Mr. Olympia 2021: Top Competitors Who Will Threaten Mamdouh Elssbiay's Title

This weekend, the Mr. Olympia contest will return to Orlando, Florida to crown the next Sandow Trophy winner.

The most famous bodybuilding competition in the world is the centerpiece of Joe Weider's Olympia Fitness & Performance Weekend. The annual event has propelled celebrated weightlifters like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane and Ronnie Coleman to mythical status.

Although the Classic Physique division is rapidly becoming a staple, the Open bodybuilding competition is still the main draw. This year's lineup will be intriguing, as it boasts several exciting newcomers as well as established stars.

Even more, the field is seemingly wide open because seven-time champion Phil Heath will not compete this year. The Gift has been a fixture at the event since his debut in 2008. He went on to become Mr. Olympia for the first time in 2011 and successfully defended the title for six consecutive years.

Heath came in second to last year's winner, Mamdouh "Big Ramy" Elssbiay, but he has recently spoken about his frustrations with the sport. His absence makes the Egyptian an easy favorite, but there are plenty of names who could threaten his chances of a repeat.

Nick Walker

Nick Walker may not be many fans' top prediction to win the Sandow Trophy, but he's certainly the hottest up-and-comer heading into this weekend.

As this year's Arnold Classic winner, all eyes will be on him as he makes his Mr. Olympia debut. The 27-year-old promised to land in the top five, which may seem like a bold claim, but he also vowed to win the Arnold Classic during an interview with Fouad Abiad's Real Bodybuilding Podcast. That turned out to be a spoiler.

It will be tough for anyone to best Big Ramy in terms of sheer size but someone with Walker's definition and conditioning will make an impact. He's also riding high following two big contest wins.

If he can present the same results this time around, The Mutant will be a solid pick to reach the top three and become a new star in the Men's Open division.

Brandon Curry

Big Ramy's incredible stature and size make the champion a difficult opponent, but Brandon Curry brings a unique shape and muscularity to the competition.

The 38-year-old landed was the runner-up to Elssbiay in 2020. As the man who came the closest to beating the current Mr. Olympia, The Prodigy must be a top contender and a reasonable pick to dethrone him.

The Nashville, Tennessee native was also the 2019 winner, so he knows what the judges are looking for. With the right balance of mass and detail, he could win the event for a second time.

Hadi Choopan

Hadi Choopan placed fourth last year, but he got a big endorsement from Phil Heath ahead of the 2021 Mr. Olympia contest.

In episode 93 of The Bet-David Podcast, Heath gave his prediction for the competition. He said, "more than likely [Big Ramy] is the favorite, he is the guy who is going to repeat." But he also believes The Persian Wolf can beat the champion.

The Gift and the Iranian also share a trainer in Hany Rambod, which gives him a bit of an advantage. At the very least, Choopan seems like a shoo-in for second or third place in a competitive field where Heath won't stand in his way again.