{"id":73423,"date":"2025-10-12T07:28:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-12T07:28:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/73423\/"},"modified":"2025-10-12T07:28:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-12T07:28:10","slug":"2025-olympia-friday-night-finals-recap-samson-dauda-pearson-shaw-take-center-stage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/73423\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 Olympia Friday Night Finals Recap: Samson Dauda, Pearson, & Shaw Take Center Stage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Months of speculation, promotion, and buildup led to this. The 2025 Olympia Weekend officially kicked off with the press conference<\/a> and Meet the Olympians on Oct. 9, Friday, Oct. 10 began at the Las Vegas Convention Center with the Olympia World Fitness Expo, where prejudging for the 212, Figure, Women\u2019s Physique, Fitness, Wellness, and Ms. Olympia divisions were held.<\/p>\n

The Resorts World Theater would serve as the battleground for the finals of all those categories as well as the prejudging for the Men\u2019s Open. Thousands of fans in attendance and many watching around the world on pay-per-view saw special moments play out and bodybuilding history made.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"Bodybuilder
\n\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

MEN\u2019S OPEN PREJUDGING<\/p>\n

The 61st Mr. Olympia began on Friday night with prejudging. Each competitor was introduced individually to the fans in attendance and watching on pay-per-view. This year marked the first time in history that four Sandow Trophy holders was competing in the same Olympia. Defending title holder Samson Dauda faced past champions Derek Lunsford, Hadi Choopan, and Brandon Curry as well as several other competitors from around the world that qualified to be here.<\/p>\n

Head judge Steve Weinberger was tasked with calling out the top contenders while the fans anticipated who would be in that first callout. The names Weinberger called out were Choopan, Martin Fitzwater, Nick Walker, Andrew Jacked, Lunsford, and Dauda.<\/p>\n

The last two Olympia champions were in the center of the call out at the beginning, and they remained there until they were sent back in line.<\/p>\n

The final callout included Choopan, Jacked, Lunsford, and Dauda. Choopan and Dauda started in the middle, but Lunsford had his turn in another round of posing. Dauda even stepped away from the line to hit extra poses for the crowd. These are your top four going into Saturday night.<\/p>\n

Keone Pearson Wins 212 Title for the Third Time<\/p>\n

A pair of two-time 212 champs based off once again in Las Vegas. Both reigning champion Keone Pearson and former champion Shaun Clarida we\u2019re in the center during prejudging, meaning the title for this year was likely going to one of them.<\/p>\n

Pearson was by far the bigger man, but Clarida brought conditioning that was similar to what made him the champion in years\u2019 past. Eventually, the judges favored Pearson, who is now a three-time 212 Olympia winner.<\/p>\n

Keone Pearson
\nShaun Clarida
\nLucas Garcia
\nNihat Kaya
\nCourage Opara<\/p>\n

\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"TMP
\n\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

Shaw Earns Her 6th Ms. Olympia Title<\/p>\n

Ever since the Ms. Olympia returned in 2020, Andrea Shaw has had a stranglehold on the title with no signs of letting it go. 2025 was Shaw\u2019s attempt to make it \u201csix-time\u201d while the rest of the field wanted to win it for their first. Once again, Shaw held off the rest of the field and stood alongside Olympia owner Jake Wood as the now six-time Ms. Olympia.<\/p>\n

Andrea Shaw
\nAshley Lynnette Jones
\nLeyvina Barros
\nAngela Yeo
\nAlcione Santos Barreto<\/p>\n

History Made in Women\u2019s Physique<\/p>\n

Stop us if you\u2019ve heard this before. The Women\u2019s Physique title came down to Sarah Villegas and Natalia Abraham Coelho. Villegas was trying to break the record for most wins ever with her fifth, but Coelho wanted to regain the title for the second time and show that her 2022 win was not a fluke. In the end, Coelho was victorious and stood on center stage as world champion for Women\u2019s Physique.<\/p>\n

Natalia Abraham Coelho
\nSarah Villegas
\nZama Benta
\nBrittany Herrera
\nSheronica Henton<\/p>\n

Michelle Fredua-Mensah Wins Ms. Fitness Olympia<\/p>\n

Because of three-time Olympia winner Missy Truscott move to Figure this season, a new Fitness Olympia champion was guaranteed. That new champion is Michelle Fredua-Mensah, who backed up her impressive physique with an incredible performance routine. Jaclyn Baker took silver, and Taylor Learmont accepted bronze.<\/p>\n

Michelle Fredua-Mensah
\nJaclyn Baker
\nTaylor Learmont
\nAmber Steffen
\nAnna Fomina<\/p>\n

Rhea Gayle Is Your New Ms. Figure Olympia<\/p>\n

With eight-time champion and soon to be International Sports Hall of Famer Cydney Gillon\u2019s retirement, a new battle for No. 1\u00a0 ensued. This year the Figure legend watched Rhea Gayle take the title in her first Olympia victory. Lola Montez was second, and 2025 Masters Olympia winner Jessica Reyes Padilla rounded out the top three. Truscott earned a top 10 finish in her new category.<\/p>\n

Rhea Gayle
\nLola Montez
\nJessica Reyes Padilla
\nDenise Zwinger-Tynek
\nNicole Zenobia Graham<\/p>\n

Eduarda Bezerra Wins 2025 Wellness Olympia\u00a0<\/p>\n

Thiis marks the first time in the Wellness division\u2019s history that former champion Francielle Mattos was not in the lineup. However, defending champion Isabelle Nunes was, and she was hoping to join Mattos as a two-time winner.<\/p>\n

However, Eduarda Bezerra, who was considered by many to be the future of the category, spoiled the party and finally ascended to the throne. She is your new Ms. Wellness Olympia. Nunes finished second.<\/p>\n

Eduarda Bezerra
\nIsabelle Nunes
\nElisa Alcantara
\nRayane Fogal
\nLeonida Ciobi<\/p>\n

As memorable as this evening was, it\u2019s only half of the historical weekend. Saturday night, Oct. 11 will include the Classic Physique, Men\u2019s Physique, and BIkini divisions as well as the finals of the main event, the 61st Mr. Olympia. M&F\u2019s coverage of the 2025 Olympia continues here as well as on Instagram @muscleandfitness.<\/a> You can see even more by subscribing to our newsletter.<\/p>\n

\t\t