Tyler Dunham chatted with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about competing as Mister Nebraska in the 2026 Mister USA pageant. The finals will take place in late July at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Mister USA competition
Mister USA is an American beauty pageant, which is held annually, and the winner goes on to represent the United States in the Mister Universe competition. It is a celebration of culture, diversity, beauty, intelligence and empowerment.
It believes in the power of young leaders to make a difference in the world. It is not solely about outer beauty; it recognizes the inner beauty and intelligence of their contestants.
Tyler, 26, hopes to inspire others to stay disciplined, believe in themselves, and never stop pushing toward their goals in an effort to become the best versions of themselves.
On competing for Mister USA, he exclaimed, “It is so surreal! I can’t believe it. To be representing Nebraska is a big interesting, to say the least. Obviously, I am not from Nebraska but I am super blessed for this opportunity. It’s an honor! I am grateful no matter what.”
Advocacy for Mister USA
Regarding his advocacy for this year’s Mister USA pageant, Tyler shared, “I’m using the platform to raise awareness not only on men’s mental health, but also physical health, too. This is so important to me because you can’t live your best life without being in shape.”
“So, the better foods we eat, the better we take care of ourselves, the better partners we can be to our wives or whoever it may be, the better friends we can be, the better sons we can be to our families, and just being a good role model for other people out there in our community and families,” he elaborated.
Future plans
On his future plans, he stated, “I want to help as many people as I can in fitness because everybody deserves to live their best lives. Just taking my knowledge and being able to give it back to as many people as possible. I feel that when you learn something and you get really good at something, you want to be able to give back and share it with people.”
“Growing up, I would have killed to have had someone like myself to look up to when I first started fitness,” he noted. “So, being able to do that for someone else is really rewarding.”
“Whenever I hear that my coaching, expertise and knowledge has made a huge impact of people’s lives, that means the world to people,” he acknowledged.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he revealed, “Walking through the Fire.”
Defining moments
When asked if there were any moments in his life that have helped define him, he responded, “There have been plenty! I was bullied as a kid for going to the skate park on a scooter. Then, I had a recent break-up with my ex-girlfriend but there have been so many opportunities that have come from that, which is wild.”
Superpower of choice
If he were to have any superpower, it would be “to fly.” “Flying would be cool,” he admitted. “I’ve been called ‘Superman’ on a couple of different occasions,” he said.
Success
On his definition of success, he said, “Success means true happiness, whether it’s financial, relationship, or business, or whether that’s having a good family. Success is pure bliss to me.”
Closing thoughts on Mister USA
Tyler concluded, “The one thing that I want people to get out of my competing for Mister USA is that if I can do it, then they can do it too. Anything is possible when you put your mind to it, and when you place it in God’s hands.”
To learn more about 2026 Mister Nebraska USA Tyler Dunham, follow him on Instagram.
