2022 Mr. Olympia Hadi Choopan has won the Arnold Classic 2024. The former Mr. Olympia’s redemption arc is off to a blistering start as he defeated defending champion Samson Dauda for the Arnold Classic crown. Despite facing tough competition from an improved Samson Dauda, The Persian Wolf came out on top at Ohio. Choopan has now joined a handful of people who have won the Arnold Classic on their first appearance.

The Iranian bodybuilder stirred up quite the controversy after losing his Olympia title last year in November. The 36-year-old stormed off the stage when he lost to Derek Lunsford but later apologized for his behavior. Hadi Choopan promised his fans that he would do better and return hungrier and more focused than before. The Persian Wolf has fulfilled the promise he made to his fans within three months.

While everyone attempted to bring the best versions of themselves, Hadi Choopan brought a better package than last year’s Olympia. The Persian Wolf seemed to have gained evermore muscle, making his physique appear even more dense. The Iranian champion even managed to improve his conditioning, which was already one of his strong suits.

In fact, Hadi Choopan also bettered his posing. While he couldn’t beat the defending champion’s posing routine, the former Mr. Olympia surpassed Dauda in every other aspect. Despite having the height advantage, the incremental improvements that The Nigerian Lion made weren’t enough to stop the Arnold Classic debutant.

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However, the judges took their time in making the decision. They made the duo go head-to-head during pre-judging and finals. Although the judges compared the duo, with Rafael Brandao and Jonathan Delarosa during a callout, everyone had already understood that the battle for the top two would be between Choopan and Dauda.

The 2024 Arnold Classic has won it all

With his Arnold Classic victory, the Iranian bodybuilding icon has won it all. The 36-year-old has been competing for over two decades, and after winning the Super Bowl of bodybuilding, the only major title he hadn’t won was the Arnold Classic. However, that changed today as Chopaan took home $300,000.

Dauda had to settle for second place, while Rafael Brandao and Jonathan Delarosa placed third and fourth, respectively. Although Chris Bumstead had predicted James Hollingshead and Akim Williams finishing higher, they settled for fifth and sixth place, respectively.

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Samson Dauda is undoubtedly disappointed in losing his Arnold Classic crown. However, The Nigerian won’t have to wait long for a rematch as the two face off again on the Arnold Classic UK stage from March 15 to 17.