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Home » Bodybuilding News » Nathan De Asha Wins 2021 Arnold Classic UK Bodybuilding Show

Nathan De Asha Wins 2021 Arnold Classic UK Bodybuilding Show

“The Prophecy” is the first man qualified for the 2022 Mr. Olympia.

Written by Roger Lockridge
Last updated on July 31st, 2023

History was made at the inaugural Arnold Classic UK contest in Birmingham, England. Nathan De Asha won the first edition of the new bodybuilding contest — held at the Arnold Sports Festival UK from Oct. 1-3.

With this win, De Asha is the first man to qualify for the 2022 Mr. Olympia contest. Samson Dauda scored an impressive second-place finish against a seasoned De Asha. Theo Leguerrier ended up in third. The top five in the Men’s Open division are listed below.

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by Arnold Sports Festival UK (@arnoldsportsuk)

2021 Arnold Classic UK Men’s Open Top Five

  1. Nathan De Asha
  2. Samson Dauda
  3. Theo Leguerrier
  4. Patrick Johnson
  5. Krystian Wolski

Winner — Nathan De Asha

De Asha displayed incredible symmetry and came in very lean. It was apparent that De Asha was already prepping for the 2021 Mr. Olympia, taking place Oct. 7-10, 2021, in Orlando, FL.  (De Asha is on the list of qualified athletes for the Olympia, though the actual competitor list is yet to be solidified.) Throughout the competition, the judges compared De Asha and Dauda repeatedly. The British bodybuilder didn’t seem to fatigue as he flowed through his mandatory poses to his benefit. 

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by Nathan De Asha (@nathandeasha2)


Unfortunately for De Asha, Arnold Schwarzenegger wasn’t in attendance as he’s recovering from a leg injury. However, the winner did join eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman for the trophy presentation and an interview afterward. This is De Asha’s second victory of the season. He also won the 2021 Europa Pro in Spain in August 2021.

Second Place — Samson Dauda

Dauda showed up to this contest bigger than ever and sporting a notable level of conditioning. He won’t take part in the Olympia, so he placed all of his effort into his peak for this contest.

Dauda exuded confidence and made sure the judges had a difficult time deciding on a winner. Eventually, they opted for De Asha, who still has more muscle maturity and density. That said, fans should keep their eyes on Dauda in 2022.

Third Place — Theo Leguerrier

This was Leguerrier’s fourth show of the 2021 season and his highest placing. His best placing before this was a fifth-place effort in the 2021 Mr. Big Evolution contest in July. To his credit, Leguerrier’s third-place finish most likely had more to do with what De Asha and Dauda got right and less about what he got wrong. He may jump into one of the post-Olympia shows to qualify for the 2022 contest. 

Other Division Winners

Four other IFBB Pro League took place at the Arnold Sports Festival UK. Another home country favorite, Ryan Terry, clinched the Men’s Physique title and earned a 2022 Olympia qualification. The Classic Physique winner was Michael Daboul, and the Bikini champion was Phoebe Hagan. 

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by Arnold Sports Festival UK (@arnoldsportsuk)


The results in the Fitness division were the most surprising. After four competitors withdrew, Kate Errington was expected to be the only competitor in the lineup. However, after earning her pro card at the Amateur Fitness contest held on Oct. 1 at the ASF UK, Michelle Mensah stepped on stage as a pro and defeated Errington. Mensah went from amateur to Olympia qualified professional in less than 48 hours.

  • Men’s Physique — Ryan Terry
  • Classic Physique — Michael Daboul
  • Bikini — Phoebe Hagan
  • Fitness — Michelle (aka Shelly) Mensah

And Then There Was One

Set to take place from Oct 7-10, Olympia weekend will see 11 divisions face off for a piece of the $1.6 million prize pool and the most coveted title in the sport of bodybuilding. The O is the season’s final show for many of the top pros in the sport, and the last chance to qualify was at the Arnold Classic US.

For those who can’t fly to Orlando, a PPV is available at olympiaproductions.com for $59.95.

Featured Image: @arnoldsportsuk and nathandeasha2 on Instagram 

About Roger Lockridge

Roger "Rock" Lockridge has been writing professionally for 10 years and has been training for 20. His work in the fitness industry has been seen in numerous outlets and has been a part of coverage for several events including the Mr. Olympia, Arnold Classic, the CrossFit Games, and the Olympics. He's also shared his own personal success story in several interviews and articles. Lockridge lives in West Virginia with his wife and son.

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