In an early February 2024 Mulligan Brothers‘ vodcast, Jordan Mulligan visited reigning Mr. Olympia champion Samson Dauda at his home to discuss Dauda’s life and career. How does the Nigerian-born, British bodybuilder get jacked enough to win the most coveted bodybuilding title in the world?
Hard work. You have to have determination to achieve; drive to want it badly.
—Samson Dauda
The interview delved into several notable aspects of Dauda’s life and career, including:
- Childhood
- Bodybuilding Inspiration
- First Amateur Show
- Transitioning to Pro Competition
- Nearly Quitting
- Coached by His Wife
- Winning Mr. Olympia
Dauda is amid 2025 Arnold Classic prep. The event is scheduled for Feb. 28 through March 1 in Columbus, OH. He hopes to join the few bodybuilders in history to win the Arnold Classic and Mr. Olympia in the same year, stating, “I want to build a legacy.”
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Early Years and Transition to Bodybuilding
Dauda credited his time in boarding school for his disciplined mindset and preference for personal autonomy.
I hated it, but it ingrained a lot of life lessons in me. I don’t have a good relationship with authority. I see them as the enemy, a threat, or my boss.
—Samson Dauda
As a shy youth, sports became Dauda’s outlet for expression, though he suppressed his athletic talents to avoid attention. Dauda recalled never taking his shirt off at the beach, preferring to remain under the radar. It wasn’t until he found camaraderie in rugby that he began to break out of his shell.
Forced to bulk his frame, Dauda surpassed his teammates, who, along with his future wife and current coach, Mel, encouraged him to compete in bodybuilding.
The idea of stripping in front of people was beyond anything I would ever do.
—Samson Dauda
Dauda saw a video of seven-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath in 2013:
I was blown away. I didn’t know humans could look like that.
—Samson Dauda
After seeing a gym mate, who was less genetically blessed, win a bodybuilding show, Dauda decided to compete in early 2014.
First Show & Moment of Realization
“The first time I stripped my clothes, the whole room went quiet. I turned around and [saw] everyone looking at me,” Dauda recounted. Terrified of his amateur debut, a flip switched, “I walked on stage; felt like I had done it a thousand times. I was completely confident. I felt at home on that stage,” he recollected.
Dauda won his rookie show and an open competition later that night, reinforcing his decision to take bodybuilding seriously.
It felt too perfectly aligned for me not to believe in destiny.
—Samson Dauda
Struggles Before Stardom
Despite his early success, Dauda hit a drought after earning his pro card. By 2020, he contemplated quitting due to the financial burden, only to fall further down the competitive ranks.
“[Mel and I] were putting all our funds into this thing, hoping it would pay off one day. But we ended each year with nothing to show for it,” Dauda told Mulligan.
Then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and Dauda lost his construction job before fate intervened, a contract offer from supplement brand Hosstile. “I had contacted many companies before, and they all said no. But this time, someone believed in me. That was my lifeline,” Dauda professed.
Coach Criticism
Dauda’s most significant recent challenge was the backlash he received hiring his wife, Mel, as his coach to prepare for the 2024 Mr. Olympia. Dauda previously worked with Miloš Šarčev.
“It pissed me off. I wanted to lash out,” Dauda expressed. “[Mel] told me don’t. People didn’t know how involved she was in my journey; she knows me inside out.”
Moment of Redemption
With Mel’s guidance, Dauda claimed the 2024 Mr. Olympia title. It was a vivid victory, “The moment they called me the winner, all the flashbacks of every difficult moment flooded in,” Dauda shared. “It’s overwhelming.”
Dauda’s message to all his doubters: “I told you so. I’ll [win] every year until I make it clear it was not just me. There was somebody there that you tossed to the side and said she’s just his wife.”
Upon receiving the Sandow trophy, Dauda told Mel, “Pick it up and show them all. That was my f***-you moment,” Dauda confessed.
“If you want something, you get one life. There are no reruns,” Dauda conveyed. “If you don’t do it, it’s gone. Don’t wish or wait — there will never be the right time. You have to make it happen. Whether you achieve it or not, a life going after a goal is never a life wasted. Go for it!”
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Featured image: @samson__dauda on Instagram
