Bodybuilding Panel Debates Whether Size Still Decides 2026 Mr. Olympia

On Episode 303 of The Menace Podcast, host Dennis James was joined by Milos Sarcev and Jose Raymond, and with about a week to go before the 2026 Mr. Olympia is crowned in Las Vegas, they discussed how much size matters in judging the Open division. Sarcev, a two-time Mr. Yugoslavia, said ordinary fans equate bigger with better, noting that leading contenders Derek Lunsford, Andrew Jacked, Nick Walker and Samson Dauda are all trying to add size ahead of the contest. James, a bodybuilding champion in Germany who competed in seven Mr. Olympia finals and placed fourth in 2003, said that if he could turn back time he would not have chased size so much in his own career. Sarcev warned that if reigning champion Derek Lunsford keeps getting bigger, he risks ruining his shape, a concern James shared, adding that the strategy could hurt Lunsford. Raymond reported that Lunsford recently weighed in at 252 pounds at 5'6", calling him "an elephant," while still saying Lunsford looked great for his efforts. The panel agreed that whether the size-focused approach pays off will become clear once judges' scores are revealed on September 27.

Separately, according to the Generation Iron Podcast, hosts Victor Martinez and Ehsan Farahi released differing predictions for the Men's Open division. Martinez ranked Samson Dauda first, followed by Jacked, Lunsford, Walker and Martin Fitzwater, while Farahi placed Jacked first, ahead of Lunsford, Dauda, Walker and Fitzwater. Both noted that Dauda's recent Europa Pro appearance, held 11 days before the Olympia, showed added size but left open questions about his conditioning. The same podcast also predicted Ramon Dino to defend his Classic Physique title, Keone Pearson to win Men's 212, and Andrea Shaw to retain her Ms. Olympia crown. Source: https://generationiron.com/victor-martinez-2026-olympia-predictions/