Time





Let’s look back at some pros who many felt were also the most improved guys of their year.





1993: Dorian Yates. Even with his first Mr. Olympia win in Helsinki, Finland the year before, I’m not sure ANYONE saw the drastically improved version coming with Dorian’s return to Atlanta, Georgia at the Mr. “O” a full 15 pounds heavier at 257 pounds – with even crazier condition – that many considered to be bodybuilding taken to an entirely new level. Perhaps even more insane to realize is that in those famous black-and-white sock pictures taken by Kevin Horton six weeks before of Yates posing at 270 pounds, he could ALSO have walked onstage and won. Yates was THAT good that year with everyone simply fighting for second place.





2003: Ronnie Coleman. Ronnie, much like Dorian those 10 years before, also shocked the world with what he brought to the Olympia stage. Ronnie, right after the 2002 Olympia, was actually beaten by Günter Schlierkamp at the 2002 GNC Show of Strength. Ronnie, fearing “they” wanted to take the following year’s Olympia title away from him, took it very seriously and “went to war” (in his own exact words to me on a podcast in 2021), returning the year after – and just like Dorian in ’93 – to drop jaws all through the Mandalay Bay arena, some 40-plus pounds over the 2002 “O” win stage weight. War was indeed declared and victory, was his.





2009: Jay Cutler. This was the year that history was made at the Olympia. Not since the contest’s inception since 1965 had any Mr. Olympia who had lost the title ever won it back. Jay decided otherwise. In 2008, Jay – the then two-time Mr. “O” – lost the title to Dexter Jackson, only to return in ’09 with an ALL-time best look that literally stomped his way back into the number-one pole position and win BACK the title. It wasn’t even up for discussion either, for as soon as he walked out, it was obvious to anyone with two eyeballs in their head who the outright winner was that year.





2020: Big Ramy. I’ll be honest, before this particular Olympia, Ramy’s first win, I’d given up all hope he could really bring it all together on the day to display his best-EVER look that so many felt he was capable of for seven long (mostly disappointing) years from the Gigantic Egyptian. But, Ramy shocked everyone to bring the perfect condition for his colossal frame to FINALLY and outrightly WIN the Sandow trophy and become the 16th man in history to be able to call himself “Mr. Olympia.”





What Do the Experts Say?





Ron Harris





When I saw Samson for the first time at the 2022 Arnold Classic, I was certainly impressed by his overall mass and more so by his stature and structure. This was a big man with a big X-frame, and I thought, this guy will be really good when he fills out. He managed fourth place behind winner Brandon Curry, William Bonac and Steve Kuclo. Samson would earn the same slot a week later in my hometown of Boston, this time with Bonac winning, followed by possibly a best-ever Justin Rodriguez and The Kingsnake again in third. I certainly wasn’t expecting much from Dauda in his Mr. Olympia debut nine months later. That may be enough time for a female human being to gestate a baby, but it’s hardly sufficient for an advanced pro bodybuilder to make any substantial improvements. I was wrong. Samson took his off-season bodyweight up to a staggering 330 pounds, yet somehow his dainty waist didn't expand one bit. All well and good, but how would all this new muscle mass look come contest day? The answer was spectacular! Pushing 300 pounds in very good condition, he showed a rare combination of size and aesthetics. Few had predicted he would make the top six, but he did just that. Many of us felt he genuinely deserved fifth place over Big Ramy. Regardless, Samson Dauda had made a powerful statement in his Mr. Olympia debut. The physique he’d shown back in March would never have cracked the top 10 at this ultra-competitive Mr. Olympia. But thanks to the drastic improvements he’d managed to make in that span of time, Samson had pushed all the way to the coveted top six, with higher placings most definitely in his future. I can’t think of anyone else in Men's Open bodybuilding who is more deserving of the title “Most Improved Bodybuilder of 2022.” I don’t expect Samson to make a similar leap in size in 2023, but he is now getting closer to his full potential and I can’t wait to see how good he can be the next time he steps on the Mr. Olympia stage.





Milos Sarcev





Giles: What were your initial feelings toward Samson Dauda’s overall potential, Milos?





Milos: I was a big fan of Samson’s physique even before I ever started working with him, Giles. I’d seen some pictures and video footage and I said to myself, “This guy has that something,” that shape, the almost superhero “look,” round muscle bellies, a “complete” physique with good structure and great balance. I could see he did need improvements, but in time, all this comes, THEN he contacted me.





Giles: Why was that?





Milos: Well god rest his soul, Samson’s coach John Meadows sadly passed away seven weeks out of Samson’s next show and John told him that if anyone else was ever to coach him he wished that it was me, so it was a no-brainer – and how could I refuse? Anyway, we were just seven weeks out from the 2021 Arnold UK and then another FIVE shows – if you remember – after that, it was Spain, then Italy, Egypt, Prague, Romania, so he didn’t really have time to grow, just compete in one show after another, each time trying to peak him as best we could for each event. Then, as you know, he DID qualify for the 2022 Mr. Olympia by winning the EVLS Prague show and at the same time, Samson also applied to compete at the Arnold Classic in March 2022 and his invitation was approved, so immediately we were aiming for the Arnold Classic and he made tremendous improvements.





Giles: Samson told me that in November 2021 he was 270 pounds onstage when he won in Prague at the EVLS then four months later at the Arnold was 10 pounds heavier at 280? That’s incredible improvements in such a short space of time.





Milos: That’s 100% correct Giles, but what happened after the fourth place at the Arnold Classic was that the world had registered and now realized how good he actually was at that time. He had now put his name on the map, so to speak, and that he is a complete package with size, width, thickness, structure, shape, balance, EVERYTHING is there!





Giles: I’d imagine his confidence was really growing at this stage also?





