A former Mr Olympia bodybuilder has died just weeks after making a mysterious post in which he called on his followers to “stop taking life for granted.”

Navy veteran Dwayne Quamina passed away on Sunday, having just six days earlier competed in a bodybuilding qualifier for the Mr Olympia competition.

After that qualifier, in which he came in sixth in the 212-pound division at the Atlanta Pro competition, he posted: “If it was easy, everybody would do it. The best quality you can have is the ability to pick yourself up and go again, no matter how many times it takes. Watch what comes next!”

The cause of Quamina’s death remains unknown.

“Stop taking life for granted, go all the way and have zero regrets when it’s all over!” he posted to his more than 114,000 Instagram followers last month.

Quamina leaves behind him his wife, Leah, and two children.

A GoFundMe page set up to support his wife and children has so far raised more than $9,300 towards its stated target of $20,000.

“Dwayne was a loving yet fierce man, someone who protected and provided for his family while uplifting others with his presence, kindness, and unwavering spirit. His loss has left an unimaginable void in the hearts of all who knew and loved him,” the page says.

Tributes Pour in For Dwayne Quamina

Tributes have poured in for Quamina. Eight-time Ms Olympia winner Lenda Murray posted: “My thoughts and prayers are for the family. Sincere condolences.”

“It’s absolutely tragic. We competed together just a week ago at the Atlanta Pro. It’s hard to believe he’s gone,” fellow bodybuilder Karol Małecki Ale Lekkie said.

Quamina, known as “King Q”, became a bodybuilder in 2016 after serving in the US Navy for 10 years. He placed 10th in the Mr Olympia tournament in 2018 and won the lightweight title at the 2016 NPC USA Championships and 2017 Europa Phoenix Pro event. He was born in Trinidad and Tobago before eventually moving to the United States and then settling in California.

Alongside his bodybuilding, he also worked as an online coach and posted workout videos and motivational content to his social media followers. He was well known for his content that aimed to inspire his followers to achieve their potential. In one post, he wrote: “Who do you want to become? Once you figure that out, all that’s left is to go out and become.”

The ‘real reason’ why former United States Champion Ilja Dragunov is leaving WWE has been revealed, and it reportedly goes against the company’s best efforts to re-sign him.

WWE is thought to have wanted to retain the services of the Russian-German professional wrestler – whose real name is Ilja Rukober – and is even reported to have had plans for the Superstar post SummerSlam.

The 32-year-old last appeared on WWE programming in April when he wrestled in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the night before WrestleMania 42 on SmackDown.

The Moscow-born performer was in talks with WWE as recently as June about signing a new contract to tie him to the company, but talks broke down.

Dragunov, therefore, chose to let his contract run down and it has now expired. It remains unknown, however, why the talks over a new deal stalled and why Dragunov’s planned WWE return fell through.

Ilia Dragunov’s WWE Career

Ilja Dragunov established himself as one of WWE’s most intense performers and as a favourite among diehard fans.

After joining NXT UK, he became NXT UK Champion in 2021 by defeating Gunther before capturing the NXT Championship itself and further cementing his reputation as a standout performer in the WWE’s developmental system.

Moving to the main roster in 2024, he appeared on the Raw brand before suffering a lengthy injury layoff which kept him out of the ring for over a year after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Dragunov’s highlight at the company came later in 2026 when he defeated Sami Zayn for the United States Championship, adding another major achievement to his career.

Ilia Dragunov’s Wrestling Future

Questions will now turn to Dragunov’s future, with links to Tony Khan’s AEW mooted. If Dragunov were to sign for WWE’s rival, he would join a host of ex-WWE alumni, and there would be a wealth of potential opponents in the pipeline.

With the likes of MJF, Will Ospreay, Swerve Strickland, and Jon Moxley as potential challengers, it would no doubt put a marker down if AEW could secure his services and fans would definitely tune in.

While the most likely option is probably AEW, Dragunov does have other options. Japan would be one possibility, as well as other independents, which would offer him greater creative freedom and perhaps leave the door open for a return to WWE down the line.

Dragunov has now been moved to the alumni section of the WWE website.

Former Arsenal midfielder and beloved Sky Sports’ Gillette Soccer Saturday pundit Paul Merson has predicted the 2026/27 Premier League top six, making several controversial claims ahead of the new campaign.

The Gunners will begin their title defence with a home match against newly promoted Coventry City on Friday night, while the rest of the traditional ‘big six’ will be going through periods of transition this term. Michael Carrick – having taken over at Manchester United in January – is the longest-serving manager among the expected chasing pack.

It means this season will be immensely difficult to predict, made all the more challenging by Chelsea and Tottenham’s incredible net spend after seasons in which they really struggled. Merson has given guesswork a shot, though, making huge claims about both Liverpool and the aforementioned Red Devils.

Paul Merson Rules Out Both Manchester Clubs in Premier League Title Race

Lee Smith via Reuters

Manchester City have finished below second in just two of the last 10 seasons, with their lowest finish being just third. However, with Pep Guardiola passing the baton to Enzo Maresca – and Rodri leaving the club for Barcelona – Merson believes the perennial champions could slump to fourth this time around.

He told the Metro, after tipping Arsenal to successfully retain their title with “nobody capable of touching them”: “After watching the Community Shield, I said the one thing Manchester City cannot do is sell Rodri. And they did it after the game.”

Similarly, Merson finds it hard to imagine a title challenge from United as they prepare for their first full season with Carrick in the Old Trafford cockpit. No team picked up more points than United in the league following his interim appointment in January, earning 39 points from his 17 games.

Merson fears that a lack of squad depth and the added pressures of Champions League football will take its toll on the Red Devils, predicting them to finish all the way down in sixth: “I just worry about Manchester United with Europe. We saw it last season at times – their squad is wafer thin.

REUTERS/Phil Noble

“If Bruno Fernandes got injured, then you’d really worry. And yes, they have Youri Tielemans in there but I don’t see a dominant midfield.

‘Manchester United will have their ups and downs – and I don’t expect them to be challengers. It’s too early for that.”

Where He Predicts Liverpool, Chelsea & Tottenham To Finish

Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

Instead of the Manchester clubs, Merson believes Liverpool will find an elixir to last season’s woes to become Arsenal’s biggest title challengers this coming term. If Andoni Iraola can get the best out of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, then the former Bournemouth managers has every chance of succeeding at Anfield.

In third, Chelsea’s spending is finally expected to pay dividends under the increasingly under-pressure Todd Boehly, whose rushed appointment of Liam Rosenior at the back-end of last season has ultimately led him to rethink his decision and instead hire Xabi Alonso this summer – one of the best managers in the world after he led Bayer Leverkusen to an unprecedented invincible Bundesliga season.

And, as for Tottenham, Merson has predicted them to finish fifth, which would be enough to see them climb 12 positions in the table to go from relegation candidates to a side that qualifies for the Champions League after splashing the cash to bring in the likes of Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, and Jan Paul van Hecke.