Nigerian-born bodybuilder Samson Dauda finished second in the Men’s Open division at the 2026 Mr. Olympia in Las Vegas, United States.
Dauda, who competed under the United Kingdom flag, finished behind American bodybuilder Nick Walker, who claimed his first Mr. Olympia title. Walker took home the $600,000 first prize, while Dauda earned $200,000 for his runner-up finish. Derek Lunsford placed third, followed by Andrew Jacked in fourth and Tonio Burton in fifth.
Born in Lagos, Dauda moved to the United Kingdom as a teenager, where he began building his bodybuilding career. He has remained closely connected to his Nigerian roots and is popularly known as the “Nigerian Lion.” His interest in the sport developed after he was introduced to it while playing rugby in the UK. He earned his IFBB Pro card in 2017 and made his professional debut the following year.
Dauda first appeared at the Mr. Olympia in 2022, finishing sixth, before improving to third in 2023 and winning the Men’s Open title in 2024. He was unable to defend his crown in 2025, finishing fourth as Lunsford reclaimed the title, with Hadi Choopan second and Jacked third.
Dauda returned to the Olympia stage in 2026 after winning the Europa Pro on September 13, going on to finish second in Las Vegas — ahead of Lunsford but short of reclaiming the title. The result gives Dauda one Mr. Olympia title and three other podium finishes across five appearances, with a record standing at sixth in 2022, third in 2023, first in 2024, fourth in 2025 and second in 2026.
