Bodybuilding’s greatest weekend of the 12 months is upon is. The 2025 Joe Weider’s Olympia Health and Efficiency Weekend returns to Las Vegas, NV on Oct. 9-12, and the primary occasion would be the 61st version of the Mr. Olympia contest.
The Males’s Open competitors will function 20 athletes representing 10 international locations. 4 of these males have held the Sandow Trophy of their illustrious careers. These 4 males wish to maintain it that approach, whereas the remainder of the sphere need Bob Cicherillo to announce “and new” on Saturday evening.
Prejudging will happen at Resorts World Theater on Friday, Oct. tenth and the finals can be held the next evening. The complete lineup for the Males’s Open is under.
2025 Olympia Males’s Open Roster
PAST CHAMPIONS
Samson Youth
The reigning and defending champion of the world is Samson Dauda, who will attempt to be the primary man since Massive Ramy to win two Olympias in a row. The nineteenth Mr. Olympia champion has traveled the world spreading the phrase of bodybuilding however is now locked in on bringing a second Sandow to the UK. Count on the champion to be greater than final 12 months whereas making an attempt to carry his conditioning in much more. If these targets are met, he can be robust to beat. If he reveals up the identical as he did in 2024, he can be in for an extended weekend.
Derak Lunsford
Ever since Derek Lunsford tasted defeat because the third-place finisher in 2024, he’s been hellbent on reestablishing himself because the primary man within the sport. Lunsford has gained the Arnold Basic and the Pittsburgh Professional this season. He’ll attempt to pull off a uncommon feat in profitable each the Arnold and Olympia in the identical 12 months. The final to do it was Brandon Curry in 2019, who can be on this lineup. Including the Pittsburgh Professional made this Lunsford’s private “Triple Crown” of six-figure prize contests.
Hadi chopan
“The Persian Wolf” has taken silver every of the final two years after profitable the Olympia in 2022. Choopan and Lunsford are each making an attempt to grow to be the second man to reclaim the title after dropping it onstage. Jay Cutler was the primary in 2009. Choopan has been laying low and staying quiet apart from an occasional social media publish. Don’t get that twisted, although. He’s been lifting quite a bit. His conditioning can be among the many greatest within the lineup. If he has a bit additional mass and the opposite two favorites are off even barely, Eugen Sandow can be returning to Iran.
Brandon Curry
The 2025 Olympia can be historic as a result of 4 previous champions will share the stage. A kind of is Curry, who was the 2019 winner however completed in ninth place a 12 months in the past. He isn’t among the many favorites in response to many specialists, however his contribution to the game –
particularly being Mr. Olympia in the course of the first 12 months of the pandemic – garners respect. Despite the fact that he’s north of 40 now, don’t anticipate him to easily roll over in Las Vegas.
TOP CONTENDERS
If none of these males are the final man standing on Saturday evening, then we may have a twentieth Mr. Olympia champion, and it might very nicely be considered one of these males.
Nick Walker
After lacking the final two Olympias, “The Mutant” is anxious to get again on the Olympia stage. Nick Walker took second to Lunsford in a tiebreaker on the Pittsburgh Professional, then went on to assert his third New York Professional ring. As followers have seen on his movies and posts, he’s massive, conditioned, and prepared. Specialists knock his form and symmetry, however his muscularity and depth make up for that. He was third on the 2022 Olympia and gained’t settle for something lower than gold right here.
Martin Fitzwater
Some followers could have forgotten that Martin Fitzwater was fourth in 2024, however with the excitement of the opposite champions and Walker taking the headlines, “The Martian” has no drawback flying beneath the radar once more. The problem for him this 12 months is that he’s by no means overwhelmed Walker onstage. If he desires to face towards the final three champs once more, he should change that.
Andrew Jacked
Andrew Jacked rounded out the highest 5 a 12 months in the past and might current some issues if he nails his conditioning this 12 months. He has the scale to face with Dauda and the form to carry his personal towards Lunsford. Being within the first callout gained’t be sufficient for him this 12 months, he desires a medal and gold if potential.
NOTABLE OLYMPIA DEBUTS
The remainder of the sphere have all earned their place to face with the most effective on the planet, however there are a number of that may accomplish that for the primary time.
Behrooz
After three years of making an attempt and being denied, the fourth time was the appeal for Choopan’s fellow countryman. Behrooz Tabani will make his long-awaited Olympia debut, and coach Milos Sarcev admits bias however feels he might be a contender to win based mostly on how he regarded when he arrived to the US.
Brett Wilkin
“The Butcher” Brett Wilkin additionally needed to bow out of the Olympia when he final certified however wll make his first look on the massive stage. Wilkin can be a darkish horse however might very nicely discover himself within the prime 10 and even prime six if issues work in his favor.
Urs Kalecinski
Former Basic Physique professional Urs Kalecinski lastly made the plunge into the deep by leaping into the Males’s Open, and he already has two wins to his credit score. This can be his Males’s Open Olympia debut, and followers can’t wait to see how he appears to be like among the many greatest on the planet in his new division.
Sasan Heirati
Sasan Heirati was working onerous and competing typically early within the 12 months however completed his 2025 season on a two-show profitable streak. HIs first Olympia look can be memorable one for him, and the expertise he positive aspects might serve him nicely in 2026 and past.
By the top of this weekend, we’ll know for positive who the 2025 Mr. Olympia can be. Nevertheless, we all know one factor for positive now. This has the potential to be probably the most aggressive Olympia in historical past. In the event you’re not going to be within the Resorts World Theater, be sure you’re close to a display so you possibly can see the historical past unfold. For extra info on the 2025 Olympia Weekend, go to www.mrolympia.com, and subscribe to the M&F publication to remain within the know on all issues bodybuilding and health.