Milos: Well, I’m going to tell you just this then, right before the Olympia, he said to me: “Coach, I just HOPE they put me right next to Ramy, because I’m going to hold my own!”





Giles: Wow! That’s EXACTLY happened too.





Milos: (Laughs) Imagine that statement, then Giles, hearing that a couple of months BEFORE the Olympia contest. Big Ramy is Big Ramy, he’s the best in the world, the current and two-time Mr. Olympia – and sure enough – Samson drew the number right before Ramy’s, meaning this DID in fact happen – and the rest is history.





Giles: I did have Samson beating Ramy, he should have been fifth in my eyes, not sixth. So what are your feelings on the upcoming Arnold Classic, can he win?





Milos: This is the guy now that is going to be super hard to deal with in Columbus, Giles. I don’t care who you are, you’re going to be facing Samson that has ALREADY proved himself at the Arnold with his fourth place and now sixth in his first-ever Mr. Olympia.





Giles: He is also the highest-placed British pro in the Olympia since Dorian Yates in 1997, might I add.





Milos: Yes, that too Giles. I think he can aim for first place in Columbus, but to say that he is driven is an understatement. I rarely am in touch with someone that is SO committed and guaranteed 24 hours a day, every day with NOTHING else in his head BUT improvement – and improvement he is going to still continue to show in 2023, Giles. We all agree Samson is the most improved pro of 2022, but for 2023, you just know what is coming!





Tiger’s Take …





2014 was the very first time I ever heard of Samson Dauda. I remember clearly that year, a good friend of mine and colorful character and show promoter, Scott “Hollywood” Horton, was raving about this exciting new guy that had just won his show. “Hercules Olympia 2014, Giles, Samson won the tall class and I gave him a run out to the World Championships, not just to make up the numbers, but get him on course and show him what the big bad bodybuilding world was like,” Scott recalled.





I personally could see Samson had potential, beautiful shape, symmetry, amazing presentation, but if I’m completely honest, I’d seen plenty of other physiques around the World – and especially in the UK – that perhaps stood out more. Even in 2017 at the UKBFF British Championships, when he took the runner-up position behind super-heavyweight and overall winner James Hollingshead, I absolutely could not have predicted that five years later, Samson would have many saying that he not only deserved to beat Big Ramy at the 2022 Mr. Olympia, but holding his own size-wise with the man who’s name literally begins with “Big”! Looking back now, even what was achieved from 2017 to 2018 was so bloody impressive. After that 2017 British finals runner-up position, one week after, Samson secured his pro card by winning the IFBB Diamond Cup show in Rome, Italy. Clearly I can recall one prominent figure in British bodybuilding saying to me that he felt that due to that particular win by Samson, that pro cards were too readily being handed out, indicating a feeling that here was Samson not ready or good enough perhaps to even deserve being awarded pro status? Fast-forward to one year later – and in his pro debut – Samson placed fourth behind the likes of winner Roelly Winklaar and Nathan De asha in second. Boom. Take that, doubters.





2022 was the year, I believe, when everything fell into place for Samson. Milos Sarcev stepped in as coach and continued the incredible progress that Samson and John Meadows (who sadly passed away) that had left Samson feeling (as he told me himself in an episode of “MD Global Muscle”) “lost” and at a very low point with John now sadly, gone. He had lost both a coach and a friend with the unexpected, sudden death of John who was also someone that – like Milos now – had full faith in his ability to rise to the very top of this sport. Add to that the support from Hosstile (his new sponsor that came in at that time) now allowing him to leave his full-time construction job and purely be a 24/7, 365 day of the year pro bodybuilder. With Milos, Fouad Abiad (who created Hosstile) and his ever-supportive partner Marlenka who had been behind him from day one of his bodybuilding career, it’s pretty easy to see how his trajectory just went up and up, FAST. Let’s use stage weight to attempt to gauge the progress – November 2021, he won the EVLS Prague Pro, beating Brazil’s Rafael Brandão (second), Regan Grimes (third) and nine-time pro show winner Nathan De asha (fourth), at 270 pounds. Four months later, Samson stormed to fourth in the 2022 Arnold Classic behind winner Brandon Curry, William Bonac in second and Justin Rodriguez, taking third at 280 pounds onstage. Ten quality pounds heavier with pretty much two show preps back-to-back whilst retaining the small waist and ALL his aesthetics, completely intact. No mean feat.





But here was when momentum really kicked in HARD for the “Nigerian Lion.” Nine months later, I discovered by discussing with his coach Milos at the Olympia Gala (immediately after the Saturday night finals) that Samson (upon request from Milos) had weighed himself fully depleted at 294.5 pounds in Las Vegas for his highly anticipated Mr. Olympia debut. Has pro bodybuilding ever seen a near 300-pound stage-ready physique like this with SUCH unquestionable aesthetics with a waist QUITE that small? “No” is the answer to that one, guys: it has most certainly not, ever.





As I write this, Samson is now gearing up for the 2023 Arnold Classic and I messaged him last night when I heard the news that Ramy was now IN the show as well. I’ll make a prediction whilst we’re all here. Samson WILL bring an even better package than he displayed at his first-ever Mr. Olympia – and he will place ahead of Big Ramy. Can he even WIN the Arnold Classic this year? Well, one thing's for sure, he’s consistently proven to be full of surprises AND improvements, so who knows, maybe in another year we might be writing ANOTHER MD feature entitled “Samson Dauda, Most Improved Bodybuilder of 2023”? It would not surprise me one bit.



DISCUSS ON OUR FORUMS

SUBSCRIBE TO MD TODAY


GET OFFICIAL MD STUFF

VISIT OUR STORE


SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER





ALSO, MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON:



FACEBOOK

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

YOUTUBE










Top














Click here to view the article.