Should Samson Dauda Retire? – Shawn Ray gives his opinion.
Shawn Ray, a bodybuilding legend and Hall of Fame inductee, was a guest on MuscleDiscord and gave his opinion on some of the most popular subjects in the bodybuilding world.
Shawn and Matt Tsinkorang discussed Chris Bumstead, Samson Dauda, and the incident with Mike Van Wyck.
Shawn Ray is known for not holding back his opinions, and he gave his hard-hitting honest opinion on these three subjects.
Chris Bumstead’s decision to move up to the Open Bodybuilding
Matt Tsinkorang started the interview by asking Shawn Ray about six-time Classic Physique Olympia champion, Chris Bumstead’s decision to compete at the 2024 EVLS Prague Pro in the Open Bodybuilding division.
Chris Bumstead is fresh from retiring from the sport of bodybuilding, moments after he won his sixth consecutive Classic Physique Olympia title. In a shock announcement, Chris has put his decision to retire to the side, to now step on the Open Bodybuilding stage in Prague.
There is no denying that Chris Bumstead is the most popular bodybuilder in the world, and according to Shawn Ray, he has nothing to lose by competing at the EVLS Prague Pro.
Shawn Ray predicted that Chris would move up to the open class, and now Shawn’s prediction has become reality.
Chris is the most popular bodybuilder in the world, with over 25 million followers on Instagram, and over 4 million followers on YouTube, nobody comes close to Bumstead’s popularity.
Shawn believes that Chris is a direct favorite to win the event, as his physique is the ideal bodybuilding physique, that is more pleasing to the average person, rather than a mass monster, that makes some people turn away.
In regards to Bumstead’s contribution to the sport of bodybuilding, if he does win the EVLS Prague Pro, Shawn Ray believes that the sport of bodybuilding can benefit from Bumstead’s popularity.
Shawn Ray also went on to explain that if Chris Bumstead does qualify for the 2025 Mr. Olympia, the organizers might have to look for a new venue, to accommodate all fans that would want to see Bumstead compete against champions such as Samson Dauda, Hadi Choopena, and Derek Lunsford.
When looking back at the history of the sport, it’s not the first time a bodybuilder with a similar physique as Bumstead caught the attention of the late Joe and Ben Weider. The former bodybuilding promoters would take every opportunity to expose these athletes on their multi-million dollar magazine empire, splashing their images all over magazine covers.
Shawn Ray mentioned bodybuilders such as Berry DeMey, Bob Paris, Lee Labarada, and others, that were not mass monsters but raised the sport of bodybuilding and the Mr. Olympia event to the highest level, with their aesthetic physiques.
Chris Bumstead can do the same, on a bigger level, as his popularity has reached more of a fan base than any other bodybuilder, Shawn Ray explains that if the Olympia Weekend organizers take advantage of this situation, they can literally push the sport of bodybuilding to the highest level, and attract millions of more fans.
Another important point that Shawn Ray made was that while Bumstead has no weight restrictions as he did in Classic Physique, he cannot make the mistake of losing his classic lines and definition, the two major factors that make his physique stand out.
Chris will be standing against competitors much bigger than him, but they will not have the perfect balance of size, condition, and aesthetics, as Chris can display.
It will be an exciting weekend, and the outcome can change the sport of bodybuilding forever.
Should Mr. Olympia Samson Dauda Retire?
Samson Dauda is still celebrating his 2024 Mr. Olympia victory. He took home the gold-plated Sandow trophy and a $600,000 cash prize.
While Shawn Ray predicted that Samson would win the Mr. Olympia, as he had the most balanced physique, that combined mass, condition, and great aesthetics, he believes that Samson has nothing to prove.
Samson has now won bodybuilding’s two most prestigious titles, the 2023 Arnold Classic USA, and the 2024 Mr. Olympia, literally leaving him with nothing else to prove in regards to competitive bodybuilding.
This is where Shawn Ray is critical of Samson Dauda’s next decision.
Shawn Ray believes that Samson Dauda should retire from the sport of bodybuilding, and focus on his career off the stage.
Winning another Mr. Olympia title will not make a difference to Samson’s legacy, as when you already have one Sandow trophy, you are set for life, as a legend of the sport.
Winning seven or eight consecutive Mr. Olympia titles is highly unlikely in the modern age of bodybuilding.
Shawn Ray explained that it’s no easy task to walk around weighing over 300 pounds, consuming heavy amounts of food, and also using PEDs to stay competitive, and this is why Samson should think twice about his future.
Samson is the favorite going into the 2025 Arnold Classic USA, and if he wins, that’s another $500,000 in the bank. If Samson goes on to defend his Mr. Olympia and succeeds, he will take another $600,000 home.
If Samson is successful and brings home over $1 million in prize money in 2025, plus other endorsements from his sponsors, Samson is practically set for life financially.
When you listen to Shawn Ray with an open mind, he has made a very important point that Samson should think about.
Mike Van Wych controversy
At the end of the podcast, Shawn Ray was asked about the Mike Van Wych controversy, after he pushed influencer Jeff Nippard by the neck.
Shawn explains that, if Mike represents the NPC or Pro League in any way, he should be banned from the federation immediately.
Mike has received a lot of criticism for this incident. Mike had to look for a new gym to train his clients since he was kicked out after the incident. Mike’s closest friends, such as Fouad Abiad continue to support his friend, but at the same time admits he made a mistake.
Mike has since been charged, and his Instagram account has also been removed.
