"I give them dual statuses" - Bob Cicherillo pitches Derek Lunsford and Samson Dauda as the two biggest threats to Hadi Choopan at the 2023 Olympia

Over the last few years, Bob Cicherillo, a former IFBB professional bodybuilder, has come forward as a significant voice surrounding the sport. His unique insight into various competitions, match-ups, and issues in the profession have made him an entertaining yet informational source for everything bodybuilding.

In a recent edition of Olympia TV, Cicherillo appeared alongside five other guests to discuss the Arnold Classic and the 2023 Olympia. On the show, he made it very clear that according to what he has seen so far, the biggest threats to Hadi Choopan are Samson Dauda and Derek Lunsford.

"Well, listen, for many many years now, it’s been pretty much tradition, the winner of the Arnold automatically becomes the frontrunner to the Olympia. Now, there are certain exceptions to the rule. Like in this case, I’ve said Samson Dauda is the frontrunner, but you also have to give Derek Lunsford equal credit because he was second in a runner-up position at the Olympia, so I give them dual statuses as the number one contenders to try to take out Hadi Choopan."

Earlier this month, Samson Dauda established himself as a significant competitor for the Sandow trophy by winning the 2023 Arnold Classic against Nick Walker and other strong athletes.

Derek Lunsford has been on the radar as a threat this year ever since his exceptional showing at the Olympia last year.

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"Not everyone is an expert" - Bob Cicherillo continues his pushback against judging criticisms

Ever since the conclusion of the Arnold Classic, fans and critics alike have heavily criticized the decision of the judges on the show. This has sparked a conversation about judging criteria throughout the sport.

Cicherillo has been quick in responding to these critics and taking the stance as the defender of the judges' decision. He reiterated this stance on the show by stating some facts.

"First of all, people got to understand something, even though everyone is entitled to an opinion, not everyone is an expert, that’s the first thing. Number two: Unless you’re sitting at the judges’ table, and I know we beat this one to death and I’ll continue to do it, yes, you have to be there. It’s a different show than what you people are watching at home on the pay-per-view, on your phone, on the computer, from the 50th row, the 100th row, the balcony, it’s a different show 15-20 feet away, and what the judges are looking at."

Cicherillo makes a good point. Different variables play into the way judges view the contestants as compared to an ordinary fan. Continuing his point, he said:

"You cannot see the detail – and every athlete here will nod in agreement, Stacy as well, he’s been in more shows than probably anybody. You can’t see the detail on a screen, even on the big screen while you’re there, like, you can in person and up close. So, yes, you guys are seeing a slightly different show."

Cicherillo added that the way professionals look at the contestants is devoid of certain biases that may be prevalent in the fans eyes.

"The other thing you have to keep in mind in is, as commentators, MCs, judges, whatnot, we are not emotionally involved here. We don’t have favorites; we’re not fans even though we like certain people for various reasons."